What is Mindful Self-Compassion and how can it help?
Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) combines the skills of mindfulness and self-compassion to enhance our capacity for emotional well-being. Research shows self-compassionate people hold themselves accountable for mistakes yet they are less afraid of failure and are more likely to try after failing. MSC is an empirically-supported 8-week program designed to cultivate the skill of self-compassion, co-developed by Dr. Kristen Neff and Dr. Chris Germer.
Social worker and researcher Brené Brown recently interviewed Dr. Germer in a two-part discussion about self-compassion on her podcast Unlocking Us. She mentions CMC and this Mindful Self-Compassion course in the introduction. Rather than being a weakness, studies continue to show that self-compassion is a key factor of success in overcoming challenging life situations and supporting self-confidence.
The MSC program is a journey, an adventure in self-discovery and self-kindness. Self-compassion has the paradoxical effect of both soothing our emotional distress as well as opening us to the pain that we may have been unconsciously holding inside, often for many years. Therefore, some difficult emotions are likely to surface during the program as we grow in our capacity to embrace and heal them. MSC teachers are committed to providing an environment of safety, support, privacy, individual responsibility, and a common commitment to developing compassion for oneself and others.
MSC is therapeutic, but it’s not therapy. The emphasis of the program is on enhancing emotional resources to meet emotional challenges, old and new. MSC is also not primarily a type of mindfulness training; MSC is mindfulness-based compassion training in which the quality of warmth is emphasized more than awareness itself.
Self-compassion can be learned by anyone, even those who didn't receive enough affection in childhood or who feel uncomfortable when they are kind to themselves. It's a courageous attitude that stands up to harm, including the harm that we unwittingly inflict on ourselves through self-criticism, self-isolation, or self-absorption. Self-compassion provides emotional strength and resilience, allowing us to admit our shortcomings, motivate ourselves with kindness, forgive ourselves when needed, relate wholeheartedly to others, and be more authentically ourselves.
Mindful Self-Compassion 8 week Course Outline:
Week 1: Discovering Mindful Self-Compassion
Week 2: Practicing Mindfulness
Week 3: Practicing Loving-Kindness
Week 4: Discovering Your Compassionate Voice
* Half-Day Silent Retreat (usually following Week 4 or Week 5)
Week 5: Living Deeply
Week 6: Meeting Difficult Emotions
Week 7: Exploring Challenging Relationships
Week 8: Embracing Your Life
After participating in this workshop, you’ll be able to:
Identify and understand the role of self criticism in our lives
Understand the empirically-supported benefits of self-compassion
Motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism
Handle difficult emotions with greater ease
Transform challenging relationships, old and new
Manage caregiver fatigue
Practice the art of self compassion, savoring and self-appreciation in every day life
What To Expect:
The MSC Course includes 8 weekly sessions of 2.5 hours each, in addition to a 3 1/2 hour retreat that we will have. This experiential class includes meditations, short talks, exercises, full and small group discussions, mindful movement, journaling/reflection, and home practice. The goal of the program is for participants to directly experience self-compassion and learn practices that evoke self-compassion in daily life. We invite all participants to set intentions, as circumstances allow, to attend all sessions and to include some daily practice for the skills learned throughout the program.
Prerequisites: Everyone is welcome, including people of all backgrounds and identities. No previous experience with mindfulness or meditation is required to attend MSC.
As we aim to build community and establish a safe container for our time together, participants will be asked to provide some personal information when they register for this course. MSC is a compassion skills training program, not group therapy. This program is designed to teach participants the tools needed to develop and cultivate a mindfulness and self-compassion practice and does not take the place of personal therapy.
Resources:
It is recommended, but not required, that participants read the following two books before participating in MSC:
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff
The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion by Christopher Germer
Center for Mindful Self-Compassion Website: www.centerformsc.org
(bundle print + ebook discounted at publisher's www.guilford.com/author/Kristin-Neff)
