Dear Reader,, As we move into a new season, many of us are feeling the pull to slow down, reconnect, and create space for what weāve been carrying. If thatās true for you, we have two meaningful opportunities happening this week ā and thereās still time to join us. Online Silent Retreat ā Begins Tomorrow April 15ā20 (Online) A 5āday, gently held silent retreat designed to help you settle, listen inwardly, and reconnect with your own presence. This retreat offers: Spacious periods of silence...
29 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Leadership Update Dear CMSC Community, Change is a natural part of life and of organizations. In that spirit, we want to share a leadership transition at CMSC. After three years of dedicated service, Elijah Zimmerman has stepped down as CMSC Executive Director to begin a new chapter. Elijah held CMSC with dedication and heart, supporting the growth of our programs and our global network. We are deeply grateful for his leadership and the care he brought to CMSC during his tenure and wish him...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 6 min read
Dear Friends, Lately I've been reflecting on what it actually looks like to learn together, in real time, online, with real people. The messy, honest kind of learning together. The kind where you bring your confusion, your doubt, and sometimes that uncomfortable feeling that you shouldn't even be in the room. That feeling, shame, has a sneaky way of telling us we should be figuring all of this out on our own. It makes us think everyone else has it handled, and that our struggles mean we...
2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 4 min read
Dear Reader, The impact of trauma continues to be widely recognized. At the same time, many leading experts are deepening our understanding of the crucial role compassion and self-compassion play in the healing of trauma. Thatās why weāre glad to share a special opportunity to receive FREE access to this highly popular training on Healing Trauma With Compassion-Based Approaches, available during a special three-day watch event airing February 25-27, 2026. This free online trainingāopen to...
3 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Dear Friends, February is often associated with connection and care, yet many of us find ourselves navigating moments of uncertainty, strain, and heartbreak in our personal lives and in the world around us. In times like these, it can be easy to feel isolated in our struggles, as if we are facing them alone. One of the most powerful yet often overlooked elements of self-compassion is common humanity, the recognition that suffering, imperfection, and vulnerability are part of the shared human...
3 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 7 min read
Dear Friends, As we step into 2026, we want to begin the year by pausing together in gratitude. The past year has been a beautiful reminder that self-compassion is both a personal practice and a collective one, strengthened by community, shared intention, and mutual care. We are deeply thankful for your generosity and support during our annual fundraising campaign. Because of you, CMSC can continue advancing our mission to make Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) accessible worldwide. Your...
4 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 6 min read
Dear Friends, December is here, and I've been sitting with a quiet gratitude for this community, for the way you show up for one another with care, presence, and courage. This year for Giving Tuesday, we're offering something different: Giving Back Tuesday, a day dedicated entirely to you. We want to meet you where you are with free practices, guided meditations, tools for navigating stress during the holiday season, and space to connect with others who are walking this path alongside you....
5 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read
Guest Introduction From CMSC Board Member, Mari Behr Andrade. Dear Friends, I just wanted to give you a heartfelt thank you for being a part of this amazing community. Every time you stop, breathe, and give yourself compassion, you're helping us strengthen the community. Whether you've taken one of our courses, helped spread the seed of self-compassion to others, or contributed to the Center in some shape or form, you're helping us show how self-compassion can really be this incredible living...
6 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read
Dear Friends, It is deeply human to feel. To be moved, at times overwhelmed, by strong emotions. Fear, sadness, shame, even joy or awe can rise unexpectedly, sometimes pulling us off center or leaving us unsteady. Self-compassion teaches us that even in the midst of intensity, we have the capacity to stay grounded and present. We can learn to meet whatās here with tenderness. To turn toward ourselves, moment by moment, with care. Especially in times of uncertainty, when so much feels out of...
7 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read