Awakening through Self-Compassion is an 8-week online group course designed to cultivate the use of Self-Compassion as a liberating life skill. Based on the research and expertise of Drs. Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer (MSC), this course teaches core principles and practices that enable participants to experience more presence, and respond to themselves and life’s challenging moments with greater empathy, kindness and care. Cultivating Self-Compassion can help you to transform your relationship with yourSelf, decrease emotional suffering, and increase your capacity to heal from trauma.

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:

  • Increased capacity for Self love
  • Lower levels of anxiety and depression
  • Greater emotional wellbeing and resilience
  • More satisfying personal relationships

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 somatic (body) and mental experiences; and learn to acknowledge and accept them with greater ease. Together the three key components help to build emotional strength and resilience, allowing us to accept our growth areas, 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, 2.5 hour group sessions, with one week off in the middle. Course activities include meditation, short talks, somatic practices, experiential exercises, group discussion, and home practices. The goal is for participants to somatically experience Self-Compassion and learn practices that evoke this resource in everday life. This program is designed for members of the general public, as well as for professionals who wish to integrate self-compassion into their personal self-care.

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

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

Participants should plan to attend every session and practice Self-Compassion at least 15-30 minutes per day throughout the course. These practices are often easily integrated into daily life and offer an extended opportunity to deepen and solidify your skill. The Mindfulness Self Compassion Workbook, by Drs. Kristin Neff & Christopher Germer is strongly suggested and a companion to this course.

Registration opens:   March 5, 2025

Group begins: April 2nd, 2025

Wednesdays, 5:30-8pm CT 

Max Participants: 8

Cost: $440 (one payment); $233 (two payments); $155 (three payments)

For more information about this group that begins April 2nd, 2025, please contact Iam Jophiel iam@rubieredslippers.com

Registration Link