Welcome to the journey of becoming an MSC-Teens Teacher!

This journey requires a big heart and a passion for the well-being of teens. The MSC-T Teacher Online Training establishes a basic level of proficiency sufficient to begin offering the program to the general public.

The foundation for teaching MSC is to embody the qualities of mindfulness and self-compassion and to have an ongoing, daily practice. Becoming an MSC-Teen Teacher is a wholehearted endeavor and a rich experience for those who choose to embark on this path. The teacher training pathway is designed for those who wish to teach the full 8-Week MSC-Teen course as well as those who would like to integrate mindfulness and self-compassion into 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.).

Apply for upcoming Teacher Trainings:

Upcoming Teen Teacher Trainings:

Live Online Teacher Training Teens 5 – October 21 – December 16, 2024, Mondays from 4:00 – 7:00pm PT with Karen Bluth and Marina Barnes

Apply Here

The required prerequisites for taking the MSC-T Teacher Training course are:

  • Established daily mindfulness practice of at least two years
  • Ongoing, daily, sitting meditation practice
  • Ongoing practice of loving-kindness and self-compassion in daily life
  • Previous participation in an 8-week Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) course, 5-day Mindful Self-Compassion Intensive or 10-week Live Online MSC (LOMSC).
  • Attendance in a least one 3-day silent, teacher-led, mindfulness-based meditation retreat
  • Experience working with teens in an education or clinical setting, preferably in groups

Becoming a MSC-T Teacher Overview

Step 1: Teen Teacher Training Course

Teen Teacher Training course, in either the 6-Day Residential or 10-Week Live Online (LOTT) format or 5-week Live Online Intensive.

Step 2: Zoom Mentor Teen Sessions

Teen Teachers-in-Training are required to register for 5 online Zoom Mentor Sessions.Register Here.

Step 3: Apply for Trained Teacher status

Upon approved application, you will receive a certificate and be listed as a Trained Teacher on the MSC directory.


Supporting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion welcomes applications from people from diverse backgrounds and is committed to creating diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in all of its training programs. Learn more about our scholarships and how to apply on our policies page here.

  • Step 1 – MSC-T Teacher Training Course

    Duration / Format: Residential – 6 Days or Live Online – 10 weeks or unique 5-week intensive this summer
    Cost: $1920.00

    Apply now and upon acceptance you will be emailed a registration link:

    Live Online Teacher Training Teens 5 – October 21 – December 16, 2024, Mondays from 4:00 – 7:00pm PT with Karen Bluth and Marina Barnes

  • Step 2 – Zoom Consultation Sessions while Co-Teaching your First MSC-T Course

    Duration / Format: Live Online – 5 sessions
    Cost: $500.00
    Register Here

    • 5 sessions, 45 minutes each
    • Total contact time: 3.75 hours
    • CEU credits are NOT available
    • Participants will select from our list of Zoom Mentors indicated in their email once they  sign up for these consultations. Participants can reach out to a Zoom mentor and together with the Zoom Mentor, they will decide upon the meeting schedule.
  • Step 3 – Apply for Trained Teacher status

    Once you have completed the Prerequisites and the steps of Becoming a Trained Teens Teacher, outlined above, you can apply for Trained Teens MSC Teacher status. You will receive a certificate and be listed as a Trained Teacher on the MSC directory.

Teacher Training Course Objectives

  • Identify the core themes and practices presented in each of the eight sessions of MSC-T.
  • Understand the rationale for the modifications made from the adult MSC program
  • Describe different ways of involving parents so that they can appropriately engage and support their teens in their practice
  • Identify obstacles for teens to learning mindful self-compassion practice and strategies to overcome them.
  • Deepen their understanding of key elements in teaching mindfulness and self-compassion practice to teens.

More Details

How to Approach Training

Our ability to teach others depends largely on embodying the practice and discovering the power of self-compassion in our own lives. Self-compassion thrives in an environment of safety, support, privacy, and a common commitment to presence and compassion.  Teens require authenticity and transparency; a strong practice of our own enables us to support the journey of these young minds and hearts with depth and wisdom.

