Find yourself being overly self-critical?
Not feeling quite good enough?
Ready to decrease stress and stop giving yourself such a hard time?
Welcome to the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) 8-Week Course
Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is an empirically-supported 8-week course designed to cultivate the skill of self-compassion. MSC combines the skills of mindfulness and self-compassion to enhance our capacity for emotional wellbeing. The course was developed through the clinical expertise of Dr Chris Germer and Dr Kristin Neff, a pioneering researcher in the field of self-compassion.
The three key components of self-compassion are self-kindness, a sense of common humanity, and balanced, mindful awareness. Kindness opens our hearts to suffering, so we can give ourselves what we need. Common humanity opens us to our essential interrelatedness, so that we know we aren't alone. Mindfulness opens us to the present moment, so we can accept our experience with greater ease. Together they comprise a state of warm-hearted, connected presence.
What Will You Learn?
Self-compassion can be learned by anyone. 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 wellbeing, 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.
Over the eight-week course, you will learn to -
- Practice mindfulness and self-compassion in daily life,
- Understand the science of self-compassion,
- Use self-compassion to live in accordance with your values,
- Handle difficult emotions with greater ease,
- Motivate yourself with kindness rather than judgement or criticism,
- Work with challenging relationships,
- Manage caregiver fatigue, and
- Practice the art of savoring and self-appreciation.
How does the Mindful Self-Compassion 8-Week Course work?
The MSC 8-Week Course is taught over 9 sessions. Each week there will be an online class for approximately 2 1/2 hours (depends on numbers).
Dates: Tuesday July 18 - September 5, 2023. Retreat - August 20.
Time: 6.30pm - 9.00pm (QLD Time)
Venue: Online
Cost: $597AUD (full payment)
Following is a brief outline of the 8-weeks -
This course is designed for members of the general public - teachers, nurses, mums, dads, doctors, psychologists, social workers, bankers, accountants - all are welcome! Meditation experience is not necessary to participate in MSC.
The course activities include discussion of topics, experiential exercises, meditation, small group interaction, and home practices. MSC is an opportunity to explore how we typically respond when difficulties arise in our lives and to learn tools for becoming a warm and supportive companion to ourselves.
The MSC course is an adventure in self-discovery and self-kindness. Self-compassion has the paradoxical effect of both soothing our emotional distress as well as opening us to the pain that we may have been unconsciously holding inside, often for many years. Therefore, some difficult emotions could surface during the course as we grow in our capacity to embrace and heal them. We are committed to providing an environment of safety, support, privacy, individual responsibility, and a common commitment to developing compassion for oneself and others.
MSC is therapeutic, but it’s not therapy. The emphasis of the course is on enhancing emotional resources to meet emotional challenges, old and new. MSC is also not primarily a type of mindfulness training: MSC is mindfulness-based compassion training in which the quality of warmth is emphasized more than awareness itself.
MSC participants are asked to practice mindfulness and self-compassion at home for up to ½ hour per day during the course. In a randomized, controlled study, MSC significantly increased self-compassion, compassion for others, mindfulness, and life satisfaction, as well as decreased depression, anxiety and stress. Improvements were linked to how much a person practiced in their daily lives.
“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete." ~ Jack Kornfield
When you join the 8-Week MSC Course, you'll benefit from -
Personal Growth & (Un)Learning
As you participate and engage in the 8-Week MSC Course, you will discover additional self-worth and evolve as a person. Engaging with a group of like-minded people can bring a tremendous amount of personal and professional growth.
Focus
No longer will you feel like you are trying to do it all by yourself! In the 8-Week MSC Course, you will be part of a community learning and practising mindful self-compassion in every day life.
Practice, Practice, Practice
The key to life is paying attention and being compassionate. Yes, this can be challenging. On the surface, it can appear easier to bolt and run away (don't worry I have done that many, many times), however in the long run it doesn't work. This is why we are going to continually practice coming back to the here and now.
