This intermediate level workshop will guide clinicians on how to effectively integrate empirically-validated self-compassion skills into their sessions with adult clients. Participants will begin by learning and practicing self-compassion perspective and skills for themselves on Day 1 and in the subsequent weeks. On days 2 and 3, participants will learn a practical, clinical model for comprehensive integration of self-compassion into counseling. The three level model of compassionate presence, compassionate dialogue and compassionate interventions will guide experiential exercises for days 2 and 3, emphasizing a broad repertoire of flexible cognitive, affective and behavioral tools that empower self-directed emotion regulation and engagement with valued living. 

The skills and perspectives taught in this webinar can be applied across a wide-range of diagnoses and client populations. Since a self-compassion approach, like a mindfulness-based approach, can be used directly by clinicians inside and outside sessions to regulate their own emotional reactions, Self-Compassion is particularly useful for clinicians working under stressful or challenging conditions, such human service and social service professionals who deal with high workload and resource limitations.

Burgeoning research shows that self-compassion is strongly associated with emotional wellbeing, coping well with life challenges, lower levels of anxiety and depression, healthy habits such as diet and exercise, and more satisfying, compassionate relationships.   This workshop is an introduction to integrating self-compassion flexibly into counselling and psychotherapy. This data-driven, experiential webinar is grounded in Kristin Neff’s (2003) model of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) and the clinical perspectives of Chris Germer.

The overall objective of this webinar is to introduce the research and clinical techniques that can guide the integration of self-compassion into mental health treatment with adults so that participants can begin to flexibly integrate self-compassion perspectives and interventions into their clinical work. The skills and perspectives taught in this webinar are transtheoretical and can be smoothly integrated with a variety of therapeutic approaches with adults.

As a “transtheoretical” and “transdiagnostic” treatment process, self-compassion perspectives and interventions can be applied across a broad range of client populations, diagnoses and used by therapists from diverse theoretical backgrounds. SC is particularly useful for human service and social service professionals who deal with high workload and resource limitations which are inherently stressful.

In order to integrate self-compassion effectively into clinical work, clinicians must have direct personal experience with the self-compassion model and practices.  Day 1 focuses on introducing the core self-compassion model so that participants can practice for themselves. There is a two-week break between Day 1 and 2 so that participants have an opportunity to practice for themselves. Days 2 and 3 focus on the clinical integration of self-compassion with clients.

This workshop is for social-service and human-services professionals provide clinical services such as counseling, therapy, and psychotherapy. 

No background with mindfulness or meditation is necessary to attend and benefit from the workshop

Participants will directly experience self-compassion, learn skills to evoke self-compassion in daily life and how to share these with clients. Participants are expected to practice mindfulness and self-compassion skills daily after session 1 and maintain a journal of their experiences.

(Click on schedule button to view the course sessions and timings)

Day 1 focuses on learning basic self-compassion for personal practice which (1) is an essential prerequisite for integrating SC into clinical work, and (2) will enhance participant’s personal self care and resilience. 

After participating in Day 1 of this webinar training, participants will be able to:

• Define self-compassion as a transtheoretical and transdiagnostic treatment process
• Learn a 5-step model for becoming a self-compassion informed therapist
• Identify and apply the three components of Neff’s (2003) Mindful Self Compassion model
• Be familiar with the science and research of self-compassion
• Understand the distinction between tender and fierce self-compassion
• Apply basic mindfulness and tender and fierce self-compassion practices in their own daily life, including STOP, soothing touch, self-compassion break, 4Ns, self-compassionate behavior, becoming your own ally and motivating themselves with compassion. 
• Recognize and respond to fears of self-compassion and backdraft, the discomfort that can arise when people develop self-compassion

Day 2 and 3 focus on integrating self-compassion into clinical work with client. 

After participating in Days 2 and 3 of this webinar training, participants will be able to:

• Understand three levels of comprehensive integration: compassionate presence, compassionate dialogue and compassionate interventions.
• Learn concrete skills for developing compassionate presence
• Learn the 3Rs, an integrative model for fostering in-session, compassionate/self-compassionate dialogue with clients
• Apply a resource-building approach to helping clients understand and develop their own capacity for self-compassion
• Identify specific “entry points” to introduce self-compassion perspectives and interventions with clients
• Recognize and respond to client fears of self-compassion and backdraft, the discomfort that can arise when people develop self-compassion
• Assist clients to recognize and gradually reduce automatic self criticism and harsh self judgments
• Learn practical “4 Ns” model to help adult clients apply self-compassion in daily life
• Help clients to motivate themselves with kindness rather than criticism

Participants who meet 75% class attendance will be awarded a Certificate of Accomplishment by the Academy of Human Development.