IntensiveThis 5-day residential program is an intensive form of the internationally recognized, eight-session Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) training developed by Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff.
01 Self-kindness
Kindness opens our hearts to suffering, so we can give ourselves what we need.
02 Common Humanity
Common humanity opens us to others, so that we know we aren’t alone.
03 Balanced, Mindful Awareness
Mindfulness opens us to the present moment, so we can accept our experience with greater ease.
Faculty
Megan Prager is Co-Founder of Mindful Labs and Compassion Programs Director at UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness. She is a Certified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Instructor (MBSR), a Certified Mindful Self-Compassion Instructor (MSC), a Certified Compassion Cultivation Instructor (CCT), a Compassion for Couples Instructor (CFC), and a Foundational Dyad Program Instructor (FDP). Megan is…
Michelle Becker, LMFT, developer of the Compassion for Couples program and cofounder of Wise Compassion, is a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice in San Diego, utilizing mindfulness and compassion-based approaches to psychotherapy. In addition she is a certified teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion, Compassion Cultivation Training, and The Daring Way™ and Rising Strong™…
Emotional Wellbeing
Rapidly expanding research clearly demonstrates that self-compassion is related to emotional wellbeing, lower anxiety and depression, maintenance of healthy habits such as diet and exercise, and more satisfying personal relationships.
Inspiring Human Connection
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 inflict on ourselves through self-criticism, self-denial, or self-absorption. Self-compassion provides emotional strength and resilience, allowing us to admit our shortcomings, forgive ourselves, motivate ourselves with kindness, care for others, and be fully human.
At the completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
Motivate themselves with encouragement rather than self-criticism.
Relate to difficult emotions with greater moment-to-moment acceptance.
Respond to feelings of failure or inadequacy with self-kindness.
Begin to transform difficult relationships, old and new, through self-validation.
Practice the art of savoring and self-appreciation.
Integrate core mindfulness and self-compassion exercises into daily life.
Teach simple self-compassion practices to patients, students, or clients.
Mitigation
DMC and the teachers are committed to the health and well-being of all involved in this retreat. As COVID mitigation is a dynamic situation given new variants and developing treatments, we will determine our retreat protocols in consultation with medical professionals as the time of the retreat draws near.
We will communicate those protocols in advance of the retreat. We can share now that the retreat is scheduled to be held in an open-air tent, which we hope will preclude a need for masking during talks, discussions, and meditation practice.
Housing Option
Please note that the retreat’s ultimate mitigation protocols may be stricter than DMC’s center-wide protocols in place at the time of the retreat. Accordingly, during the retreat you may come into contact with others who are not subject to the same protocols. Please keep this in mind if you select a shared housing option.
Please review and understand before visiting.
Should Attend?
This program is designed for members of the general public, as well as for professionals who wish to integrate self-compassion into their work. Participating in a MSC program satisfies a prerequisite for becoming a MSC program teacher. Meditation experience is not necessary to participate in this 5-day MSC program for professionals. All are welcome!
Program activities include meditation, short talks, experiential exercises, group discussion, and home practices. The goal is to provide a safe and supportive environment for exploring how we typically respond when difficult emotions arise and to provide tools for becoming a warm and supportive companion to ourselves. The emphasis of the program is on enhancing emotional resources and personal capacities. Please note while there will be short periods of silence for practice, this is not a silent retreat.
For more information on self-compassion, please see www.Self-Compassion.org and www.MindfulSelfCompassion.org