“The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”
– William James
Workshop Description
Shame is everywhere. Whenever we feel bad about ourselves, for whatever reason, there is a touch of shame. Shame can occur when we feel judged by others or when we judge ourselves. It can happen when we do something wrong and when we’re entirely innocent of wrongdoing. Shame strikes at the core of our being but has nothing to do with who we really are.
Shame is the most difficult human emotion. What makes shame so challenging is that most of us would rather do anything than feel shame. Our first instinct is to “go small, go silent, or go away.” Sometimes we go on the attack, criticizing ourselves or others. We may also try to numb ourselves by escaping into unhealthy behaviors. When shame is present in our lives, there’s often no one home to work with it.
Self-compassion is an antidote to shame. It’s the opposite of shame—self-kindness instead of self-criticism, common humanity instead of isolation, and mindfulness instead of rumination. The process of alleviating shame begins by recognizing that shame is an innocent emotion—it arises from the universal wish to be loved. If we didn’t wish to be loved, we wouldn’t feel shame. The next step is to give ourselves the compassion we so desperately need—self-compassion.
In this 6-hour experiential workshop led by Chris Germer, a leader in the burgeoning field of self-compassion and co-developer (with Kristin Neff) of the Mindful Self-Compassion training program, participants will explore the nature of shame and it’s causes (including discrimination and social oppression). They will also learn simple skills to detect shame - in their own lives and their client's lives - and transform it, safely and effectively, through the power of self-compassion
The workshop will include talks, meditation, research, exercises, and discussion.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the theory and research on self-compassion
- Understand shame conceptually and recognize it experientially
- Apply the three components of self-compassion to the experience of shame
- Use self-compassion skills to address shame in daily life.
- Teach simple practices to clients to alleviate shame
Who Should Attend?
Helping professionals who have already been introduced to the practice of mindful self-compassion and the research to support it, either through attending one of Kristin Neff's self-compassion workshops, attending a mindful self-compassion (MSC) group or training, or equivalent. Participants can expect to touch shame and other challenging emotions in this workshop, so they agree in advance to take responsibility for their emotional safety and wellbeing.
You will receive:
- Login details and instructions emailed in advance of the workshop
- Downloadable handouts
- Certificate of attendance upon successful completion of a brief online quiz (if desired)
- Access to a recording of the workshop for a limited period of time after the workshop - so if you can’t join live, or need to miss part of the live workshop and want to view it afterwards, we’ve got you covered!
About the Presenter
Dr. Christopher Germer, PhD is a clinical psychologist and lecturer on psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is a co-developer (with Kristin Neff) of the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program, which has been taught to over 100,000 people around the globe, author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion and co-author (with Kristin Neff) of Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program and The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook. He is also a co-editor of Mindfulness and Psychotherapy and Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy. Dr. Germer is a founding faculty member of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy as well as the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School. He teaches and leads workshops internationally on mindfulness and compassion, and has a private practice in Arlington, Massachusetts, USA specializing in mindfulness and compassion-based psychotherapy.
For more more information about Chris and his work: www.chrisgermer.com
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