MINDFUL SELF-COMPASSION 8-WEEK COURSE

Event description

"Compassion practice is daring. It involves learning to relax and allow ourselves to move gently towards what scares us. The trick to doing this is to stay with emotional distress without tightening into aversion, to let fear soften us rather than harden into resistance."

- Pema Chödrön

Western culture places great emphasis on being kind to our friends, family, and neighbours when they are struggling; but places comparatively little emphasis on being kind to ourselves when we struggle.

Somewhere along the line, we get the message that strong individuals should be stoic, silent, and removed from their own suffering.

Unfortunately, these attitudes rob us of one of our most powerful coping mechanisms when dealing with the difficulties of life: self-compassion.

What is self-compassion?

In short, self-compassion is learning to be kind and supportive to ourselves in moments of doubt, uncertainty, difficulty, and failure. It is training in offering ourselves the support, in these moments, that we would offer a good friend—it is a powerful inner resource.

What would it be like to receive self-compassion, whenever we need it?

Research has shown that the practice of self-compassion greatly enhances emotional well-being and resilience. It boosts happiness, reduces anxiety and depression, and can even help us stick to our goals.

What does the course cover?

The Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is an empirically-supported 8-week course designed to cultivate the skill of self-compassion.

We will learn to embrace our vulnerabilities and shortcomings with warmth and kindness. All that is required is a shift in the direction of our attention — recognising that as a human being, we too are always worthy of receiving compassion.

When / how often does the course run?

We will meet in an intimate group for eight consecutive Wednesdays from 6 pm to 8: 30 pm.

Wednesday, March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8, 15 and 22 from 6 pm to 8:30 pm.
There is a half-day retreat on Saturday, 19 April from 10 am to 2 pm.
- You are able to miss two sessions maximum if needed

Why 8 weeks?

New habits—particularly those that go against deeply ingrained old habits—take time, and support, to develop. Research has shown that the self-compassion practice, under appropriate instruction, and over time, can literally rewire our brains. But these changes take time, and research shows that 8-weeks of supported practice is required to experience change and to give us the best chance of sustaining the practice going forward.

For whom?

This workshop is intended for anyone who is curious and motivated to learn about self-compassion. It is designed primarily for personal growth and development. However, professionals who wish to integrate mindful self-compassion into their work activities are also encouraged to attend.

-Meditation experience, or a background in mindfulness, is not required to participate in this program.

Group ethos

This workshop will be conducted in a safe, supportive, and phone-free environment and will involve short exercises, guided practices, personal reflection, and a group ethos of deep listening and friendly speech.

Pricing

Meet our facilitators:

Dr Lydia Brown

Is a clinical psychologist, mindfulness teacher and resilience researcher. Trained at the University of Melbourne and Harvard Medical, her research on self-compassion has been reported in international media, including in The Chicago Tribune and Reuters. She is also a dedicated meditation practictioner and has spent in total a number of months in silent retreat.  www.lydiabrown.com.au

Jossy Jimenez

Has a master’s degree in human development and is certified as a mindfulness facilitator by UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour and the Mindful Schools organisation. She has training in Stanford University’s Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) and has completed teacher-training in the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program with UCSD.

She has developed wellbeing programs for institutions in Australia, the United States, and Mexico -everything from kindergartens to large corporations. Above all, she is an enthusiastic practitioner who has great personal appreciation for the benefits of these practices. https://www.jossyjimenez.com

What does the course draw on?

The research of Christopher K. Germer, PhD, a leader in the integration of mindfulness and psychotherapy, and Kristin Neff, PhD, a pioneering researcher in the field of self-compassion.

In particular the books:

The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself: Self-Compassion, by Kristin Neff, Ph.D.; and
The Mindful Path of Self Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions by Christopher K. Germer Ph.D.