Awakening through Self-Compassion is 8-week online group course designed to support the development and use of Self-Compassion as a life skill. Based on the research and expertise of Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer, (MSC) this course teaches core principles and practices that enable participants to respond to themselves and life’s challenging moments with kindness, care and understanding. Cultivating Self-Compassion can help to transform your relationship with yourself as you learn to “attend and befriend”.

How Can Self-Compassion Help You?

Self-Compassion is for everyone! It’s a courageous attitude that stands up to self-criticism, self-harm, self-isolation, and self-sabotage. Research demonstrates that Self-Compassion is strongly associated with:

  • Healthier coping with life challenges
  • Lower levels of anxiety and depression
  • Emotional wellbeing
  • More satisfying personal relationships
  • Healthier habits, such as diet and exercise

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 in difficult times. Common humanity opens us to our essential interrelatedness, helping us to understand that being human means making mistakes and not being able to control everything.  Mindfulness (awareness) opens us to the present moment, so we can get a clearer picture of our physical and mental experiences; and learn to acknowledge and accept it with greater ease. Together they build 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.

What to Expect:
The online format consists of (8) weekly, 2-hour group sessions. Course activities include meditation, short talks, experiential exercises, group discussion, and home practices. The goal is for participants to directly experience Self-compassion and learn practices that evoke Self-Compassion in daily life. This program is designed for personal and professional development.

After participating in this workshop, you will be able to:

  • Practice self-compassion in daily life
  • Understand the benefits of self-compassion
  • Motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism
  • Practice the art of self-appreciation and self-touch
  • Meet difficult emotions with greater ease
  • Begin to transform challenging relationships, old and new, with self-validation

Participants should plan to attend every session and practice Self-Compassion at least 30 minutes per day throughout the course. These practices are often easily integrated into our lives and offer an extended opportunity to deepen and solidify our skill. The Mindfulness Self Compassion Workbook, by Kristen Neff & Christopher Germer is strongly suggested as a companion to this course.

Wednesdays, 5-8pm CT
July 3 – Aug 21, 2024

Max Participants: 8

Registration reopens May 22, 2024

Cost: $398 $378 

2) payments of $198 or (3) payments of $135

For more information about this group class which restarts July 3rd, 2024, please contact Iam Jophiel, LCSW, SEP, CCTP-II at iamj.blcc@gmail.com.