Mindfulness-Based Self Compassion

(MSC)

Research shows that people who are more self-compassionate tend to have less stress, better mental and emotional health, healthier and more satisfying relationships, greater willingness to learn and grow, and the list continues. MSC is a skills training program which combines skills for increasing self-compassion and mindfulness practices to maximize and fortify emotional resilience and mental and relational wellbeing. Using MSC, I debunk common myths about self-compassion (like that it will lead to reduced motivation, that it’s selfish, or that it’s self-indulgent) then help you learn to stop being so hard on yourself, become your own best teacher, and motivate yourself with encouragement instead of criticism.

I use MSC alongside other treatment modalities to help clients with: Anxiety, depression, social anxiety, self-esteem issues, work stress or burnout, motivation issues, achieving work and personal growth goals, parenting stress, learning how to self-care, and transitioning into civilian life.


A door tag that reads Self-Care in Progress please do not disturb sitting on a glass table.
  • Enhance emotional wellbeing through learning and implementing skills for mindfulness and self-acceptance
  • Reduce self-criticism with an emphasis on our common humanity, or the understanding that everyone is imperfect, makes mistakes, and experiences suffering
  • Promote kindness and compassionate treatment toward oneself by practicing specific skills such as mindful observation, self-soothing, speaking or writing to oneself as you would a dear friend, and more

Why does self-compassion matter?

We all naturally experience what is called a “negativity bias” which is the tendency to weigh negative material as being more real, important, or valid than positive material. With our negativity bias, we notice the bad more than the good and are quicker to believe in the bad and see it as more important than the good. While this bias has been helpful for us in situations in which safety and survival are at risk, we tend to take it into all areas of our lives, perhaps none more easily than our view and treatment of ourselves. We tend to view ourselves in a negative light and treat ourselves as less than worthy of the basic compassion we readily show others, which can stunt our growth in big ways. Making mistakes is an integral part of growth. When we’re quick to judge ourselves as a failure and quick to degrade and berate ourselves when we mess up, we can’t risk a mistake so trying to do anything at all becomes a dangerous game. With MSC, we learn and cultivate the necessary skills to stop holding ourselves back with judgement, blame, and shame. We make space for mistakes by separating them from who we are as people and develop the room and emotional safety to grow and thrive.