Are you interested in teaching the MSC curriculum?

There are several prerequisites (listed below) to meet before being accepted into the teacher training course and you are encouraged to carefully consider whether you meet these prerequisites before you apply. Once accepted into the teacher training program, you will complete several steps to become a Trained MSC Teacher, eligible to teach the standard MSC course. After teaching a minimum of 3 MSC courses, you can apply to start the process of becoming a fully Certified MSC Teacher eligible to teach approved MSC adaptations, in addition to the standard MSC course.

Apply for upcoming Teacher Trainings:

Upcoming 2025 Live Online Teacher Trainings:

LOTT-26: February 5 – April 23, 2025 8:00 – 11:00am PT

LOTT-27: May 1 – July 17, 2025 4:00 – 7:00pm PT

Apply Here

Why Teach MSC?

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 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 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.).

Prerequisites for Teacher Training

  1. Completion of a full MSC course at least 6 months before the teacher training begins. This MSC course may be a standard 8-week program (in-person or online), a 5-Day Intensive MSC, CMSC’s Live Online MSC (LOMSC) course, or the 8-week MSC for Therapists program.

  2. Completion of at least one silent, teacher-led meditation retreat with a duration of at least 5 days.

Becoming a Trained MSC Teacher Overview

Step 1: Teacher Training Course

Teacher Training course, in either the 6-Day Residential or 12-Week Live Online (LOTT) format.

Step 2: Teacher Training Practicum

10-Week Teacher Training Practicum.

Step 3: Consultation Sessions

5 Online Consultation Sessions while co-teaching your first MSC course. Purchase and schedule your Zoom Consultations here.


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.

Teacher Training Step Details

  • Step 1 – Teacher Training Course

    • Duration / Format: Residential – 6 Days or Live Online – 12 Weeks
    • Cost: $1920 USD


    Upcoming 2025 Teacher Training Dates:

    LOTT-26: February 5 – April 23, 2025 8:00 – 11:00am PT

    LOTT-27: May 1 – July 17, 2025 4:00 – 7:00pm PT

    You can apply for the 2025 Live Online Teacher Training course here.

  • Step 2 – Teacher Training Practicum

    • Duration / Format: Live Online – 10 Weeks
    • Cost: $1195


    Summary

    The TTP is step 2 of Becoming a Trained Teacher. It is an opportunity for a group of up to 16 teachers-in-training to practice their new-found teaching skills in a safe, structured, online environment facilitated by two Certified MSC Teachers/TTP Trainers. Each week focuses on a single MSC session and all trainees come prepared to teach each session in its entirety just as you would prepare a whole class if you were teaching your own group. Please note that this represents a considerable time investment! Trainees are then assigned to lead the various practices, topics and exercises of that session, with periods of feedback and discussion – so no one trainee will be teaching the entire class, usually at most just one piece each session but preparing the whole class is invaluable learning and preparation for becoming an MSC Teacher and is an integral part of the Practicum training.

    The TTP provides new teachers with a “laboratory” to find their own voices and to continue to practice what they learned during the Residential/Live Online Teacher Training course, with time between each session to review, prepare and reflect on the process of teaching MSC. Once you begin the Teacher Training program, you will be provided with a link to register for the Teacher Training Practicum of your choice.

    • 10 weekly sessions, 2.5 hours each
    • Total contact time: 25 hours
    • CEU credits are not available
    • Choose from a range of dates once you are enrolled on a Teacher Training Program.
    • Partial scholarship funding available


    Upcoming 2025 TTP Dates:

    January 13th – March 17th

    Mondays, from 8 – 10:30 am PT

    Registration available soon


    February 5th – April 9th

    Wednesdays, 4 – 6:30 pm PT

    Registration available soon

    May 6th – July 8th

    Tuesdays, 8 – 10:30 am PT

  • Step 3 – Zoom Consultation Sessions while Co-Teaching your First MSC Course

    Purchase and schedule your Zoom Consultations here.

    • Duration / Format: Live Online – 5 Weeks
    • Cost: $500 USD

    Summary

    • 5 individual or group sessions, 45 minutes each booked with the Consultation Teacher
    • Total contact time: 3.75 hours
    • CEU credits are NOT available
    • Consultation Teacher names and emails will be given after registration. Please reach out to the individual Consultation Teacher to book time slots that work best for you.

