Mindful Self Compassion

1pm-4pm Saturdays Sept. 21-Nov. 16
In this Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) course you will learn to:

- Practice mindfulness and self-compassion in daily life
- Understand the science of self-compassion
- Use self-compassion to live in accord with your values
- Handle difficult emotions with greater ease
- Motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism
- Work with challenging relationships
- Manage caregiver fatigue
- Practice the art of savoring and self-appreciation
- Teach simple self-compassion skills to others

This program is designed for members of the general public. Meditation experience is not necessary to participate in Mindful Self-Compassion. All are welcome!

Developed by Kristin Neff PhD and Christopher Germer Phd at the non-profit Center for Mindful Self-Compassion https://centerformsc.org -the course includes discussion of topics, experiential exercises, meditation, small group interaction, and home practices. MSC is an opportunity to explore how we typically respond when difficulties arise in our lives and to learn tools for becoming a warm and supportive companion to ourselves.

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.

MSC participants are asked to practice mindfulness and self-compassion at home for up to ½ hour per day during the course. In a randomized, controlled study, MSC significantly increased self-compassion, compassion for others, mindfulness, and life satisfaction, as well as decreased depression, anxiety and stress. Improvements were linked to how much a person practiced in their daily lives.