A written account from CMSC Program Development Director, Natalie Bell and her experience with the fires in Los Angeles.

Hello Friends of Self-Compassion,

The Los Angeles fire experience has been a time of profound transformation for me and our community. It is a time that feels raw and real, vulnerable and strong, a time of witnessing devastating loss and intense climate threats while also seeing the resilience and unity of communities as we recover.

My story is one of many, shaped by deep determination, risk and luck. So many others have been less fortunate, and the struggle they face is difficult to comprehend. I share my experience with deep reverence for our land and communities, as well as a commitment to living with a fierce heart of compassion. I am profoundly grateful for the incredible bravery of our first responders and the unwavering support of our neighbors.

Despite everything, I am inspired by the outpouring of support, the unity of our community, and the resilience that events like this call us to rise to. This experience has reinforced my dedication to protecting our environment, strengthening our communities, and cultivating fierce compassion especially to face so much uncertainty in our lives.

​Please read a more in-depth recounting of my experience here, as well as how I used self-compassion to manage this crisis.

We will rise again—together, stronger than before.

With Care and Gratitude,
Natalie Bell (She/Her)
CMSC Program Development Director
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Vielen Dank • Muchas Gracias • Tack så mycket • Veel dank • Merci beaucoup
非常感谢你 • ありがとうございました • Thank you very much
To translate newsletter, please copy and paste newsletter text here.
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Self-Care and Self-Compassion of Disaster Responders: Predictors of Resilience

By: Marie F. Macedonia Antioch University, New England

Disaster responders face immense stress while providing critical care in crisis situations. This study explored how self-care and self-compassion contribute to their resilience and disaster response competencies, analyzing data from 77 responders using the Disaster Response Competencies Questionnaire (DRCQ). Findings revealed strong links between self-compassion, self-care, and resilience, while also identifying protective factors that help prevent vicarious trauma. These insights highlight the importance of fostering self-compassion to support responders' well-being and effectiveness in disaster settings.

Meditation: Affectionate Breathing with Chris Germer

Join Chris Germer for Affectionate Breathing, a gentle self-compassion meditation that invites you to connect with your breath as a source of warmth and kindness. This practice cultivates self-compassion by bringing a sense of ease and care to each breath, helping you feel more grounded and nurtured in the present moment.

Join Chris in one of the upcoming offerings he will be teaching:

• ​March 23, 2025: 5-Day Intensive at Sedona Mago with Chris Germer and Sydney Spears​
• ​February 26, Wednesdays 9-11:30am PT, Self-Compassion for Shame 8 Week Course​

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Live Online Fierce Self-Compassion Workshop with Kristin Neff

Saturday, February 15th, 2025

9:00am - 12:00pm PT / 12:00pm - 3:00pm ET

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Created by Dr. Kristin Neff, this workshop draws on practices developed in her book Fierce Self-Compassion. It includes a satisfying mix of experiential learning and science-based insights.
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Learn the essentials of fierce self-compassion practice in this live-online workshop with MSC co-founder Kristin Neff, Ph.D.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the difference between fierce and tender self-compassion
• Identify how the three key components of self-compassion are expressed when our aim is to protect ourselves
• Utilize techniques to increase fierce self-compassion in everyday life
• Clarify areas of our lives where fierce self-compassion is needed
• Understand and overcome barriers to drawing effective boundaries

February 26th - April 23rd (skip Mar 26), with Chris Germer, Natalie Bell, Laila Narsi

Wednesdays from 9:00 - 11:30 am PT.
​Click here to view a Time Conversion Chart.

Continuing Education Credits available
Early bird pricing ends February 12th.

Welcome to this groundbreaking program developed by Dr. Chris Germer and the SC-Shame development team! In this course, we’ll take a unique, non-pathological look at shame through the eyes of self-compassion and discover how self-compassion is the antidote to shame.

• What would happen if you were able to care for yourself when you felt shame, rather than being immobilized by fear, attacking yourself, or zoning out?
• How would your life be different if you could meet shame with compassion and stay connected, think in a balanced way, and make wise, healthy choices?

Special topics include how to use self-compassion to work with:

• Mindfulness of Shame
• Origins of Shame
• Self-criticism
• Body shame
• Self-forgiveness
• Hidden Parts
• Social justice

*prerequisites apply

Live Online Mindful Self-Compassion

Learn the full practices and theories of self-compassion in our 10-week, live online programs or our new specialized MSC for Therapists 8-Week Course! These courses are taught by certified MSC teachers around the world and helps you establish a consistent self-compassion practice founded in research and science. You'll learn how self-compassion can lessen anxiety, depression and stress and improve your relationships, health, and resilience. Join a course today. Courses available monthly. Explore all upcoming LOMSC dates.

Register

Register

5-Day In-Person MSC Intensive: March 23-28, 2025

EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS THIS THURSDAY FEB. 6th.

