Led by Dr Caroline Hoffman and Dr Sarah Eagger
on Wednesday mornings from 18 October to 6 December 2017 10am to 1pm
plus Saturday 18 November from 10am to 2pm
Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is an eight week, training programme designed to cultivate the skill of self-compassion. Based on the groundbreaking research of leading American Psychologists, Dr Kristin Neff and the clinical expertise of Dr Christopher Germer, MSC teaches core principles and practices that enable participants to respond to difficult moments in their 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 can be learned by anyone, even those who didn’t receive enough affection in childhood or who feel uncomfortable when they are good to themselves. 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.
Rapidly expanding research demonstrates that self-compassion is strongly associated with emotional wellbeing, less anxiety, depression and stress, maintenance of healthy habits such as diet and exercise, and satisfying personal relationships. And it’s easier than you think.
This course will support you in learning to:
Practice self-compassion in daily life
Understand the empirically-supported benefits of self-compassion
Motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism
Handle difficult emotions with greater ease
Transform challenging relationships, old and new
Manage caregiver fatigue
Practice the art of savoring and self-appreciation
What To Expect
The Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) Programme activities include meditation, short talks, experiential exercises, group discussion, and home practices. MSC is a workshop rather than a retreat. The goal is for participants to directly experience self-compassion and learn practices that evoke self-compassion in daily life.
MSC is primarily a compassion training programme rather than mindfulness training like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), although mindfulness is the foundation of self-compassion. MSC is also not psychotherapy insofar as the emphasis of MSC is on building emotional resources rather than addressing old wounds. Positive change occurs naturally as we develop the capacity to be with ourselves in a kinder, more compassionate way.
MSC includes eight weekly sessions of three hours each, in addition to a four hour retreat on a Saturday. Prior to registering, participants should plan to attend every session and practice mindfulness and self-compassion at least 30 minutes per day throughout the programme.
Prerequisites Anyone can join this course. People who have previously done the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Programme will find that Mindful Self-Compassion a further development to their practice.
Instructors
Dr Caroline Hoffman OAM, PhD, RN, BSW is a registered teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion. She is Clinical and Research Director of Breast Cancer Haven. Caroline has been teaching and researching in the field of mindfulness since 2004. She has a PhD in mindfulness from the university off Southampton. She trained to teach Mindful-Self Compassion with Kristin Neff in 2016 and is a registered Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher. She has been running and researching Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction courses since 2004.
Dr Sarah Eagger MB,BS; FRCPsych, works as a is a consultant psychiatrist in London. She is past chair of the Spirituality Special Interest Group of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the National Spirituality and Mental Health Forum UK and the British Holistic Medical Association. She is a keen advocate of a values-based approach to healthcare – one that embraces peace, love, positivity and compassion for the benefit of oneself and others. She trained with Kristen Neff in Mindful Self–compassion in 2016.
Registration: Please email [email protected] or phone 020 7384 0007 or 07572 637 588 to apply to attend the course.
Cost: £300 including all tuition and course materials. No one will be turned away on financial grounds, concessions are available. Please contact Caroline with any queries.
