A guiding force in the field CBT, Dr Dennis Tirch founded the Center for Compassion Focused Therapy in the USA. He has been described as one of the country's foremost experts on CFT and the psychology of compassion. His research is aimed at better understanding how therapies such as CBT and ACT can be strengthened by focusing on compassion. Dr Tirch is president of The Compassionate Mind Foundation USA and the author of prominent books including The Compassionate-Mind Guide to Overcoming Anxiety.