greenslopesprivate.com.au | 9
Compassionate mind
training for veterans
The horrors of war can challenge a soldier’s
understanding of human nature as they
struggle to process what they’ve
experienced during military service.
Negative self-judgment following
deployment is considered a significant
contributing factor in suicide risk for
defence force personnel.
Thanks to Medibank’s ‘Mental Health
& Wellbeing Fund’, researchers at the
Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation
(GMRF) are working on improving the
sense of self-worth of returned service
personnel struggling with post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD).
Based at Greenslopes Private Hospital,
GMRF’s Veteran Mental Health Unit will
trial the use of Compassionate Mind
Training. For the first time, this study will
involve partners of Australia’s ex-service
population.
Compassionate Mind Training is a
skills building off-shoot of Compassion
Focussed Therapy (CFT), which was
developed specifically
for individuals who
have been exposed to
trauma. It has been used
successfully to reduce
levels of depression,
anxiety, and other PTSD
symptoms in emergency
workers.
GMRF Clinical
Psychologist and project
researcher Dr Sarah
Hampton is investigating whether
these benefits will be shown among
the groups of veterans and partners
participating in this pilot study. Groups
will participate in two sessions per week
for six weeks, learning strategies to calm
highly charged emotions and to more
strongly engage feelings of warmth and
self-reassurance.
Dr Hampton said that during the
sessions the participants will approach
potential feelings of guilt and shame
with compassion.
“Practising compassion towards oneself
is particularly effective because the
veteran may feel they do not deserve
self-care or kindness and this can be
a block to the veteran seeking muchneeded
help.”
A crucial feature of the GMRF pilot
study is the involvement of the partners
of the ex-serving personnel who
themselves report high rates of mental
health challenges.
“Partners undertaking therapy
together learn a common language
and strategies; they hold each other
accountable and help each other when
treatment has finished.”
GMRF is currently recruiting
participants for this pilot study.
If you or someone you know would like
to be involved, please visit
www.gallipoliresearch.com.au/project/
compassionate-mind-training-call-forparticipation.
Negative self-judgment
following deployment is
considered a significant
contributing factor in
suicide risk for defence
force personnel.