A Foot in Each Stream: Teaching Self-Compassion Implicitly and Explicitly in MBSR and MSC
Speaker: Steven Hickman, PsyD
Format: Audio & Slides

Amidst the burgeoning interest in training compassion and self-compassion in the context of mindfulness practice, there has been a growing dialogue around the optimal ways to foster these qualities. While it is generally accepted (and supported by empirical data) that compassion and self-compassion arise naturally within the context of learning and practicing mindfulness regularly (e.g., in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), more explicit approaches like Mindful Self-Compassion aim to teach it overtly through a structured, empirically supported program of specialized practices and exercises that have also been shown to increase these capacities. These differing approaches have fostered some degree of tension in the field over their relative merits, and the aim of this workshop is to purposely dwell in that tension and explore it through inquiry, reflection and dialogue and see what might be learned from the investigation. Recent data comparing MSC and MBSR participants on levels of self-compassion and mindfulness (pre- and post-program) will be presented to support the notion that individual differences may dictate the which program is indicated in many cases. The facilitator is an experienced MBSR teacher who has also led a number of MSC courses and has even had the opportunity to have taught a number of people who have taken both courses. The agenda is to briefly outline how self-compassion is fostered in each approach; to review the relevant research findings; to engage in dialogue about the experiences of those in attendance around the topic; and then to collaboratively explore a suggested conceptual model that accommodates both approaches, articulates the areas of commonality, and provides a rationale for recommending one approach over the other in individual cases.