Join us March 23-28, 2025 for this in person offering that is an intensive version of the 8-week*, empirically-supported MSC program in beautiful Sedona, Arizona.

MSC activities include short talks, experiential exercises, meditation, group discussion, and home practices. Past intensives have been held in wellness and retreat centers around the United States with varied natural landscapes.

The emphasis of the program is on building the resources of self-compassion and mindfulness through a process of self-discovery. We begin with mindfulness, through which we turn with loving awareness toward difficult experiences (thoughts, emotions, and sensations). Next, we learn to turn that loving awareness toward ourselves. Together, mindfulness and self-compassion comprise a state of warm, connected, presence during difficult moments in our lives.
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​MSC activities include short talks, experiential exercises, meditation, group discussion, and home practices.
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​Upon completing MSC, participants should be able to:

• Demonstrate motivating yourself with encouragement rather than self-criticism
• Encounter difficult emotions with greater moment-to-moment acceptance
• Develop response to feelings of failure or inadequacy with self-kindness
• Explain how to transform difficult relationships, old and new, through self-validation
• Use the art of savoring and self-appreciation
• Identify core mindfulness and self-compassion exercises to implement in daily life
• Discuss simple self-compassion practices to patients, students, or clients
• Describe the theory and research supporting mindful self-compassion
• Identify fierce and tender aspects of self-compassion and their role in overall well-being

To create an optimal learning experience, Intensives are only taught by Certified MSC Teachers (the highest level of teacher training available). All participants are encouraged to engage in the Intensive to the extent that they feel comfortable, and not more.

Retreat Mentors include: Trymaine Gaither, Noriko Morita Harth, and Carolina Bautista-Velez.

Now Taking Inquiries for Self-Compassion in Action Program - Private Offering

The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion is currently meeting with organizations about our Self-Compassion in Action program (SCIA), otherwise known in the research as the Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities (SCHC). This program is developed specifically for your team's needs and can be supplied in different formats, and content is taken from the empirically validated Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program. This program presents theory, research, and applied practices so that participants can develop a personal understanding and experience of the key role that self-compassion plays for caregivers. A variety of practices are taught that can help individuals maintain equilibrium in difficult caregiving roles or challenging situations. We explore how to meet our needs in a balanced and fulfilling manner. Health care professionals with higher levels of well-being are more likely to deliver higher quality care, be better team members, and be less likely to suffer from burnout.
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If interested in discussing how the Self-Compassion in Action Program can support your organization or team? Contact Kelin Welborn at kelin@centerformsc.org or fill out the interest form below.

Become an MSC Teacher in 2025!

Are you passionate about teaching Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC)? Start your journey with our Teacher Training program! After completing prerequisites, you’ll gain the skills to teach the standard MSC course and work toward becoming a Certified MSC Teacher eligible to teach adaptations. This is your opportunity to bring the power of self-compassion to others while deepening your own practice. Applications are now open—don’t miss out on this transformative experience!

Upcoming 2025 Live Online Teacher Trainings:

LOTT-27: May 1 – July 17, 2025 4:00 – 7:00pm PT

30 Days of Self-Compassion Phrases

Back by popular demand, our 30 Days of Self-Compassion Phrases daily email sequence is returning this February! Due to the overwhelming response in December, we're excited to offer this free series once again, just in time for a month focused on love and self-compassion.
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Every day, you'll receive a simple, uplifting self-compassion phrase that serves as a gentle reminder to treat yourself with the same kindness you offer others.

"Getting a self-compassion phrase every day feels really helpful for dialing down my inner critic a bit again. Also, it is so nice to receive at least one email a day that feels just soothing and there is no bad news or to-dos in it." Sign Up Here

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Circles of Practice - Free Online Daily Meditations

Our MSC Circles of Practice program is a donation-based offering to our community and the public. CMSC offers 100 monthly free online daily practice sessions, all led by volunteer MSC teachers and supported by donations.These self-compassion meditation sessions are available on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Click on the links below to learn more and register for a session.

Join a session today:​

• MSC Graduates (7x weekly) | Register​
• General Public (2x daily, open to all) | Register​
• LGBTQI2S+ Affinity Circle (weekly) | Register​
• BIPOC Affinity Group (weekly) | Register​
• Hispanohablantes / Spanish speakers (weekly) | Register​
• Men’s Practice (monthly) | Register​
• SCHC Alumni Group (monthly | Register​

The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion is an international nonprofit organization that serves over 250,000 people in our global community. We are dedicated to alleviating suffering and improving the collective well-being of the planet through scientifically researched self-compassion training and practice. Our vision is a world where each person matters and everyone belongs. Your donations allow us to share self-compassion training around the world and keep Circles of Practice free to those in need. Thank you in advance for any support you are inspired to donate.