Mondays, 24th January to 14th March, from 4:30pm-7:00pm (Pacific Time) with a mini-retreat on Saturday, the 26th of February from 4:30-7:30pm Pacific Time.
Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is an evidence-based training program designed to cultivate emotional resilience through the skill of self-compassion.
About this Event
Marcia Burton, Certified MSC Teacher, will be offering this online event Barb Regasz, MSC Teacher. It includes 8 live, interactive sessions of 2.5 hours each, from 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm (Pacific Time). The course include an additional 3 hour mini-retreat session.
Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is an evidence-based training program designed to cultivate the skill of self-compassion. Based on the groundbreaking research of Dr. Kristin Neff (Ph.D.) and the clinical expertise of Christopher Germer (Psychologist), MSC teaches core principles and practices that enable participants to respond to difficult moments in their lives with kindness, care and understanding.
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.
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 loving, connected presence.
Self-compassion can be learned by anyone, even those who didn’t receive enough affection in childhood or who feel uncomfortable when they are good to themselves. 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.
After participating in this workshop, you’ll have skills to:
Practice self-compassion in daily life
Understand the evidence-based benefits of self-compassion
Motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism
Handle difficult emotions with greater ease
Transform challenging relationships, old and new
Manage caregiver fatigue
About the training
Program activities include guided meditations, short talks, experiential exercises, group discussion and practices in pairs or small groups. The training is a workshop, based on resilience training and skills, and although it can have psychotherapeutic effects, it is not “therapy”. The goal is for participants to directly experience self-compassion and to learn practices that evoke self-compassion in daily life. The MSC training is primarily a compassion training program although mindfulness is the foundation of self-compassion.
This training course fulfills the pre-requisite for the MSC Teacher Training.
Registration
Cost: $495 Canadian + taxes and fees. Everyone is welcome. There are some bursaries available to those on a low income, and for those with identity-based (gender, racial, religious, etc.) vulnerabilities.
To register, please contact Barb Regasz: barbregasz@gmail.com
If you are unsure whether this course is right for you, Marcia is offering an introductory workshop on the 11th of December, to give you the chance to “test the water”. Details can be found here: mindfulselfdiscovery.com/online-self-compassion-break-over-the-holidays-11-december-2021/
Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we give to others. Christopher Germer, PhD
Class Preparation
Required course reading is “The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: The Proven Way to Build Inner Strength and Thrive”, by Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff. This can be purchased at most book stores or online.
Technology needs: A strong, reliable internet connection & access to a computer or
tablet that is at least 10 inches. Phones or mini-tablets are not encouraged because
they impede our ability to see each other during group discussions.
Confidentiality and respect for privacy are important aspects of an MSC class.
Please make sure that you are joining class from a private space.
About the teachers
Barb Regasz
Barb Regasz is a Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher and has worked as a Social Worker with families of children with developmental challenges, children dealing with grief and loss and people involved with the justice system. She lives in the beautiful Okanagan area of British Columbia. She started a meditation practice many years ago which organically led to a self-compassion practice. After learning about the radical notion of being kind to ourselves and the powerful benefits of the practice, she felt passionate about sharing it with others. Barb loves animals, being in nature, gardening and photography.
Marcia Burton
Marcia is a Certified Teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion, a Registered Clinical
Counsellor and a Hakomi Mindfulness-based Psychotherapy Trainer. She lives in
British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada. She is a long-time mindfulness
practitioner and a dedicated practitioner of insight meditation. Marcia brings a
combination of gentleness, compassion, humour and playfulness to her work. She enjoys kayaking, gardening, and walking on the beach with her dog. She offers MSC courses for the MSC Live Online Teacher Training and the MSC Teacher Training Practicum with the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.
Islands Hakomi Educational Network 