The foundation for teaching MSC is to embody the qualities of mindfulness and self-compassion and to have an ongoing, daily practice. MSC teachers are often deeply moved by the transformation of their participants and honored to share in this transformation. Some say teaching self-compassion makes their personal practice even deeper and more meaningful and feels like a natural extension of self-compassion into the world.
CMSC supports prospective teachers in every step of their journey to becoming a Trained or Certified Teacher, more details of which are given below.
The Teacher Training Pathway
The first step of the teacher pathway is to complete the 6-day residential teacher training. This intensive is intended for those who wish to teach the MSC program, those who would like to integrate mindfulness and self-compassion in their ongoing professional activities (i.e., psychotherapy, coaching, nursing, teaching, etc.) and individuals who have a professional interest in the field (i.e., researchers, administrators, etc.).
If you wish to be granted Trained MSC Teacher status and teach the 8-week MSC course, you must also complete steps 2-4.
Step 1: 6-Day Residential Teacher Training
Step 2: Teacher Training Practicum
Step 1: Residential Teacher Training
The Residential Teacher Training is an intensive, 6-day, in-person course facilitated by a team of senior MSC teachers. The training is built around the eight weekly sessions of MSC with each half day dedicated to a condensed, experiential review of one of the sessions, followed by small group activities designed to give attendees opportunities to practice teaching, guiding and facilitating discussion in that session with the close consultation of one of the Teacher Trainers. In addition, the training includes short talks, group exercises, discussion and periods of silence. Participants will be provided with the essential materials to teach the standard 8-week MSC course.
Typical registration fee is $1595 USD (not including room and board).
A list of all upcoming Residential Teacher Trainings courses across the globe can be viewed here.
The standard pre-requisites for taking the MSC Teacher Training are:
Please Note:
At the completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
Required Reading
The following article and books are required references for all MSC teachers, but it is not necessary to read them all before coming to Teacher Training.
MSC has been in development since 2010 and Teacher Training started in the USA and Europe in 2014. The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion hosts MSC Teacher Training in the US and oversees teacher training through a network of worldwide host organizations including:
Europe
MSC Teacher Trainers
MSC Teacher Training is coordinated by CMSC Executive Director and Director of Professional Training, Steven Hickman, in collaboration with program developers Chris Germer and Kristin Neff. The MSC teacher training team also includes a number of other highly experienced, skilled and talented Teacher Trainers.
Step 2: Teacher Training Practicum (TTP)
The Teacher Training Practicum is a ten-week, online journey providing opportunity for a group of 16 teachers-in-training to practice their new-found teaching skills in a safe, structured, online environment. Facilitated by two TTP Trainers, each week will focus on a single MSC session and the trainees will be assigned to lead the various practices, topics and exercises of that session, with periods of feedback and discussion, as well as opportunities to interact during the week online as a group.
The practicum provides new teachers with a “laboratory” to find their own voices and to continue to practice what they learned at the Residential Teacher Training, with time between each session to review, prepare and reflect on the process of teaching MSC. The cohort model allows participants the unique opportunity to build an environment of safety and support among colleagues as a source of encouragement and assistance long after the practicum ends.
Once you have been accepted on the Teacher Training program, you will be provided with a link to register for your Teacher Training Practicum.
The cost of the Teacher Training Practicum is $995 USD.
| Start Date | Days and Times | Teacher Trainers | Language |
| January 12, 2020 | Sundays 2100 UTC | Dawn MacDonald & Christine McMulkin | English |
| January 23, 2020 | Thursdays 1500 UTC | Ali Lambie & Marcia Burton | English |
| February 4, 2020 | Tuesdays 2300 UTC | Beth Mulligan & Megan Prager | English |
| March 3, 2020 | Tuesdays 1500 UTC | David Spound & Elizabeth Lin | English |
| March 31, 2020 | Tuesdays at 1530 UTC | Mila de Koning & Lorraine Hobbs | English |
| April 30, 2020 | Mondays 2300 UTC | Tina Gibson & Anna Friis | English |
| October 21, 2020 | Wednesdays 0500 UTC | Regula Saner & Martha Schwarze | German |
| October 21, 2020 | Wednesdays 1600 UTC | Christine Braehler Inken Dechow | German |
Step 3: Teach first MSC course with Zoom Consultation
Once teachers have successfully completed the residential teacher training course and the TTP, they can teach their first 8-week MSC with simultaneous enrollment in a series of ten, group consultation sessions. The consultations are conducted online, via Zoom and offer a rich opportunity for guidance and support during your first teaching experience. There are up to 6 teachers-in-training present in each session, facilitated by a Teacher Trainer or Senior MSC Teacher.
The cost of Zoom Consultation is $400 USD.
To be eligible for Trained Teacher status at the end of your first teaching/ Zoom consultation experience, please ensure you meet the following requirements:
Step 4: Apply for Trained Teacher status
Once you have completed the steps outlined above, you will be awarded Trained Teacher status. You will receive a Trained Teacher certificate, be listed as a Trained Teacher on the MSC teacher directory and be permitted to teach the 8-week MSC course independently.
Costs of Becoming a Trained MSC Teacher
When considering the financial investment of becoming a trained MSC teacher, please bear in mind that there are costs associated with each of the three training stages – the residential training, the online practicum and the zoom consultation.
You may also want to consider additional costs of meeting the standard pre-requisites before being accepted onto the program, such as a attending a silent retreat.
An estimated breakdown of costs of the teacher training pathway are outlined below:
Certification
Certification is verification of a teacher’s competence whereas the designation of Trained Teacher simply recognizes that a person has completed the requisite training activities. Certification is highly recommended for those who continue to teach on an ongoing basis or wish to teach MSC Intensives or other adaptations.
Trained MSC teachers are eligible to START the pathway towards certification after teaching at least 3 MSC courses, wherein they can do the Collaborative Assessment with an approved MSC Mentor/Teacher Trainer. The process then entails a minimum of 14 hours of individual mentorship over the course of teaching at least two more MSC courses.
More information is outlined on the UCSD website here: https://mbpti.org/