    While co-teaching your first 8-week course, teachers-in-training must enroll in a series of five, individual or group consultation sessions with a specific Consultation Teacher. You will do all your Zoom Consultation sessions with the same Consultation Teacher and book these sessions with them individually. There could be up to 2-3 teachers-in-training per session, facilitated by the Consultation Teacher: a Teacher Trainer or Certified MSC Teacher. Unlike the Teacher Training and the TTP where you are in the same cohort throughout, attendees in the consultation sessions will vary week-to-week and you may hear from a variety of experiences and stages of teaching.

    We recommend that you book your first session before you start your 8-week course, one session between Weeks 1-3, one session before the retreat, one session between Weeks 6-8 and finally one session to debrief at the end of your teaching.

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

    • Your MSC course must have at least 8 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 curriculum and not be a modification or adaptation of the curriculum.


    Apply for Trained Teacher Status

    Once you have completed the Prerequisites and the 3 steps of Becoming a Trained Teacher, outlined above, you can apply for Trained MSC Teacher status here. You will receive a certificate and be listed as a Trained Teacher on the MSC course directory.

Have you applied and need to purchase your training?

If your application has been accepted and you are looking to purchase an upcoming training please do so here.

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Teacher Training Course Objectives

  • Develop and apply personal practice of responding to difficult emotions with mindfulness and compassion
  • Describe current basic theory and research on self-compassion
  • Identify the core themes and practices presented in each of the eight group sessions of MSC, plus the retreat day
  • Develop and implement the skills necessary to facilitate MSC groups, including how to guide meditation, teach from each participant’s direct experience, and facilitate group cohesion
  • Identify obstacles to mindful self-compassion practice and strategies to overcome them
  • Practice and demonstrate a mindful embodied stance toward students of the MSC program as they confront challenges to their practice

More Information

Teacher Training Reading List

Required References (no need to read ahead of time):

  • On Becoming a MSC Teacher: A Mountaineer’s Guide to Building the Resource of Mindful Self-Compassion by Christine Braehler, Steven D. Hickman, and Christopher Germer
  • Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program: A Guide for Professionals by Christopher Germer & Kristin Neff
  • The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive by Kristin Neff & Christopher Germer

Recommended Reading

  • Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff
  • The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions by Christopher Germer
  • Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for Safe and Transformative Healing by David Treleaven
  • Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy by Christopher Germer and Ronald Siegel
  • Mindfulness and Psychotherapy – Second Edition by Christopher Germer, Ronald Siegel and Paul Fulton
  • The Compassionate Mind by Paul Gilbert
  • The Mindfulness Solution by Ronald Siegel
  • Self-Compassion: Step by Step. CD set by Kristin Neff

Continuing Education Credits

This information pertains to Live Online Teacher Training only. If you are interested in CEUs for Residential Teacher Training please check with the host organization directly.

In order to receive CE credits, you must apply for CE’s before the course starts, attend all the Teacher Training Sessions. No credit is given for partial attendance. You will also need to fill out the online Evaluation after the training completes. CE Certificates will be emailed about a month after the program completes.

  • Psychologists: Continuing Education Credit for this program is provided by UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness. The UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course offers 32.0 hours of credit.
  • California licensed MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, LCSWs: Continuing Education Credit for this program is provided by UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness. The UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. 32.0 contact hours may be applied to your license renewal through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. For those licensed outside California, please check with your local licensing board to determine if APA accreditation meets their requirements.
  • Nurses: UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP16351, for 38.25 contact hours.

International Teacher Trainer Partners

CMSC recognizes organizations around the world who offer programming by those trained in MSC and who are currently connected to CMSC through shared development of best practices in MSC. Please click here to find a listing by region of CMSC International Partner organizations.

Refunds and Scholarships

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

Becoming a Certified MSC Teacher

Certification is verification of a teacher’s competence whereas the designation of Trained Teacher simply recognizes that a person has completed the MSC teacher training. Certification is highly recommended for those who continue to teach on an ongoing basis. While both Trained and Certified Teachers can teach the standard MSC course, only Certified Teachers are eligible to teach approved adaptations such as MSC Intensives, Retreats and Core Skills workshops.

Fulfilling the Prerequisites

The prerequisites before starting your journey toward MSC Teacher Certification are:

  • Trained MSC Teacher status
  • Taught at least 3 MSC courses in the standard 8-Week MSC format
  • Submit video footage of either session 4 or 5 of a recent MSC course

Step 1 – Collaborative Assessment with Mentor

Start by contacting a Mentor and organizing the Collaborative Assessment. A list of MSC Mentors is provided on this page.

The Collaborative Assessment consists of 3 sessions:

  • An orientation session with your Mentor
  • Mentor reviews video on their own (see Prerequisites)
  • Mentor and Mentee create a Mentorship Plan.

