Home – Charlie Heriot-Maitland

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

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- Controlled Explosions in Mental Health
- Relating to Voices Using CFT
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HOME
ACADEMIC
TRAINING
CONSULTING
BOOKS
- Controlled Explosions in Mental Health
- Relating to Voices Using CFT
STUDIO
ABOUT

Compassion breaks (with Dora)
Mental health doodles
Academic publications
Training & consulting

4 days ago
7 days ago
1 week ago
2 weeks ago
3 weeks ago
3 weeks ago
4 weeks ago
4 weeks ago
1 month ago
1 month ago

@charlieheriotmaitland

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The audiobook of ‘Controlled Explosions in Mental Health’ is out today. Dora and I have listened to many audiobooks on our morning runs - this is the first one by me. If you’d like to listen, you can find it via the link in my bio. #controlledexplosions

4 days ago

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Upcoming Compassion Focused Therapy training dates:

18–19 March 2026
09:30–16:30 (GMT)
2-day online workshop
Introduction to CFT
Balanced Minds

25 March 2026
09:00–13:00 (PST)
½-day online workshop
Foundations of CFT for Psychosis
Stanford INSPIRE Training

29 April – 7 May 2026
09:00–13:00 (PST)
4 × ½-day online workshops
Clinical Skills in CFT for Psychosis
Stanford INSPIRE Training

17–23 June 2026
09:30–16:30 (GMT)
5-day online workshop
CMT Train the Trainer
Balanced Minds

@drchrisirons @charlieheriotmaitland
@balancedminds @stanford.inspire.training

Upcoming Compassion Focused Therapy training dates:

18–19 March 2026
09:30–16:30 (GMT)
2-day online workshop
Introduction to CFT
Balanced Minds

25 March 2026
09:00–13:00 (PST)
½-day online workshop
Foundations of CFT for Psychosis
Stanford INSPIRE Training

29 April – 7 May 2026
09:00–13:00 (PST)
4 × ½-day online workshops
Clinical Skills in CFT for Psychosis
Stanford INSPIRE Training

17–23 June 2026
09:30–16:30 (GMT)
5-day online workshop
CMT Train the Trainer
Balanced Minds

@drchrisirons @charlieheriotmaitland
@balancedminds @stanford.inspire.training

Upcoming Compassion Focused Therapy training dates:

18–19 March 2026
09:30–16:30 (GMT)
2-day online workshop
Introduction to CFT
Balanced Minds

25 March 2026
09:00–13:00 (PST)
½-day online workshop
Foundations of CFT for Psychosis
Stanford INSPIRE Training

29 April – 7 May 2026
09:00–13:00 (PST)
4 × ½-day online workshops
Clinical Skills in CFT for Psychosis
Stanford INSPIRE Training

17–23 June 2026
09:30–16:30 (GMT)
5-day online workshop
CMT Train the Trainer
Balanced Minds

@drchrisirons @charlieheriotmaitland
@balancedminds @stanford.inspire.training

Upcoming Compassion Focused Therapy training dates:

18–19 March 2026
09:30–16:30 (GMT)
2-day online workshop
Introduction to CFT
Balanced Minds

25 March 2026
09:00–13:00 (PST)
½-day online workshop
Foundations of CFT for Psychosis
Stanford INSPIRE Training

29 April – 7 May 2026
09:00–13:00 (PST)
4 × ½-day online workshops
Clinical Skills in CFT for Psychosis
Stanford INSPIRE Training

17–23 June 2026
09:30–16:30 (GMT)
5-day online workshop
CMT Train the Trainer
Balanced Minds

@drchrisirons @charlieheriotmaitland
@balancedminds @stanford.inspire.training

@charlieheriotmaitland

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Upcoming Compassion Focused Therapy training dates: 18–19 March 2026 09:30–16:30 (GMT) 2-day online workshop Introduction to CFT Balanced Minds 25 March 2026 09:00–13:00 (PST) ½-day online workshop Foundations of CFT for Psychosis Stanford INSPIRE Training 29 April – 7 May 2026 09:00–13:00 (PST) 4 × ½-day online workshops Clinical Skills in CFT for Psychosis Stanford INSPIRE Training 17–23 June 2026 09:30–16:30 (GMT) 5-day online workshop CMT Train the Trainer Balanced Minds @drchrisirons @charlieheriotmaitland @balancedminds @stanford.inspire.training

7 days ago

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@charlieheriotmaitland

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𝟭𝟬. 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗢𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥 𝗢𝗕𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘: to create a dissociative response This is the most forceful member of the Self-Criticism Unit. When certain feelings, needs, or memories feel too dangerous, this part shuts them down. It disconnects awareness to keep us alive. 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗗: overwhelming pain, re-traumatisation, or threat. 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗: numbness, fragmentation, loss of access to needs. #controlledexplosions

1 week ago

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@charlieheriotmaitland

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𝟵. 𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗕𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘: to create a submissive response This member of the Self-Criticism Unit creates feelings of inferiority, defeat, or compliance. It helps us yield before we’re hurt - especially when others feel more powerful. Submission can reduce conflict and danger, but at a cost to mental health. 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗗: confrontation, retaliation, humiliation, or harm. 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗: loss of confidence, agency, and voice.‌

2 weeks ago

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@charlieheriotmaitland

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𝟴. 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗕𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘: to discharge and complete a fight/flight response This critic switches on intense self-attack to activate threat emotions - anger, fear, disgust. Why? Because some threat responses were never completed. The body is trying to finish what it once couldn’t. 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗗: undischarged threat energy that stays trapped in the body. 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗: harsh self-attack and emotional pain.

3 weeks ago

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@charlieheriotmaitland

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𝟳. 𝗕𝗟𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗕𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘: 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. 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗗: helplessness, powerlessness, and uncontrollable loss. 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗: shame, self-attack, diminished self-worth.‌

3 weeks ago

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@charlieheriotmaitland

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𝟲. 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥 (the first member of the bomb squad's Self-Criticism Unit) 𝗢𝗕𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘: 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? 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗗: being seen as flawed, rejected, or inadequate. 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗: relentless self-criticism, shame, pressure.

4 weeks ago

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A doodle exploring self-criticism - one of the protective patterns we touched on in the book launch webinar.

#controlledexplosions

@charlieheriotmaitland

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A doodle exploring self-criticism - one of the protective patterns we touched on in the book launch webinar. #controlledexplosions

4 weeks ago

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@charlieheriotmaitland

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#controlledexplosions

1 month ago

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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 ‘Controlled Explosions in Mental Health’.

You can watch the full conversation via the link in my bio.

@charlieheriotmaitland

•

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 ‘Controlled Explosions in Mental Health’. You can watch the full conversation via the link in my bio.

1 month ago

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10/10

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

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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

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