Have you ever felt down and discouraged listening to a negative and judgmental inner voice? Or found yourself feeling unsupported from all directions, including from within you? Then consider yourself ripe for the strategies of self-compassion.  This workshop provides a conceptual introduction to self-compassion using didactic tools, formal and informal practices to move from concept to lived, felt experience. It will set the foundation for our comprehensive work in creating a more compassionate support system for this one, because this one matters too.

In order to create meaningful change, it is necessary to first notice with curiosity how things are now.  Perhaps all is well, and life feels perfect, fantastic. More probably, when paying attention on purpose, areas may be discovered that could use a little smoothing or remodeling.  This workshop, along with the Mindful Self-Compassion Primer, provides a conceptual introduction to mindfulness and its value in mindful self-compassion using didactic tools, formal and informal practices to move from concept to lived, felt experience.

Before jumping into self-compassion, it is necessary to establish a firm foundation of goodwill/ease/acceptance, so that one might feel well-resourced and find flow in the practice.  Loving-kindness warms up awareness and could be considered the primer of compassion. Participants will discover loving-kindness phrases that serve to develop an open heart through meditation, self-reflection and take-home activities.

Building on the practice of loving-kindness, this workshop will focus on compassionate conversations with ourselves that motivate with kindness rather than self-criticism. We meet ourself with the same tenderness we would me a friend who is struggling. Learning activities will include self-reflection, meditation, success strategies such as the creation of self-affirmation mantras.

This is a “rubber meets the road” workshop – putting into play the mindfulness and self-compassion skills learned by applying these practices to difficult emotions.  Let’s face it, being human is a messy undertaking. Even with the best of intentions we will experience a gamut of emotions including the difficult ones such as shame, guilt and anger. Navigating these experiences with skill, grace and poise will help restore balance.  Engagement tools of meditation, self-reflection, and didactic tools of practice strategies will be used.

This final session will draw on positive psychology, the practices of savoring, gratitude, and self-appreciation as ways to rewire our brains and kick the habit of self-criticism. We can embrace the good in ourselves and in our lives. Reflection of where we began the adventure and where we are now will affirm the steps taken toward a life of empowered presence.