In today's fast-paced world, finding moments of self-compassion can be challenging. Yet, it is one of the most crucial elements for maintaining mental and emotional well-being. In our latest video, we have the privilege of hearing from Michelle Becker, LMFT, and Steve Hickman, PsyD, interviewed by Dr. Cassandra Vieten, Director at the Center for Mindfulness.
In June 2023, something truly special took place at the Marina Village Conference Center, as 31 participants came together for the first in-person Mindful Self-Compassion Intensive since the pandemic. The event, held in a picturesque location just minutes away from the open waters of the Pacific, was led by the experienced CFM teachers Megan Prager and Noriko Morita Harth, with the invaluable support of Hyun-Chung (Helen) Kim as a Mental Health Assistant.
Is it possible in this time to stay informed and not be totally overwhelmed?
"At long last, a self-compassion training for teens! This delightful, innovative program captures the essence of self-compassion for an age group that needs it the most. Wholeheartedly recommended!”
- Christopher Germer, Ph.D.
As a person who has practiced silent teacher-led meditation retreats for decades and led them for about 14 years, I’ve been reflecting on this question a lot, trying to see it through “fresh eyes” and with a “beginner’s mind”. With my own experience and great mentors to draw from, I thought I would share some of my evolving thoughts and feelings about what a retreat should or could look like, in the hope that these things might interest or inspire people to participate in a retreat.
"At long last, a self-compassion training for teens! This delightful, innovative program captures the essence of self-compassion for an age group that needs it the most. Wholeheartedly recommended!”
- Christopher Germer, Ph.D.
Imagine a flowering plant. A baking cake. A rising stock price. A healing wound. Time passing can be a beautiful thing.
It’s a simple question, really. But one that often brings on a state of perplexed astonishment when someone asks us.
“What do you need?”
Unless we are a sobbing child who has come rushing to his mother after some sort of sibling transgression, or we are urgently and frantically searching for the restroom in an unfamiliar restaurant, we have an unusually hard time answering that question.
When asked what gets in the way of consistently performing at their best, most people can easily identify obstacles such as time, energy, scheduling conflicts, and distractions. These can indeed be areas that need focus but what I’ve found in my coaching practice is that most of our real obstacles are internal. Another way to say this is, our greatest obstacle to peak performance is often ourselves.
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