Self-Compassion

In case you need a reminder, may you be gentle toward yourself. (Equally, may you be gentle toward all of your selves.)

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in December, 2017, Pema Chödrön shared that during her life, she has had an instinctual inner sense of what is forward. That really stayed with me, the idea, question, and inner sense for each of us of what is forward.

I wrote a poem this week after a monthly meeting with a group a cherished colleagues. I described the poem as a kind of collage of things. Later today (with the help of some feedback), I thought that perhaps it could be a nice poem for this longest night—this year’s winter solstice—as well as being a fine poem for any other moment. I’m sharing it here in two photographs.  Read more ›

In any given moment, we can ask ourselves questions about our attention: “What is my attention focused on right now? Where is my attention going? Is my attention focused broadly or narrowly? Is it moving around or is it stuck on one thing?” In any given moment, we can also bring curiosity to what emotional tone is going with our attention. Read more ›

For today, first, a quote: “Healing is an on-going, organic process, not a single ‘big bang’ moment“ (Pat Ogden & Janina Fisher, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Trauma and Treatment, 2015, p. 73).

Aware that sometimes there can be overt, covert, external, internal, intentional, and/or completely unintentional and inadvertent messages that may lead one to wonder if there is something wrong with them Read more ›

(As do I, as do we.)

Here is a pivotal question: how do you respond to the multitudes within you?

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I wanted to share with you this short video of Dr. Maya Angelou speaking on an Oprah Winfrey Master Class that aired approximately 7 years ago, on January 16, 2011.

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For when you prefer to listen rather than read, an audio version of the blog post, Compassion Definition(s) with Inspiration from Chris Germer is now available. You can listen to the audio version here, or from within the original post.

The upcoming open group sessions I am offering provide clients with the opportunity to regularly nourish the seeds of mindfulness and self-compassion they are growing via guided, structured practice in a safe, group therapy environment, as well as providing the opportunity to have some time for connection with others and for self-reflection. Read more ›

I recently updated the compassion entry in the glossary section of the website—nothing fancy—but I realized it needed some attention.  Read more ›