Fierce Self-Compassion 8-Week Course
3 Courses Beginning March 6, March 21, and April 4
Welcome to the Groundbreaking Fierce Self-Compassion 8-Week Course!
This course has been created by Dr. Kristin Neff, the pioneering researcher of self-compassion and co-creator of Mindful Self-Compassion. Over eight weeks the course will draw on practices developed in her newest book Fierce Self-Compassion and will include a satisfying mix of experiential learning and science-based insights.
Most people think of self-compassion as soft and gentle, but self-compassion can be fierce as well as tender. Tender self-compassion involves “being with” ourselves in an accepting way: comforting ourselves, reassuring ourselves that we aren’t alone, and being present with our pain.
Fierce Self-Compassion Includes:
Taking action in the world to protect, provide and motivate ourselves to alleviate our suffering
Saying “no” to others who are hurting us – beginning to draw firm boundaries or fighting injustice
Saying "yes" to ourselves to do what’s needed to be happy rather than always subordinating our needs to those of others
Giving ourselves what we genuinely need – mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually – so we can be authentic and fulfilled
Course Objectives:
Describe how the three key components of self-compassion manifest when protecting ourselves, providing for our needs, and motivating change
Begin to recognize and transcend the blocks to drawing effective boundaries
Learn to work with and harness your anger as a constructive support
Identify your needs and give yourself permission to meet them
Develop skills to motivate yourself with encouragement rather than criticism
Understand how fierce self-compassion can be utilized for social change
Throughout the program we will discover that in order to be truly self-compassionate – in order to be whole – we need to integrate both versions of self-compassion, the tender and the fierce. If we are gentle without fierceness, we risk becoming complacent or disempowered; if we are fierce without tenderness, we risk becoming hostile or selfish. Like a tree with a solid trunk and flexible branches, we need to stand strong while still embracing others as part of an interdependent whole. We need love in our hearts so we don’t perpetuate harm, but we need fierceness in our belly to stand up to harm.
Who Should Attend?
This course is open to anyone who has completed the 8-wk or 10-wk Mindful Self-Compassion Course, the 5-Day Intensive MSC Course or the MSC 2-Day Core Skills Course.
Recommended Reading: Fierce Self-Compassion, How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive by Kristin Neff.
Also recommended: Fierce Self-Compassion 3-hr Workshop with Dr. Kristin Neff.
Courses Starting in March:
March 6 – April 24
Mondays
Fierce Self-Compassion with Natalie Bell and Christine Grace McMulkin
4:00 – 6:30 PM PT / 7:00 – 9:30 PM EST
March 21 – May 9
Tuesdays
Fierce Self-Compassion with Laila Narsi and Ali Lambie
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM PT / 1:00 – 3:30 PM EST
Courses Starting in April:
April 4 – May 23
Tuesdays
Fierce Self-Compassion with Marta Alonso and Mila de Koning
6:00 – 8:30 AM PT / 9:00 – 11:30 AM EST
Class Fees
General Registration Fee: $595
Early Bird: $495*
* Early bird discounts are available up until 2 weeks before the start date of each course.
Scholarships
A limited number of scholarships are available. You can apply for a scholarship using this form Scholarship Application. Places will be offered in the order application forms are received. Places are confirmed once payment is received. (Please note that scholarships are based on personal financial need, separate from being financially over-extended or over-committed.)
Cancellation Policy
Course registration fees will be refunded or transferred to future FSC dates if cancellation occurs at least 2 weeks prior to the start date of each course. After that date a 50% refund will be given if requested up to 1 week before the start of class. No refunds will be offered if canceling within 1 week of the course (except on compassionate grounds for extenuating circumstances). To process any refund, there will be a $50 dollar fee charged by the system. The refund is for tuition fees, and any miscellaneous expenses incurred related to this course will not be refunded.
Fierce Self-Compassion 8-Week Course Teachers
NATALIE BELL
Natalie Bell is the Associate Executive Director for Public Programs for CMSC. She is a Certified MSC Teacher and a member of the UCSD Center for Mindfulness, Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute. Natalie has been practicing mindful awareness and meditation since 1985 and spent a year living in an ashram dedicating herself to intensive practice of meditation and compassion. After studying neuropsychology, she became a Physical Therapist, working for 17 years as a hospital clinician, Director of Rehabilitation, and a clinical specialist for medical devices in rehabilitation. Natalie founded Mindful Wellness to bring mindfulness training and coaching to individuals and corporations with a focus on self-compassion for greater ease and well being. She works with physicians, health care teams, corporate groups and teachers, bringing awareness practices for self-regulation, greater balance, and self-acceptance. Natalie is a certified mindfulness instructor for the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC) teaching Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPs) classes. She teaches MSC at the Center for Mindful Living in Los Angeles and online LOMSC. Natalie developed theTeaching Self-Compassion Onlineprogram for MSC teachers to develop more online presence, safety, and connection. She worked with Kristin Neff and Chris Germer on CMSC’s Healthcare Advisory Board assisting with the development of the MSC healthcare adaptation,Self-Compassion Training for Healthcare Communities(SCHC). She is the Director and Teacher Trainer of the SCHC program.
