Mindful Self Compassion 

Insight Community of the Desert and Mindful Way will be offering Mindful Self Compassion: an eight week program designed to bring greater ease and well being to your life; offering skills to help you make changes with kindness instead of self criticism.  The class will meet from 6:00pm-8:30pm at Insight Community of the Desert. 

What is Mindful Self Compassion (MSC)?

MSC was developed by Christopher K. Germer, PhD, leader in the integration of mindfulness and psychotherapy (www.MindfulSelfCompassion.org) and Kristin Neff, PhD, pioneering researcher in the field of self-compassion (www.Self-Compassion.org). MSC combines the skills of mindfulness and self-compassion, providing a powerful tool for emotional resilience. Mindfulness is the first step in emotional healing—being able to turn toward and acknowledge our difficult thoughts and feelings (such as inadequacy, sadness, anger, confusion) with a spirit of openness and curiosity. Self-compassion involves responding to these difficult thoughts and feelings with kindness, sympathy and understanding so that we soothe and comfort ourselves when we're hurting. Research has shown that self-compassion greatly enhances emotional wellbeing. It boosts happiness, reduces anxiety and depression, and can even help maintain healthy lifestyle habits such as diet and exercise. Being both mindful and compassionate leads to greater ease and well-being in our daily lives.

Mindful Self Compassion (MSC) can be learned by anyone. It’s the practice of repeatedly evoking good will toward ourselves especially when we’re suffering—cultivating the same desire that all living beings have to live happily and free from suffering.

Most of us feel compassion when a close friend is struggling. What would it be like to receive the same caring attention whenever you needed it most? All that’s required is a shift in the direction of our attention—recognizing that as a human being, you, too, are a worthy recipient of compassion.

In MSC you’ll learn:

• how to stop being so hard on yourself
• how to handle difficult emotions with greater ease
• how to motivate yourself with encouragement rather than criticism
• how to transform difficult relationships, both old and new
• mindfulness and self-compassion practices for home and everyday life
• the theory and research behind mindful self-compassion
• how to become your own best teacher

MSC is a great follow up to any other Mindfulness program (MBSR, Mindful Eating etc.)

MSC is not a meditation class, it is a compassion skills building class.

A randomized, controlled trial demonstrated that MSC significantly increased self-compassion, compassion for others, mindfulness, and life satisfaction, as well as decreased depression, anxiety and stress. Improvements were linked to how much a person practiced mindfulness and self-compassion in their daily lives.

Fee includes eight 2.5 hr sessions, one 4 hour retreat and all materials.  There are a few limited scholarships availalbe.  Contact Beth Mulligan at the address below for more information. 

Contact Teacher Beth Mulligan for more details: mindfulway7@aol.com

Beth Mulligan

Beth Mulligan, PA-C is a certified MBSR teacher, teacher trainer, and adjunct faculty through the UMASS Center for Mindfulness. She has been teaching MBSR for over a decade to diverse populations; from the critically ill, to non-profit organizations, the underserved, educators, and corporate leaders. She currently teaches at the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at UCI and Insight LA. Beth teaches the 10-week and nine-day practicum for teachers in training nationally and internationally. Beth is a certified Mindful Self-Compassion teacher and teacher trainer and does international training for the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.

 Beth has a background in primary care medicine as a Board Certified Physician Assistant having graduated Magna cum Laude from Duke University and has practiced medicine for over thirty years. She is a long time student of Charles Tenshin Fletcher, Roshi at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center where she has lived in residence. Beth is a core teacher at Insight Community of the Desert and is a certified yoga instructor.

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