Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is an 8-week training program designed to cultivate the skill of self-compassion. Based on the groundbreaking research of Kristin Neff (www.self-compassion.org) and the clinical expertise of Christopher Germer (www.mindfulselfcompassion.org) MSC teaches core principles and practices that enables us to respond to difficult moments in our lives with kindness, care and understanding.
The three key components of self-compassion are self-kindness, a sense of common humanity, and balanced, mindful awareness.
Kindness opens our hearts to suffering, so we can give ourselves what we need.
Common humanity opens us to our essential interrelatedness, so that we know we aren’t alone.
Mindfulness opens us to the present moment, so we can accept our experience with greater ease.
Together they comprise a state of warm-hearted, connected presence.
Self-compassion is innate to all of us and can be learned by anyone. It’s a courageous attitude that stands up to harm, including the harm that we unwittingly inflict on ourselves through self-criticism, self-isolation, or self-absorption. Self-compassion provides emotional strength and resilience, allowing us to admit our shortcomings, motivate ourselves with kindness, forgive ourselves when needed, relate wholeheartedly to others, and be more authentically ourselves.
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