Mindful Self-Compassion is the Key To Well-Being and Resilience

Who needs self-compassion?? You do.??

How do we know?? Because we’re guessing that you’re a human being and the data are clear:? all human beings need and can benefit from self-compassion.

But don’t believe us.? Here is what an accomplished professional woman, a tenured professor and mother of three said about completing the Mindful Self-Compassion training course: “I'm much kinder (to myself as well), much happier with peace and joy... this has been life transforming... I'm deeply touched and thankful."

Most of us are our own harshest critics.? What would your life be like if your inner critic (“You should be more careful, why did you make this stupid mistake?!” ) went on a permanent vacation, and were replaced with an inner good coach?? What would your life be like if you were an ally to yourself through good times and bad times?

What is Mindful Self-Compassion???

Let us illustrate with a real-life example: imagine your close friend has done poorly in a project that is really important to him/her.? Take a breath and imagine how you’d respond to your friend?? Now, consider if you have similarly done poorly in a project, how would you treat yourself? Take a breath and reflect on it for a moment.? Do you notice any discrepancy between the way that you treat your close friend and yourself???

Chances are you would be kinder to your dear friend. You might give your friend a hug, tell your friend that you are here for them and would support them if they wish to improve on their project. Research shows that most of us are much harder on ourselves than on our friends. We usually encourage and motivate our good friends in a nourishing way and wish them well. However, we tend to whip ourselves to reach our desired outcomes.? We don’t need to learn how to be kind and supportive- we already have that and offer it to our friends when they need it!

Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is the ability to be present in the face of life’s challenges while supporting and motivating ourselves in the same way we would do for a dear friend. ? We may already accomplish a lot every single day like the professor and parent quoted above, but how is our quality of life?? Are you peaceful, satisfied, and resilient???

Two remarkable psychologists, Dr. Kristin Neff and Dr. Christopher Germer developed the ground-breaking MSC training course to help anyone develop their well being and resilience.? MSC combines lessons from three powerful data-driven trends in psychology in the last 20 years: neuroscience (specifically interpersonal neurobiology and evolutionary neuroscience), positive psychology, and mindfulness.???

There are now more than 1000 published, peer-reviewed studies on the impact of self-compassion in people’s lives. The data indicate that practicing self-compassion reduces self-criticism, self-doubt and painful feelings while increasing well-being, resilience, motivation and persistence?

Here is a curated selection of research articles. ?

But even more than that, the MSC course has some special qualities that make it stand above other training courses:??

1. Empowerment: The MSC course is grounded in a highly compelling vision of human potential and possibility.?It is not a form of therapy or treatment, which remains highly stigmatised in most parts of the world. Dr.s Neff and Germer call it a "resource building program."?The 8 core sessions are designed to develop abilities that all of us already have: the capacity to be aware in the present moment and the capacity to be an ally for ourselves at challenging moments.?It's not about filling in deficits, it's about building capacity.?Think of muscles you already have and can start to develop when you are ready and know how to move and strengthen these muscles; muscles of mindfulness, compassion, inner strength, courage, and more. Since all of us already have these muscles (even if we didn't know it or develop them before), the course is open to anyone; all of us can develop these muscles- they are part of our human nature.? So, you can begin to practice, see the results and start to trust that the resources you’ve always been looking for are capacities you already have!
2. Community:? The MSC course is structured to provide the best possible conditions for growth and development, while reducing stigma and isolation.?That means, the program is structured as a community experience. Humans are naturally social and many of us learn best in a safe, social context.?Our cultures are plagued by isolation and disconnection, both before and especially during COVID.?The group format allows people to experience and deeply understand that other people are also dealing with difficulty while benefiting?from connectedness with others. These are two core healing features that the famous psychiatrist Irvin Yalom called "universality" and “cohesion."?They foster development and healing wherever people experience them. We do not find them enough in our lives, no matter where we live. Even in individual therapy, which most people do not have access to, no matter how kind and warm a therapist is, when group connections are not present, clients frequently retain inner doubts that they are different and flawed. Some psychologists would even argue that being around other people brings out what is best in us!
3. MSC is co-taught by two teachers.?One of the weaknesses of all courses and group training programs is that the participants confuse the skills with the teacher: they watch what the teacher does and form the idea that this is the "proper" or "correct" way of doing things (psychologists call this "modelling").?Each MSC course provides two models of how to practice MSC.?Participants benefit enormously from seeing two different models of how to practice MSC.
4. The program is concrete and practical. Mindful Self-Compassion is not a theory or a concept- it is a set of simple concrete skills we can use in daily life. Despite being grounded in sophisticated research and data-driven models, MSC gives simple tools.?Like the most effective training programs, the MSC course is experiential and provides specific skills for different contexts in daily life. You can think of them as exercises for your mindfulness and compassion muscles. And these skills are the basis for developing your own mindful self-compassion "muscles" that continue to grow and develop long after the program is complete.
5. The MSC course is proven to work.? It's not just our opinion. It's a fact. Even though it's only been just over 10 years since the program was first published, research evidence (hundreds of published, peer-reviewed studies and reviews) is clear and convincing that completing the course increases emotional well being and resilience. As MSC teachers, we have seen astonishing changes based on simple, persistent practices over months and years. Like many MSC teachers, we get inspiring messages from students who completed the course one or two years ago, sharing how their practice of mindfulness and self-compassion in daily life has released their own innate ability to develop, grow and heal, allowing them to transform themselves and transform their relationships.

You can now access the life-changing Mindful Self-compassion course online from the comfort and convenience of your own home.? In just 9 sessions, the MSC course can change your world!? The course is filled with experiential activities and focuses on practical skills you can use in everyday life.? You can take this incredible journey with two experienced guides who have made their own journey into self-compassion and helped many others to do the same. The next course begins in October 2022; group and student discounts are available.

Dr Karen Pooh and Benjamin Weinstein, PhD are both clinical psychologists, MSC teachers and people who practice self-compassion in their own personal and professional lives.