Energy & Flow
There may be days (or weeks) in your life when you do not have very much energy. However, when you are aligned with your own heart and soul something happens and life starts to flow with ease and grace.
Encouragement & Support
You will have encouragement from other 8-Week MSC Course participants. When was the last time someone gave you genuine support and celebrated your successes? In the MSC Course, we want to share your experiences and learn with you!
What's included in the 8-Week MSC Course?
Who is the 8-Week MSC Course for?
Mindful self-compassion training is useful for a broad range of people with diverse backgrounds, ages, interests and levels of well-being. People self-refer or sometimes are referred by their doctors or psychologists because of physical and emotional stressors in their lives. Many enrol because, although they are feeling well physically, they say the pace of their lives is "out of control" or they are "just not feeling quite right" and want more ease and peace.
Mindful self-compassion can enhance learning, intrinsic motivation, confidence, concentration, creativity and resilience.
For professionals, it can help with personal accountability, taking greater responsibility for past mistakes, a disposition to apologise and greater conscientiousness.
For people interested in their health - self-compassion has been linked to healthier behaviours (i.e. more exercise, safer sex and less alcohol use) as well as healthier body image and eating behaviour (e.g. less body pre-occupation and body shame; fewer weight worries and more intuitive eating).
Self-Compassion has also been linked to less burnout and "compassion" fatigue for caregivers, increased wellbeing for parents of autistic children, more caring and supportive relationships, more forgiveness and perspective taking in relationships as well as more compassion, empathy and altruism for others.
Prerequisites for the 8-Week Mindful Self-Compassion Course
No previous experience with mindfulness or meditation is required to attend MSC. To insure safety, participants are asked to provide background information when they register for the course.
All participants are required to purchase the Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook for use during the course.
It is also recommended participants read the following books during or after the course:
- Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself, by Kristin Neff
- The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion, by Christopher Germer
This course fulfills one of the prerequisites for becoming a MSC teacher. For more information on MSC and MSC Teacher Training, please visit here.
3 Reasons to Join the 8-Week MSC Course...
There are a number of reasons to join us in the 8-Week MSC Course, including -
- The 8-Week MSC Course is interactive. Jane, who is an experienced mindfulness teacher will guide you over the 8 weeks. You will join a community of people learning mindful self-compassion. The community is a safe and supportive place that will honour and recognise where you are now and continue to support and celebrate when you as you take small steps towards mindful self-compassion.
- Draining habits (like fear, comparison and self-sabotage) are stopping you from taking the next step in your business, career or life. You cannot think your way out of these draining habits, you have to find the courage and untangle them with awareness, compassion and action. In the 8-Week MSC Course we will be supporting you to take action and tap in to the power within.
- The 8-Week MSC Course is simple (but not always easy and is actually quite challenging) and is based on research as well as being researched.
Frequently Asked Questions
MSC includes 8 weekly sessions of 2 3/4 hours each, in addition to a 4-hour retreat. Prior to registering, participants should plan to attend every session and practice mindfulness and self-compassion at least 30 minutes per day throughout the course.
Course activities include meditation, short talks, experiential exercises, group discussion, and home practices. MSC is a workshop rather than a retreat. The goal is for participants to directly experience self-compassion and learn practices that evoke self-compassion in daily life.
I have put together a page on the Science of Self-Compassion here (which includes references).
Mindful self-compassion can enhance learning, intrinsic motivation, confidence, concentration, creativity and resilience.
For professionals, it can help with personal accountability, taking greater responsibility for past mistakes, a disposition to apologise and greater conscientiousness.
For people interested in their health - self-compassion has been linked to healthier behaviours (i.e. more exercise, safer sex and less alcohol use) as well as healthier body image and eating behaviour (e.g. less body pre-occupation and body shame; fewer weight worries and more intuitive eating).
Self-Compassion has also been linked to less burnout and "compassion" fatigue for caregivers, increased wellbeing for parents of autistic children, more caring and supportive relationships, more forgiveness and perspective taking in relationships as well as more compassion, empathy and altruism for others.
