Russell L. Kolts, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Eastern Washington University. An internationally recognized trainer in compassion-focused therapy (CFT), Dr. Kolts has pioneered the use of CFT in the treatment of problematic anger. He has authored or coauthored numerous scholarly articles and books for both professionals and general readers, including Buddhist Psychology and CBT: A Practitioner's Guide. Dr. Kolts has given a TEDx talk entitled Anger, Compassion, and What it Means to be Strong, and is founding director of the Inland Northwest Compassionate Mind Center in Spokane, Washington.
Tobyn Bell, MSc, is a practitioner of compassion-focused therapy (CFT) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) based in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. He is a CFT trainer for the Compassionate Mind Foundation and a CBT trainer, supervisor, and program lead at the Greater Manchester CBT Training Centre (National Health Service), which is associated with Manchester University. Mr. Bell has published research on mental imagery and compassion and is a registered mental health nurse and trained mindfulness teacher.
James Bennett-Levy, PhD, is Professor of Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being at the University of Sydney, Australia. As a psychotherapy trainer, he has taught in 22 countries, and is one of the most published researchers in the field of therapist training. In particular, he has pioneered and written extensively about self-practice/self-reflection. Dr. Bennett-Levy is coauthor or coeditor of several widely cited books on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), including Experiencing CBT from the Inside Out. He is Editor of the Guilford series Self-Practice/Self-Reflection Guides for Psychotherapists.
Chris Irons, PhD, DClinPsych, is Co-Director of Balanced Minds, an organization that provides compassion-focused therapy (CFT) services, training, and resources in London, United Kingdom. He is a board member of the Compassionate Mind Foundation and a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Derby. Since the early 2000s, Dr. Irons has worked with Paul Gilbert and other colleagues on research and clinical developments linked to CFT. He has published numerous articles, book chapters, and books on compassion, attachment, shame, and self-criticism, and regularly provides CFT teaching, training, workshops, and retreats around the world.