At this point a decision is made regarding the applicant’s readiness for certification

Step 2 – Enroll in the Certification Program

Once you have completed your Collaborative Assessment and Mentorship Plan with your Mentor, the next step is to enroll with the University of California San Diego Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute (UCSD-MBPTI).

Step 3 – Individual Mentorship while teaching MSC

You are required to teach two consecutive MSC courses while meeting regularly with your Mentor to complete your Mentorship Plan. Mentees are expected to record all MSC classes during the mentorship process. The Mentorship Plan may include more sessions at the discretion of the Mentor.

Step 4 – Finalize your Certification

Upon completing these requirements, you will submit a formal letter of application for Teacher Certification to the UCSD-MBPTI Teacher Qualification and Certification Committee. Your Mentor will also submit a letter of recommendation at this time. Your request will be reviewed by the Committee and upon approval, you will be issued with a letter confirming you have satisfied all the necessary modules for Teacher Certification status and you will be awarded a certificate acknowledging your Certified MSC Teacher status.

Please note, MSC Teacher Certification is managed through the University of San Diego Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute (UCSD-MBPTI) . For more information please visit the UCSD website here.

More Information

Estimated Training Fees

When considering the financial investment of becoming a Trained and/or Certified MSC Teacher, please bear in mind that there are costs associated with each step. An estimated breakdown of costs are outlined below. Note: All costs are listed in USD, so please check your conversion rate.

Becoming a Trained MSC Teacher

Prerequisites – costs vary depending on where and when you choose to complete these requirements.

CMSC fees*:

Teacher Training Course – 12-Week Live Online – $1920

Teacher Training Practicum – $1195

Group Consultation Sessions – $500

Total Estimated Cost: $3,515 (*fees are subject to change)

*Please review our refund policy here..

Becoming a Certified MSC Teacher

Prerequisites – You must first be a Trained Teacher in order to become a Certified MSC Teacher. Please see the costs associated with Becoming a Trained MSC Teacher above.

Individual Mentorship – 14 sessions (at $155 each), includes 3 sessions as part of the Collaborative Assessment – $2170.

More sessions may be recommended. Costs are determined by the Mentor and hourly rates may vary.

UCSD-MBPTI Enrollment & Mentorship Administration Fee – $340

Teacher Certification Review Fee – $500

Total Estimated Cost = $3010 (fees are subject to change)

Scholarships for MSC Teacher Training

Recognizing the societal importance of self-compassion training and the financial realities that many prospective teachers, especially people from diverse and historically underserved communities may face, CMSC offers a limited number of partial scholarships to attend the MSC Teacher Training Course and Teacher Training Practicum.

If you identify as a person of color, are a member of historically marginalized or underserved communities, or wish to actively serve these populations and communities, and would like to request a partial scholarship, please state this explicitly (and in some detail) on your application form and we will do our best to support you.

If you attend a Residential Teacher Training that is hosted by an organization other than CMSC, please visit the host’s course page. Scholarships are sometimes available to cover part of the tuition and/or accommodation fees, depending on the host venue.

Scholarships for Live Online Teacher Training and in-person Teacher Trainings organized by CMSC can be requested directly on the application form. We would like to support you as best we can so please reach out if you have any questions about scholarships and discounts available.

Note: In order to be considered for a scholarship, Live Online Teacher Training applications are due one month prior to the course start date, and in-person Teacher Training applications are due three months prior to the course start date. Please visit each course page for more details. 

To apply for a scholarship, please complete our CMSC Scholarship Application form.

Ongoing Support & Resources

Once you start your training you will be welcomed into the global community of MSC teachers. You will receive a login to the Teacher Dashboard, a private members area of the CMSC website, where you can create a public teacher profile, list your courses on the course directory and access official resources and information for teachers. You will also be invited to the Teacher Café, an international online community space for teachers to share ideas, gain inspiration and support one another. If you are not based in the US and/or if you took MSC in a language other than English, you may be invited to join a teacher group hosted independently by teachers in your country.

In addition to the standard teacher training pathway, CMSC offers periodic trainings, workshops and events to help teachers stay connected, build community and develop their teaching skills. These offerings are communicated via the quarterly “Teacher Bulletin” newsletter and the Teacher Dashboard.

Continuing Professional Development

Trained and Certified MSC Teachers who are also health professionals are eligible to undertake additional training in Self-Compassion in Healthcare (SCHC). Mental health professionals are eligible to apply to be small group leaders in theSelf Compassion in Psychotherapy (SCIP) program.

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