Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) Group

Sometimes just getting through the day can feel so hard. We manage so much in our personal lives, while also feeling the struggles of our loved ones and communities. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and beat ourselves up for not “handling” things well.
You are not alone. Let’s come together to explore how we can meet life’s challenges in a way that supports our health and healing – with care, courage, respect, and inner strength. In MSC, you will learn skills to build self-awareness, self-kindness, and emotional balance. Together, we will discover how to find greater ease and compassion right in the midst of our busy lives.

What is Mindful Self-Compassion?

MSC is an empirically-supported program based on the groundbreaking work and research of Dr. Kristin Neff and Dr. Chris Germer. The MSC course we offer consists of 6 sessions in which participants learn practical skills that can be immediately integrated into their lives.

Self-compassion is not another self-improvement project. Self-compassion is about learning to approach yourself and your life with warmth and caring attention. It is rooted in a deep, genuine desire to tend to your own needs and values, especially during life’s challenges.

Research has shown that self-compassion greatly enhances emotional well-being. It boosts happiness, reduces anxiety and depression, strengthens the quality of our relationships, and can help us engage in the behaviors that matter to us. All that’s required is a shift in the direction of your attention–recognizing that as a human being, you too are a worthy recipient of compassion.

What can I expect?

The MSC group meets for 6 weekly sessions that are 1.5 hours in length. Each week includes guided meditations, short talks, experiential exercises, opportunities for group discussions (if you choose), and practice support. Please note that you will never be required to participate verbally, although you will be invited to do so as this deepens learning for everyone.

As this is a skills-building group rather than a process group, you are encouraged to discuss (if you choose) the process of practicing the skills rather than sharing specific personal content or processing old wounds. Positive change tends to occur naturally as we develop the capacity to be with ourselves in a kinder, more compassionate way.

Ultimately, the emphasis of the group is practicing mindfulness and self-compassion in real time, so that we can learn to bring it into our daily lives. You will always have agency to take care of yourself as you need in the moment (e.g., choosing the kind of participation that is right for you, stretching your body, or taking a second to step outside).

The orientation session will include an intro to MSC skills and resources that you can practice/explore before the group starts, so you can get started bringing self-compassion into your life right away.

How much time will this take up?

The group itself will take 90 minutes of your time for 6 weeks. Should you wish to dive deeper into self-compassion practice, resources such as guided meditations (5 to 20 minutes in length), reflection questions, and readings will be provided but are not required. These resources will be emailed to you after each class so that you can have them to explore in the future if you’d like.

Self-compassion is not another item for your to-do list. Instead, it is fuel for your to-do list – a shift in intention and attitude that can help you get through the day. The group will emphasize the ways we can practice self-compassion during our daily lives, rather than requiring extra time that many of us don’t have.

What will I take away from this group?

MSC will help you build skills and confidence around:

• Practicing mindfulness and self-compassion in your daily life
• Understanding the research-backed benefits of self-compassion
• Motivating yourself from a place of care rather than criticism
• Handling difficult emotions with greater ease
• Transforming challenging relationships, old and new
• Managing the challenges of caring for others
• Practicing the art of savoring and self-appreciation 

Many participants also report taking away a new understanding of themselves, a new sense of belonging, and a new connection with what matters most to them in their lives.