The Being Method: a new intervention program for distress emotional management through self-compassion and compassion

A growing body of research has demonstrated how cultivating a compassionate mind can help alleviate and prevent a variety of psychological problems. Since the beginning of the 21st century, there has been a boom in third-generation therapies based on compassion. This study proposes a new method, the Being Method, whose central focus revolves around self-compasion and compassion. The Being Method was influenced by Buddhist philosophy and contemporary psychology, which were based mainly on Western rationalist currents. The objective of this research was to analyse the effectiveness of this method in fostering emotional changes by focusing on concerns through the lenses of self-compassion and compassion. The sample consisted of 47 women between 18 and 53 years old (M _age =36.02; SD _age = 11.86) who were interested in personal growth. The following measuring instruments were administered: the Peace of Mind Scale (PoM), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; Rosenberg, 1965), the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), the Self-Compassionate and Compassionate Action and Engagement Scale (CAES), the Coping Response Inventory for Adults (CRI-A) and the Cognitive‒Behavioral Strategies Evaluation Scale (MOLDES). The research followed a repeated measures cross-sectional design and an experimental methodology. Longitudinal analysis was also carried out through a pre-post program comparison. The obtained outcomes revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) before and after therapy in terms of the variables peace of mind, self-esteem, happiness, self-compassion (A-B), compassion (A-B), several mental molds, and several coping strategies. Additionally, between-group (experimental and control groups) comparisons revealed significantly greater means in the experimental group than in the control group. Thus, these outcomes highlighted the effectiveness of the therapy in improving all the analysed dimensions. The social, clinical and research implications are discussed.