CHRISTINE GRACE MCMULKIN
Christine Grace McMulkin is a certified, seasoned, and revered Mindful Self Compassion Teacher, a Mindful Self Compassion Teacher Trainer and a Self Compassion Focused Therapist.
Christine delivers Mindful Self Compassion programs through the Center for Mindful Self Compassion, the Centre for Mindfulness Studies, within her role as a Mental Health and Wellbeing Counsellor in a Medical Centre Family Health Team, and within Christine Grace and Community.
The MSC programs offerings Christine delivers include: the full MSC 8 week program, Live Online MSC (LOMSC), Self Compassion for Healthcare Communities (SCHC) and Kristin Neff’s newly created Fierce Self Compassion (FSC) program. Christine also taught the Teaching Self Compassion Online (TSCO) workshop.
An MSC Teacher Trainer, Christine supports MSC Teachers in Training through the Live Online Teacher Training (LOTT) program, as a Practicum Teacher and as a Mentor to beginning Teachers as they deliver their first MSC program.
Deep devotion to her personal practice continues to be foundational to Christine’s wellbeing. Through navigating times of personal change and challenge, she has learned and lives the importance of being with ourselves in kinder, gentler and emboldening ways.
As well as the practices of Mindfulness and Self Compassion, Christine is supported by beach walks at dawn, singing soulful songs, dancing with carefree abandon to some old-fashioned rock and roll, hikes with a beloved golden retriever, heartfelt and laughter filled moments with family and friends, and endless cups of tea. The kettle is on. Christine welcomes connecting with you.
LAILA NARSI
Laila Narsi,LCSW, CMMT, CMT-P, is the Co-Coordinator for the CMSC Circles of Practice Public Offering as well as a Certified Mindful Self-Compassion teacher receiving her training directly from founders Drs. Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer in 2014. Since receiving her Master’s in Social Work in 1997, her passion to provide sound and effective mental health services led her to create The Mindful Self, which is a center for Trauma Informed Psychotherapy as well as Mindfulness and Self-Compassion offerings. Laila a is Certified in EMDR Therapy and is an EMDR Approved Consultant where she specializes in PTSD, Complex trauma, Stress, Mood disorders, and Anxiety. Laila’s journey in meditation started in childhood where she was mentored by her parents who nurtured a family meditation and movement practice. Since college, she has travelled around the world working with several teachers cultivating her interests in mindfulness, diversity, cultural studies, human rights, and international arts. Laila has also accompanied Dr. Germer in Kenya bringing MSC to other trauma specialists. She returned there a couple of years later to co-teach a Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens (MSC for Teens) intensive course. In addition, she has been directly trained and mentored by Drs. Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, Sharon Salzberg, and Steve Hickman. For more information, please visit Laila’s website at https://themindfulself.com.
ALI LAMBIE
Ali Lambie lives in the UK and has an MSc in Teaching Mindfulness-Based Approaches from the University of Bangor. Prior to training as a mindfulness teacher she was a counsellor for many years and manager of a counselling service within the NHS for the last eight of those. She is a Certified Teacher and regular Teacher Trainer of MSC. This work is her passion. These days she is fully self-employed teaching and training others to teach MSC. She also runs several ongoing monthly groups, regular day and weekend retreats as well as 5-day MSC intensives and silent retreats further afield. Ali enjoys supporting other teachers as a supervisor, MSC consultation host and Mentor for those seeking Certification. She also often has newer teachers working alongside her too. She has a deep love of the countryside and part of her practice is mindful walking in the woods each day.
MARTA ALONSO
Marta Alonso Maynar (http://www.globalc.es ), is a psychologist collegiate and specialist in clinical psychology with the Ministry of Education and Science in Spain. As Clinical Psychologist she is specialized in mindfulness and compassion treatments. She has revised the Spanish translation of the book “Fierce Self Compassion” writing its foreword. Marta earned an Advanced Masters´ Degree in Clinical Psychology and another one in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy at SEPYPNA (Spanish Society of Psychopathology and Psychotherapy of Children and Adolescents). She is member of the Executive Board of the Center For MSC. Also, MSC-T Teacher Trainer and MSC Teacher Trainer and Mentor, being the first certified teacher in Spanish language. She has taught nearly 60 editions of the MSC program since 2012, which he introduced together with Dr. Vicente Simón in Spain, being pioneers in taking compassion programs in the Hispanic world and Iberoamerica. She has been Global Manager since 1995, at the Center of Mindfulness and Clinical Psychology in Valencia, Spain, which she founded and there is where she develops her private practice. She also has taught several Self Compassion in Clinical Practice workshops with Dr. Chris Germer internationally. She holds the European Certificate of Competence in Professional Psychology Europsy and the recognition as European Expert in Psychoterapy by the EFPA.