In order to fully prepare for teaching Mindful Self-Compassion, I am following the pathway set out by the Centre for Mindful Self-Compassion here.
The 8-Week MSC Course is a compassion focused training, not coaching. Participants in the course must take 100% responsibility for their own experience, learnings and changes in behaviour.
It is said that “love reveals everything unlike itself.” While some difficult emotions may arise when practicing self-compassion, MSC teachers are committed to providing a safe, supportive environment for this process to unfold, and to making the journey interesting and enjoyable for everyone.
No, this is a group course (unless you choose to do this individually). I will be running with MSC sessions and will involve another person / teacher. You will also have access to a private Group. In this group I will regularly participate in discussions and you may ask questions whilst you are in there.
Yes you can. However, obviously you will not receive the added benefits of the group inquiry and discussion. Also - please note if you cannot make an individual session you need to give at least 24 hours notice, otherwise it will be counted as a session.
No – all sales are final on MSC courses. We do not offer refunds. You can change to another course though.
MSC is primarily a compassion training program rather than mindfulness training like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), although mindfulness is the foundation of self-compassion. MSC is also not psychotherapy insofar as the emphasis of MSC is on building emotional resources rather than addressing old wounds. Positive change occurs naturally as we develop the capacity to be with ourselves in a kinder, more compassionate way.
It is said that “love reveals everything unlike itself.” While some difficult emotions may arise when practicing self-compassion, MSC teachers are committed to providing a safe, supportive environment for this process to unfold, and to making the journey interesting and enjoyable for everyone.
Course activities include meditation, short talks, experiential exercises, group discussion, and home practices. MSC is a workshop rather than a retreat. The goal is for participants to directly experience self-compassion and learn practices that evoke self-compassion in daily life.
The 8-Week MSC Course goes for 8 weeks!
The course will generally run on the Australian school terms.
MSC is primarily a compassion training program rather than mindfulness training like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), although mindfulness is the foundation of self-compassion. MSC is also not psychotherapy insofar as the emphasis of MSC is on building emotional resources rather than addressing old wounds. Positive change occurs naturally as we develop the capacity to be with ourselves in a kinder, more compassionate way.
It is said that “love reveals everything unlike itself.” While some difficult emotions may arise when practicing self-compassion, MSC teachers are committed to providing a safe, supportive environment for this process to unfold, and to making the journey interesting and enjoyable for everyone.
Program activities include meditation, short talks, experiential exercises, group discussion, and home practices. MSC is a workshop rather than a retreat. The goal is for participants to directly experience self-compassion and learn practices that evoke self-compassion in daily life.
The 8-Week MSC Course is offered in Australian (AUD) dollars.
There are more frequently asked questions here. If your question is not there, please contact us here and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Participant Feedback...
Following is some participant feedback from previous attendees...
Jane, how did you start teaching MSC?
I have been committed and practicing mindfulness since my journey started in December 2008, when I attended my first 10-day Vipassana silent mediation retreat (I have completed 3 more 10-day silent retreats since then - December 2009, December 2011 & September 2013). In Term 4, 2009 I attended my first 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Course. In August 2011, I attended the seven day Intensive MBSR and MBCT Teacher Training which involved 60 hours of training. Then in January 2012, I attended the Teacher Development Intensive that was run by the Centre for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. This eight-day residential training program/retreat included: 92 hours of direct instruction and comprehensive investigation of the underpinnings of the MBSR curriculum.
Throughout the time I was teaching MBSR, the theme of self-compassion kept on coming up with my clients as well as in my own practice. I learnt as much as I could about it and started practising it in my life. I started to realise self-compassion was not something I learnt much about growing up and became aware of how critical I was of myself.
Then in July 2017 I attended the Mindful Self-Compassion training and left that training with my heart so full and knew this was what I needed to continue to practice. I applied to start the process of becoming a trained MSC teacher with Centre for Mindful Self-Compassion and was accepted in to the 6-Day Teacher Training Program in Auckland (September 2017) and became a trained teacher on June 28, 2019.
