Mindfulness & Self-Compassion
8 week course for adults

About Self-compassion

 

To be human is to experience difficult events and emotions. Yet many of us routinely exclude ourselves from the circle of those we offer compassion to when these things occur. Sometimes we may do this unintentionally. At other times we might do this because we believe that offering compassion to ourselves is weird, weak, lazy, or self indulgent. Not only may we fail to offer ourselves the same compassion we might offer to a friend, loved one or colleague in a time of suffering, but we may take it a step further and engage in harsh self-criticism in response to our own failings and our own suffering. Many of us are much more harsh towards ourselves than we would be to even a person we don’t like!

 

The research shows that people who are self compassionate are actually more likely to to cope better with adversity, and to be caring and compassionate towards others. They are more likely to have a realistic perspective on their experience and actions (good and not so good), and to take greater personal responsibility. They are also more likely to persist or be resilient after failure.

 

About Mindfulness

 

Mindfulness is an essential vehicle for the practice of self-compassion. It is the key skill of presence and non-judgemental awareness that enables us to approach our own difficult (as well as wonderful) experiences with openness and willingness. 

 

If learning the skills for mindful self compassion sounds of value to you, then we invite you to sign up to our 8 week course.

 

The Course

 

This course is deeply experiential and you will work through a range of guided reflective exercises and meditation practices each week, alongside learning new concepts and connections. Within sessions, group members are warmly invited to reflect and share with each other their experience of the activities and their insights, but safety always comes first, and sharing is not a requirement. 

 

• Session 1: Introductions, establishing safety and shared expectations in the group and settling in. Introduction to key concepts and how to approach them. Our first core practice.

• Session 2: Practicing mindfulness. Understanding and working with suffering and resistance. Our second core practice.

• Session 3: Introduction to and practice of Loving-Kindness. Links between compassion and loving-kindness. Third core practice.

• Session 4 Discovering your own compassionate voice. Addressing self-criticism. Motivating ourselves with compassion. 

• Session 5: Living deeply. Working with values and their place in navigating suffering. 

• Session 6: Meeting and working with difficult emotions.

• Session 7: Exploring challenging relationships and pain that can arise from both connection and disconnection with others. Navigating caregiving fatigue.

• Session 8: Embracing your life. Cultivating the good things. Reflections and tips for maintaining practice. Close.

 

RETREAT: For those enrolling from the Adelaide area (or happy to travel to participate), the course includes, at no additional cost, a full day, or half-day in person retreat at our Gawler Belt retreat venue, during the second half of the course. Scheduled for weekend times, our retreats offer a day of looking after yourself through guided mindfulness and self-compassion practices, yoga, good food and time for reflection. 

 

The Practicalities

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This is a closed group. If you sign up, you are signing up for the whole program. 

 

If you have an active Mental Health Care Plan, you may be eligible for rebates for group attendance. 

 

Our course is delivered in a safe, convenient, live online environment. 

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Sessions run for around 90 minutes, once per week on a weekday evening, commencing at 7pm ACST.

 

You will find information about pricing, payment options, dates and booking HERE.

 

Want to chat more before deciding? Feel free to contact us HERE.

 

We look forward to welcoming you to an upcoming group!