Mindful Self-Compassion Classes
with Michael Klein, Ph.D.
Human beings have a natural capacity for compassion.
However, daily stresses, social pressures, and painful life experiences can make it difficult to access and express this capacity. And, compassion is a quality that can be cultivated. With the proper tools, care, and a supportive environment it can be nurtured, like turning a small seed into a beautiful flower.
The Mindful Self-Compassion training is a 10-week, empirically supported course designed to cultivate and nourish the qualities of compassion, empathy, and kindness for oneself and others.
Based on the groundbreaking work of Kristen Neff, Ph.D. and Christopher Germer, Ph.D., self-compassion is a way to train the heart and mind to respond to life’s difficult moments with kindness and compassion rather than self-criticism and judgment. It can be learned by anyone, even those who didn’t receive enough affection in childhood, or those who feel uncomfortable when they are good to themselves. It provides emotional strength and resilience, makes it easier for us to admit our shortcomings, motivate ourselves with kindness, forgive ourselves when needed, relate wholeheartedly to others, and be more authentically ourselves.
Rapidly expanding research demonstrates that self-compassion is strongly associated with emotional wellbeing, less anxiety, depression and stress, maintenance of healthy habits such as diet and exercise, and satisfying personal relationships.
Compassion, empathy, and kindness for oneself and others.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be supported in learning how to:
Increase kindness and compassion for one’s self and others
Calm the mind and direct thoughts in a more positive way
Motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism
Increase resilience during interpersonally challenging situations
Manage caregiver fatigue
Practice the art of savoring, and of self-appreciation
Practice self-compassion in daily life
Course Structure
Weekly classes are about 2.5 hours, and include guided meditations, short talks, experiential exercises, and group discussion.
In addition to the weekly class, there is a 4-hour mostly silent retreat. No previous meditation experience is required, although the willingness to develop a regular compassion-based sitting meditation practice is a key component of the training.
Participants should plan to attend every session and be willing to practice the compassion-based guided meditations for at least 15 minutes per day, 5 days per week, during the course.
Please do not sign up for this course if you cannot commit to missing no more than two of the Thursday evening classes during the course, or if you cannot make the first class.
This course fulfills one of the prerequisites for becoming a Mindful Self-Compassion teacher.
The class is limited to 16 participants.
About the Instructor
Michael Klein, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice in San Francisco, and for over 20 years was an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). In addition to being a trained Mindful Self-Compassion teacher, Michael is also a certified teacher of the Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) through CCARE (The Center for Compassion, Altruism, Research and Education) at Stanford University.
Michael’s clinical work integrates several current, experiential models of psychotherapy that bring together mindfulness, compassion, attachment theory, and advances in affective neuroscience. He also specializes in working with high conflict couples, and has several ongoing training groups for couples therapists.
He has had an ongoing meditation practice for the past 43 years, and for the past 14 years has taken a month each year out of his active life for intensive meditation retreats. He has personally experienced the impact of mindfulness and compassion practices in his own life, and this forms the foundation of his teaching.
