Mindful Self-Compassion

Struggling with your inner critic or perfectionism that really isn’t helping? Having difficulty managing your emotions, or feel unable to ‘get out of your own way’? Mindful-Self Compassion is an 8-week program designed to tackle these issues based on the innovative research findings and clinical expertise of self-compassion experts Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer.

In Mindful Self-Compassion you will learn how to:

  • Practice self-compassion in everyday life
  • Motivate yourself via self-compassion rather than criticism
  • Tolerate painful emotions with greater ease
  • Transform difficult relationships
  • Manage caregiver fatigue
  • Cultivate self-appreciation

The three main principles of self-compassion are self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness:

  • Self-kindness opens our hearts to our suffering so that we can nourish and care for ourselves
  • Awareness of common humanity reminds us of our essential inter-relatedness and deepens our feelings of connection to others
  • Mindfulness opens us to the present moment, helping us accept our experience with greater ease
  • Together, self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness promote a warm and present connectedness.

Programs Waiting List

This program is currently either full or not being offered at the moment. If you would like to be notified when a spot opens up or when it is next offered, please fill out the form below.
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What to expect in Mindful Self-Compassion

The MSC program involves eight weekly 2-hour-and-45-minute sessions, as well as a 4-hour meditation retreat on the weekend between the fifth and sixth sessions.  The eight-week program includes:

  • Meditations
  • Psychoeducation
  • Group discussion
  • Home practice

MSC participants are asked to commit to a) attending all nine sessions and b) practicing self-compassion meditation for at least 30 minutes per day for the duration of the program. MSC is a self-compassion training program and not a form of psychotherapy. No prior experience with mindfulness or meditation is necessary. However, MSC may be considered a logical next step after participation in an introductory program such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.

Difficult or painful emotions may arise during self-compassion practice. Your MSC instructor is committed to providing a supportive environment in which every participant’s self-compassion journey can unfold safely. Participants are asked to attend a mandatory orientation session one week before the MSC program to ensure that MSC is the right fit at the right time.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why do I have to attend an orientation session prior to starting the group?

    Mindspace wants to make sure that each participant has a good experience in the MBSR, MBCT or MSC program. The orientation session provides a chance for you to see for yourself what the program is about, so that you can make an informed decision. Likewise, if the instructor determines that MBSR, MBCT or MSC may not be the right fit at the right time for you, we’ll make sure to orient you toward the best alternative.

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