Mindful Self-Compassion: 8-Week Course

MINDFUL SELF-COMPASSION: 8-WEEK COURSE

February 12 - April 2, 2019

Tuesday evenings, 6:30 - 8:30 PM

One-day retreat: Saturday, March 9, 9AM - 4PM

Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is an evidence-based program that combines the skills of mindfulness and self-compassion to enhance our capacity for emotional well-being. Mindfulness is the first step—turning with loving awareness toward difficult experience (thoughts, emotions, and sensations). Self-compassion comes next—bringing loving awareness to ourselves. Together, mindfulness and self-compassion comprise a state of warm, connected, presence during difficult moments in our lives. This 8-week course is based on the research and core components of the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program developed by Kristin Neff and Chris Germer.

Self-compassion can be learned by anyone, even those who didn't receive enough affection in childhood of who feel uncomfortable when they are good 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.

Rapidly expanding research demonstrates that self-compassion is strongly associated with emotional well-being, less anxiety, depression and stress, maintenance of healthy habits such as diet and exercise, and satisfying personal relationships. And it's easier than you think.

In MSC you’ll learn to:

• Practice mindfulness and self-compassion in daily life

• Understand the science of self-compassion

• Handle difficult emotions with greater ease

• Motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism

• Transform challenging relationships, old and new

• Manage caregiver fatigue

• Practice the art of savoring and self-appreciation

• Teach simple self-compassion skills to others

This course involves eight weekly group learning classes of two hours each, and a one-day retreat. Each class includes foundational, science-based information on mindfulness and self-compassion, experiential mindfulness and self-compassion exercises, reflective activities, and group discussion.

The course will be held at the Niche Pilates and Holistic Health Center.

Tuesday evenings, 6:30-8:30 PM, February 12 - April 2, 2019. Retreat date March 9, 2019.

The early bird rate for the course is $299 (on or before January 25).

The regular registration rate is $349 (after January 25).