The Teacher Training course is offered in two formats – residential and live online. Sessions include:

  • Condensed, experiential review of each of the MSC-T sessions
  • “Teachback” sessions to practice teaching, guiding and facilitating discussion
  • Short talks, group exercises, discussion and periods of silence
  • Close consultation with the Teacher Trainers
  • Full attendance is required to successfully complete the program and move to the next step. Accomodations may be made in exceptional situations.

Structure: Residential Teacher Training

Cost: TBD USD (not including room and board)

Residential Teacher Training is an intensive course held at a retreat venue. Staying on site is typically required to avoid disruption, enhance group cohesion and deepen the experience.

  • 6 full days and 5 nights
  • Start time is generally 3pm on day one and ends after lunch on day 6.
  • CEU credits may be available, please check individual course details
  • Scholarships may be available, please check individual course details

*Please review our refund policy here.

Structure: Live Online MSC-T Teacher Training

Cost: $1920 USD

Live Online Teacher Training provides a more intimate, personalized experience with more contact between trainees and trainers and more time to practice and process learning between sessions.

The training is built around the eight weekly classes and includes opportunities to practice teaching in small groups, with the close consultation of the teacher trainers.

The following elements are included:

  • One initial introductory 3-hour sessions in the first week.
  • For a total of eight-weeks where each week consists of:
  • 1.5 hours of the MSC-T course
  • 1.5 hours “teachback” practicing teaching in small groups
  • A final 3-hour wrap-up session to address next steps, nuts and bolts of teaching MSC-T and CMSC policies, procedures, and ethical guidelines.
  • Training includes full participation in the entire MSC-T teacher training.

Trained Teacher Eligibility Summary

The MSC-T program was created to be led by two instructors. This model enables one instructor to monitor the emotional needs of individual participants while the other is teaching. We know that self-compassion can activate strong emotions and that teens’ emotions can be unpredictable. It is important for teachers to be able to hold a safe container and support the group. We therefore recommend that one of the teachers, or an assistant to the MSC-T teacher (in the instance that a second MSC-T teacher is not available), be a licensed mental health clinician.

While co-teaching your first 8-week course, teachers-in-training must enroll in five Zoom Mentor Sessions. These sessions will consist of one on one online zoom consultations with the MSC-T Zoom Mentor of your choosing. These Individual Zoom Mentor Sessions will support you around all of the aspects of teaching your first 8-week MSC-T course, and provide space for questions, concern and additional guidance.

To be eligible to apply for Trained Teacher status after completing this step, the following is required:

  • Your MSC-T course must have at least 5 registered participants.
  • You must have a co-teacher or assistant, very few exceptions are granted.
  • You should be co-teaching at least 50% of the course.
  • Your course must follow the MSC-T curriculum and not be a modification or adaptation of the curriculum.

The Research

Several research studies demonstrating the positive outcomes of MSC-T have been published. In the first pilot study (Bluth et al.., 2016), findings indicated decreases in depression, anxiety, stress, and negative affect after a 6-session class. Findings in the second pilot study (Bluth & Eisenlohr-Moul, 2017) demonstrated decreases in stress, and increases in resilience, positive risk-taking (willingness to take on new challenges) and gratitude after the course was over.

Further, a within-person analysis indicated that increases in mindfulness and self-compassion were associated – and therefore likely responsible – for the decreases in depressive symptoms and stress; additionally, increases in mindfulness were associated with decreases in anxiety and increases in self-compassion were associated with increases in positive risk-taking and resilience. Another study published in 2021 by Donovan, Bluth, Scott, Mohammed, and Cousineau demonstrated that MSC-T was feasible when taught to students on a college campus, and that perceived stress decreased from pre- to post-program.

Most recently, Bluth and colleagues published a study in 2022 in which MSC-T was taught to transgender and gender-expansive teens. Findings demonstrated that anxiety and depression decreased significantly from pre- to post-program, and self-compassion, mindfulness, life satisfaction and resilience improved significantly over this time. Furthermore, at three months follow-up, significant improvements were observed in factors related to suicidal thoughts.

Refunds and Scholarships

If you have any questions about our refund or scholarship offerings please find those here.

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