The Center for MSC supports prospective teacher on every stage of the teacher training pathway to ensure that MSC teaching is delivered to a high standard by skilled MSC teachers who embody the qualities of mindfulness and self-compassion in daily life and in their teaching. To that end, all prospective teachers are encouraged to consider all the steps along the pathway early on in their teacher training journey to help them a) decide if this is the right path for them and b) to start preparing for their first teaching experience.
The Teacher Training Pathway
After meeting the pre-requisites and completing the residential teacher training component, participants are known as Teachers-in-Training.
In order to become a fully trained teacher and to teach MSC independently the following steps are required:
1) Teacher Training Practicum (TTP)
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2) Online Group Consultation whilst teaching MSC
Upon completion of these requirements, the teacher trainee can apply for a Certificate of Training from the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion. This certificate indicates that he or she has fulfilled the necessary requirements and is now trained to teach or co-teach MSC, and can apply for teacher certification. The bearer can now advertise him or herself as a “Trained Teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion”. The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion reserves the right not to grant a Certificate of Training if it is determined that the teacher trainee has not successfully completed the requirements and/or needs further consultation or remediation.
Trained teachers can be listed on the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion website along with their MSC programs (see www.CenterForMSC.org). In the future MSC teachers will be expected to engage in continuing education in order to maintain their affiliation with CMSC (not yet available).
Certified MSC Teacher
Certification is verification of a teacher’s competence whereas the designation of Trained MSC teacher simply recognizes that a person has completed the requisite training activities. This level of training and verification is highly recommended for those who continue to teach the program, and offers a number of opportunities and advantages as well. The designation of Certification indicates that the individual has been individually mentored by an expert MSC teacher, has received specialized advanced training in teaching the program, has taught a significant number of MSC courses and had his or her teaching reviewed by an expert MSC teacher for competence.
Advantages of becoming a Certified MSC Teacher include:
- You may represent yourself publicly, including in the directory of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion (CMSC) website, as a Certified Teacher who has received the approval and support of CMSC and the UC San Diego Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute.
- You will be approved to offer MSC or MSC-T (the teen MSC adaptation) in the intensive format.
- You will have the support of CMSC to adapt MSC for special populations (subject to review and approval by CMSC)
- You will be eligible to offer MSC for continuing education credit (for American Psychological Association and California Board of Registered Nursing CE credits) through UC San Diego. Contact UCSD at [email protected] for more information about this option.
Furthermore, all CMSC Teacher Trainers, Mentors and Teacher Training Consultants are required to be Certified as well. Thus, those who hope to potentially serve in those roles must obtain certification in order to be considered for these positions.
