Charlie Heriot-Maitland

Promoting mental health and compassion through therapy, research, training, creative work, and writing

  • instagram
  • linkedin
  • HOME
  • ACADEMIC
    • Publications
    • Research projects
    • Academic journal
  • TRAINING
    • Organisations I’ve worked with
    • Courses & workshops
    • Upcoming events
  • CONSULTING
    • Coaching & supervision
    • Group & team consultancy
    • Therapy
  • BOOKS
    • Controlled Explosions in Mental Health
    • Relating to Voices Using CFT
  • STUDIO
    • Doodles
    • Videos
    • Audio library
    • Online courses
    • Activities & materials
  • ABOUT
  • HOME
  • ACADEMIC
    • Publications
    • Research projects
    • Academic journal
  • TRAINING
    • Organisations I’ve worked with
    • Courses & workshops
    • Upcoming events
  • CONSULTING
    • Coaching & supervision
    • Group & team consultancy
    • Therapy
  • BOOKS
    • Controlled Explosions in Mental Health
    • Relating to Voices Using CFT
  • STUDIO
    • Doodles
    • Videos
    • Audio library
    • Online courses
    • Activities & materials
  • ABOUT

New paper on chairwork for voice-hearers

on 02/06/2025 in ACADEMIC, NEWS & UPDATES

It was wonderful to co-author with chairwork expert Tobyn on this new invited article:

β€œCompassion-focused chairwork for voice-hearing relationships, body triggers and motivational states”

This paper is open access on this link:

