A moment of self-compassion can change your entire day. A string of such moments can change the course of your life.
~ Christopher Germer, author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion
Mindful Self-Compassion – What is it?
Well, let’s first think about what is compassion? When you recognize that someone is suffering and you are moved by that suffering to respond with kindness, you also have the desire to do something to alleviate it. That is compassion.
So, self-compassion is that compassion turned towards yourself when you are struggling, made a mistake, or are feeling inadequate in some way. The only real difference between compassion and self-compassion is that we usually remember to include others but often forget to include ourselves in the circle of compassion.
More often than not, we respond to our own challenges by criticizing ourselves, isolating ourselves, and getting caught in the painful feelings. Many of us go into “fix it” mode and try to solve the problem. Rarely do we slow down enough to be aware of how much we are struggling and to take care of ourselves because we are suffering.
The awareness that we are suffering is the mindful and the caring for ourselves is the self-compassion in Mindful Self-Compassion. Mindful self-compassion is about relating to BOTH the experience of suffering AND to the the one who is suffering.
Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is an empirically-supported 8-week program designed to cultivate the skill of self-compassion. MSC was co-developed by Christopher Germer, PhD and Kristin Neff, PhD.
Mindful Self Compassion program includes:
- 8 live online classes (2 hours and 45 minutes per class) and 3-hour retreat
- An experiential group process
- Introduction to the practice of mindfulness
- Understanding of the theory and research behind self-compassion
- Through formal practices, MSC teaches Loving Kindness and Self-Compassion meditations to train the mind to have a more compassionate response to emotional and physical discomfort
- Through informal practices, MSC offers the tools and exercises to help deal with the challenges of daily life. Practices like placing hands over their heart or repeating certain phrases are used to help safely and compassionately respond in difficult moments and with painful emotions as they arise.
- During each session, there are opportunities for small and large group discussions following meditations or exercises.
- In the time between sessions, participants practice the skills of formal meditations and informal practices.
After participating in this class, you’ll be able to:
- Practice self-compassion in daily life
- Understand the empirically-supported benefits of self-compassion
- Motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism
- Meet difficult emotions with greater ease
- Begin to transform challenging relationships, old and new
- Manage caregiver fatigue
- Practice the art of savoring and self-appreciation
Why participate:
Rapidly expanding research demonstrates that self-compassion is strongly associated with:
- coping with life challenges
- lower levels of anxiety and depression
- emotional wellbeing
- healthy habits such as diet and exercise
- more satisfying personal relationships
When is the program offered:
Weekly on Sundays on Zoom
- Pacific (PT) 8am – 10:45am
- Eastern (ET) 11am – 1:45pm
- Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) 3pm – 5:45pm
- Central European (CET) 5pm – 7:45pm
***Please check your time zone. Note changes for Daylight Savings time in your region.***
- September 18, 2022 – Session 1: Discovering Mindful Self-Compassion
- September 25, 2022 – Session 2: Practicing Mindfulness
- October 2, 2022 – Session 3: Practicing Loving-Kindness
- October 9, 2022 – Session 4: Discovering Your Compassionate Voice
- October 16, 2022 – Session 5: Living Deeply
- October 23, 2022 – Retreat (3 hours)
- October 30, 2022 – Session 6: Meeting Difficult Emotions
- November 6, 2022 – Session 7: Exploring Challenging Relationships
- November 13, 2022 – Session 8: Embracing Your Life
Participants should plan to attend every session. MSC participants are asked to practice mindfulness and self-compassion at home working up to 1/2 hour per day during the course.
Who should attend:
- Those interested in becoming MSC teachers. This program qualifies as one of the prerequisites for training as a Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) teacher and to participate in Self-Compassion in Psychotherapy (SCIP). To obtain certificate of attendance, you are only allowed to miss up to 2 sessions.
- This particular program is designed for adults. Meditation experience is not necessary to participate in MSC.
REGISTRATION and DISCOUNTED RATE DEADLINE: September 10, 2022
If registering for the full course by September 10, 2022 please use promo code MSC918 to receive discount of $80 USD (Course fee with discount $395).
***Full refunds will be available up until the registration deadline ***
****In order to move forward with the group, a minimum of 8 participants is required. In the event of low registration a decision will be made by September 10, 2022. Registered participants will be entitled to a full refund and will be notified via email of any cancellation****
Your Instructors:
Cecilia Fernandez-Hall is a psychologist practicing in Massachusetts USA. She has been a teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) since 2014 and hosts weekly online meditation sessions for graduates of MSC courses. Cecilia has practiced mindfulness meditation, with an emphasis on Mindful Self-Compassion, since 2010. She shares her life with her spouse, teenage children, and furry friends.
Cecilia at [email protected]
Stina Jørgensen is self-employed and offers Mindfulness and yoga courses. She is also a public speaker for the World Mental Health Day in Norway. Previously, she worked as a prison officer teaching cognitive behavioral change courses for the inmates and Motivational Interviewing for health care professionals. She recently completed her training as a teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion. She lives with her husband, their two teenage children, and loves being outdoors.
Stina at [email protected]
Once you register:
We will coordinate with you to have a chance to meet by phone or via Zoom at a time that works for you with either Stina or Cecilia. Practicing self-compassion has you connect with suffering and difficult emotions. We hold these interviews to orient you to the program, answer your questions, and determine readiness for the program. If you’ve experienced a traumatic event recently we recommend waiting a few months before taking the course.
Final registration for the program will be confirmed upon the completion of the intake interview. Following the intake interview reimbursement will be made available if required.
What you will need:
- Strong and stable internet connection. This is a live online course.
- A quiet place where you will not be interrupted during the classes and retreat
- Prior to starting the program, please purchase The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff, PhD and Christopher Germer, PhD as part of the course materials. The workbook is available at major online booksellers, including bookshop.org
Recommended reading, before, during, or after the course, are:
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff
The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion by Christopher Germer
