Written By: James Rosser, LCSW When Pride season arises, many LGBTQIAP2S+ people encounter questions as to why pride celebrations are important.  I’ve been asked many times why we need a pride celebration and why “straight “people do not.  For us in the Queer community, who experience micro-aggressions frequently, this kind of questioning is not new. It is the product of living as a marginalized group in a society that still struggles with any difference. It is a little like the idea of a fish swimming in water that does not know what water is. In this case, the water ..read more

A Conversation with Sydney Spears, Ph.D., CMSC Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging 1. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share the story of how you came to your current role? Ever since I was an adolescent I have been a strong advocate for dismantling sociocultural oppression in its various forms across marginalized communities. My own personal identity as a multiracial-Black woman generated this work as well as learning about the racial and patriarchal trauma that my grandparents, parents and other ancestors e ..read more

Compassion for ourselves is the opposite of selfish. It enables us to flourish, to shine and to thrive, even as we get old, together or alone. By Anna Friis, PhD, Certified MSC Teacher In the space of a few short months I watched, awe-struck, as my granddaughter took her first-ever breath and bore silent witness as a dying stranger took their last.  One life began, another life ended. The veil lifted, the bells chimed; I remembered once more that life is miraculous, fleeting, fragile and infinitely precious. Nothing is permanent. Everything is changing, arriving and leaving. With the New ..read more

By Natalie Bell, Certified MSC Teacher and CMSC Director of Programming It’s that time of year again, for new beginnings, a fresh start, a healthier, more intentional outlook. Oh yes, that again! So often in January we feel the need, and the pressure, to improve our lives by getting rid of bad habits and adopting new routines to feel better about ourselves. But so many of us have mixed feelings about this, or even a cynical view, because we know that new year’s resolutions usually fail after the first few months of the year. Also, if we are to be compassionate with ourselves, we would like to ..read more

By Mary Marcdante, MSC Trained Teacher In the research-based MSC course developed by CMSC Co-Founders Chris Germer and Kristin Neff and taught globally by 4000 trained teachers, there are eight to ten sessions depending on whether you take the course in-person or online that help us integrate self-compassion into all aspects of our lives with the final session focused on savoring and gratitude. In light of what’s going on in the world and the upcoming holidays, I’d like to offer a few insights and suggestions from that session and my own experience for cultivating a gratitude practice. Before ..read more

By David Fredrickson, MFT, Certified MSC Teacher Ouch! Did you feel that? The mere mention of shame can feel shaming. Perhaps you felt a grip in your gut and a strong urge to look the other way. If so, you are not alone. This is the nature of shame. Thanks to Dr. Chris Germer, co-founder of CMSC, and his pioneering work with self-compassion and shame we know that the first courageous and compassionate act is to turn toward and call out “the one who shall not be named.” Once we know shame is in the house, we can begin the journey of transforming this difficult human emotion with the alchemy of ..read more

by Michelle Becker, LMFT, MSC Teacher, Family Therapist This article is part two of a series of how self-compassion can foster healthy relationships. In Part 1, we looked at the role mindfulness (one of three components of self-compassion) can play in helping us go from being stuck in an unhealthy relationship to building a more satisfying relationship.  In this post we will look at how the other two components of self-compassion—common humanity and kindness—also played a role in how self-compassion led to a healthier relationship for Hanna. For Hanna, learning to see herself and kn ..read more

by Markus Bohlmann, PhD, MSC Teacher Suffering is universal, but not all suffering is equal. – Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff One question I get asked frequently when facilitating mindfulness groups for the LGBTQIAP2S+ community is, “Can’t we all just practice together? How about common humanity? Are those separate spaces not taking away from common humanity?” It is a valid question that names one of the three components of self-compassion—common humanity (the other two are mindfulness and self-kindness, as per the writing of Dr. Kristin Neff). Self-compassion arises through common hum ..read more

by Michelle Becker, LMFT, MSC Teacher, Family Therapist “The supreme happiness in life consists in the conviction that one is loved.” -Victor Hugo I know this to be true from my own personal experience, from my psychotherapy practice working with individuals, couples, and families, and from the research on well-being and relationships. Generally speaking, being safely connected to others benefits us. Healthy relationships translate into better physical health, and better recovery from health problems. A good connection between patients and their therapists is one of the biggest predictors of ..read more

By MSC Teachers Bryan MacLeod, MD, FCFP and Monique Mercier, MA, C.Psych.Assoc. Learner preliminary course data shows significant reductions in burnout, depression and anxiety and improved resilience. Canadian physicians experience high rates of burnout (30%), depression (34%) and suicidal ideation (19%) (CMA, 2018).   This has only gotten worse during COVID, with a full 53% now reporting burnout symptoms (CMA 2022).  Dr. Kristin Neff et al in their initial 2020 publication on the Self-Compassion in Healthcare Communities (SCHC) Training Program noted that their clinicians participan ..read more