https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12600

See list of publications
  • 𝟳. π—•π—Ÿπ—”π— π—˜π—₯ π—’π—•π—π—˜π—–π—§π—œπ—©π—˜: to create a feeling of agency and control This member takes responsibility for everything that goes wrong - even when it isn’t our fault. Self-blame can feel painful, but it also creates a sense of agency: If it’s my fault, maybe I can fix it. 𝗛𝗔π—₯𝗠 π—”π—©π—˜π—₯π—§π—˜π——: helplessness, powerlessness, and uncontrollable loss. 𝗛𝗔π—₯𝗠 𝗖π—₯π—˜π—”π—§π—˜π——: shame, self-attack, diminished self-worth.β€Œ
    3 days ago
  • 𝟲. π—œπ— π—£π—₯π—’π—©π—˜π—₯ (the first member of the bomb squad's Self-Criticism Unit) π—’π—•π—π—˜π—–π—§π—œπ—©π—˜: to create a self-improvement response This is the self-critic that pushes us to do better, fix ourselves, and improve. On the surface, it can sound motivating - even helpful. Underneath, it’s often driven by fear: What if I don’t improve and something bad happens? 𝗛𝗔π—₯𝗠 π—”π—©π—˜π—₯π—§π—˜π——: being seen as flawed, rejected, or inadequate. 𝗛𝗔π—₯𝗠 𝗖π—₯π—˜π—”π—§π—˜π——: relentless self-criticism, shame, pressure.
    6 days ago
  • A doodle exploring self-criticism - one of the protective patterns we touched on in the book launch webinar. #controlledexplosions
    1 week ago
  • #controlledexplosions
    1 week ago
  • I’ve recently had a conversation with Paul Gilbert, published this week in The Psychologist. The article links to a full recorded conversation in which we explore threat-protective systems, vulnerability, compassion, and my work in mental health, including the ideas behind β€˜Controlled Explosions in Mental Health’. You can watch the full conversation via the link in my bio.
    2 weeks ago
  • To mark the publication of Controlled Explosions in Mental Health, I’ll be joining the Compassionate Mind Foundation for an evening webinar next week, on 3rd February. I’ll be introducing some of the book’s key ideas and themes, and reflecting on how they relate to our own inner lives. All are very welcome to attend.
    3 weeks ago
  • β€˜Controlled Explosions in Mental Health’ is published today. This book grew out of many years of clinical work, research, and conversations about how we respond to threat - and what can change when we understand difficult patterns as attempts at protection. Thank you to everyone who has engaged with these ideas here, and I hope people find the book helpful. #controlledexplosions
    3 weeks ago
  • β€˜Controlled Explosions in Mental Health’ is published this Friday. #controlledexplosions
    4 weeks ago
  • Over the past few weeks, I’ve been sharing ideas about self-sabotage, not as something to get rid of, but as something that often begins as protection. Once we understand what a protective pattern is trying to do for us, our relationship to it can start to change. This way of thinking sits at the heart of Controlled Explosions. #controlledexplosions
    4 weeks ago
  • A doodle exploring the sweet spot on the edge of certainty. Where do you notice yourself leaning right now in the tug-of-war? #controlledexplosions
    1 month ago
@charlieheriotmaitland
@charlieheriotmaitland
•
Follow
𝟳. π—•π—Ÿπ—”π— π—˜π—₯ π—’π—•π—π—˜π—–π—§π—œπ—©π—˜: to create a feeling of agency and control This member takes responsibility for everything that goes wrong - even when it isn’t our fault. Self-blame can feel painful, but it also creates a sense of agency: If it’s my fault, maybe I can fix it. 𝗛𝗔π—₯𝗠 π—”π—©π—˜π—₯π—§π—˜π——: helplessness, powerlessness, and uncontrollable loss. 𝗛𝗔π—₯𝗠 𝗖π—₯π—˜π—”π—§π—˜π——: shame, self-attack, diminished self-worth.β€Œ
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
1/10
@charlieheriotmaitland
@charlieheriotmaitland
•
Follow
𝟲. π—œπ— π—£π—₯π—’π—©π—˜π—₯ (the first member of the bomb squad's Self-Criticism Unit) π—’π—•π—π—˜π—–π—§π—œπ—©π—˜: to create a self-improvement response This is the self-critic that pushes us to do better, fix ourselves, and improve. On the surface, it can sound motivating - even helpful. Underneath, it’s often driven by fear: What if I don’t improve and something bad happens? 𝗛𝗔π—₯𝗠 π—”π—©π—˜π—₯π—§π—˜π——: being seen as flawed, rejected, or inadequate. 𝗛𝗔π—₯𝗠 𝗖π—₯π—˜π—”π—§π—˜π——: relentless self-criticism, shame, pressure.
6 days ago
View on Instagram |
2/10
A doodle exploring self-criticism - one of the protective patterns we touched on in the book launch webinar. #controlledexplosions
@charlieheriotmaitland
@charlieheriotmaitland
•
Follow
A doodle exploring self-criticism - one of the protective patterns we touched on in the book launch webinar. #controlledexplosions
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
3/10
@charlieheriotmaitland
@charlieheriotmaitland
•
Follow
#controlledexplosions
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
4/10
I’ve recently had a conversation with Paul Gilbert, published this week in The Psychologist. The article links to a full recorded conversation in which we explore threat-protective systems, vulnerability, compassion, and my work in mental health, including the ideas behind β€˜Controlled Explosions in Mental Health’. You can watch the full conversation via the link in my bio.
@charlieheriotmaitland
@charlieheriotmaitland
•
Follow
I’ve recently had a conversation with Paul Gilbert, published this week in The Psychologist. The article links to a full recorded conversation in which we explore threat-protective systems, vulnerability, compassion, and my work in mental health, including the ideas behind β€˜Controlled Explosions in Mental Health’. You can watch the full conversation via the link in my bio.
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
5/10
To mark the publication of Controlled Explosions in Mental Health, I’ll be joining the Compassionate Mind Foundation for an evening webinar next week, on 3rd February. I’ll be introducing some of the book’s key ideas and themes, and reflecting on how they relate to our own inner lives. All are very welcome to attend.
To mark the publication of Controlled Explosions in Mental Health, I’ll be joining the Compassionate Mind Foundation for an evening webinar next week, on 3rd February. I’ll be introducing some of the book’s key ideas and themes, and reflecting on how they relate to our own inner lives. All are very welcome to attend.
@charlieheriotmaitland
@charlieheriotmaitland
•
Follow
To mark the publication of Controlled Explosions in Mental Health, I’ll be joining the Compassionate Mind Foundation for an evening webinar next week, on 3rd February. I’ll be introducing some of the book’s key ideas and themes, and reflecting on how they relate to our own inner lives. All are very welcome to attend.
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
6/10
β€˜Controlled Explosions in Mental Health’ is published today. This book grew out of many years of clinical work, research, and conversations about how we respond to threat - and what can change when we understand difficult patterns as attempts at protection. Thank you to everyone who has engaged with these ideas here, and I hope people find the book helpful. #controlledexplosions
@charlieheriotmaitland
@charlieheriotmaitland
•
Follow
β€˜Controlled Explosions in Mental Health’ is published today. This book grew out of many years of clinical work, research, and conversations about how we respond to threat - and what can change when we understand difficult patterns as attempts at protection. Thank you to everyone who has engaged with these ideas here, and I hope people find the book helpful. #controlledexplosions
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
7/10
β€˜Controlled Explosions in Mental Health’ is published this Friday. #controlledexplosions
@charlieheriotmaitland
@charlieheriotmaitland
•
Follow
β€˜Controlled Explosions in Mental Health’ is published this Friday. #controlledexplosions
4 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
8/10
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been sharing ideas about self-sabotage, not as something to get rid of, but as something that often begins as protection. Once we understand what a protective pattern is trying to do for us, our relationship to it can start to change. This way of thinking sits at the heart of Controlled Explosions. #controlledexplosions
@charlieheriotmaitland
@charlieheriotmaitland
•
Follow
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been sharing ideas about self-sabotage, not as something to get rid of, but as something that often begins as protection. Once we understand what a protective pattern is trying to do for us, our relationship to it can start to change. This way of thinking sits at the heart of Controlled Explosions. #controlledexplosions
4 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
9/10
A doodle exploring the sweet spot on the edge of certainty. Where do you notice yourself leaning right now in the tug-of-war? #controlledexplosions
@charlieheriotmaitland
@charlieheriotmaitland
•
Follow
A doodle exploring the sweet spot on the edge of certainty. Where do you notice yourself leaning right now in the tug-of-war? #controlledexplosions
1 month ago
View on Instagram |
10/10

Grounded in compassion..., driven by curiosity..., expressed through creativity.

THERAPY REFERRALS

  • balancedminds.com
  • referrals@balancedminds.com

TRAINING & CONSULTING

  • Online meeting scheduler
  • Contact form (all enquiries)

Connect & follow

  • instagram.com/charlieheriotmaitland
  • linkedin.com/in/charlieheriotmaitland

SUBSCRIBE

  • [coming soon]

Upcoming events

Mar 25
9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Foundations of CFTp – Mar 2026

Apr 29
9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Clinical Skills in CFTp – Apr 2026

View Calendar

Copyright © 2026 Charlie Heriot-Maitland

Designed by WPZOOM

 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.