4-day Mindful Self-Compassion Training for staff, Assumption College, Worcester, Massachusetts

Teachers: Steve Hickman and Kristy Arbon

Mindful Self-Compassion training teaches us how to develop the warm-hearted, connected presence we need during moments of difficulty. Self-compassion provides the emotional strength and resilience needed to offer ourselves the same kindness and understanding we would offer a good friend. With self-compassion we can motivate ourselves with encouragement, forgive ourselves when needed,  face and befriend our shortcomings, care for others while caring for self, and live more authentically. Research shows that self-compassion is strongly associated with emotional well-being, lower levels of anxiety and depression, healthy habits such as diet and exercise, and more satisfying personal relationships.

And, self-compassion is a skill that can be learned and cultivated by anyone through Mindful Self-Compassion Training.

In this course, you will:

• Practice mindfulness and self-compassion in daily life
• Learn about the science of self-compassion
• Learn how to handle difficult emotions with greater ease
• Learn how to motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism
• Learn how to transform challenging relationships, old and new
• Learn tools to manage compassion fatigue
• Practice the art of savoring and self-appreciation
• Be able to teach simple self-compassion practices to others

This program is an intensive skills training program. It is a condensed version of the eight-session, empirically-supported Mindful Self-Compassion training developed by Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff. MSC is an experiential journey — an adventure in self-discovery and self-kindness – offering periods of instruction and periods of practice. Self-Compassion can be learned by anyone, even those of us who did not learn these skills as children. This program fulfills a prerequisite for becoming a MSC teacher.

Recommended reading:

• Kristin Neff, Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
• Christopher Germer, The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion

Frequently Asked Questions