The impact of compassion based contemplative practices is enjoying a surge in the current mainstream and scientific literature. Yet, it remains unclear how to practice compassion towards oneself, family and strangers. How does compassion practice impact our health and underlying physiology? The purpose of this integrative workshop is to describe the latest scientific findings describing how compassion training improves well-being and health. Dr. Fadel Zeidan, cognitive neuroscientist and Executive Council member of UCSD’s newly founded T. Denny Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion, will delineate a comprehensive, yet-user friendly description of the psychological and neural mechanisms supporting the promotion of health by a spectrum of compassion-based mental training practices and programs. Importantly, it is postulated that understanding the effects of compassion on well-being also requires self-awareness and practice. To this extent, this workshop will also integrate first-person experiences by Michelle Becker, LMFT. Michelle will guide participants in metta, loving-kindness, compassion-cultivation and mindful-self compassion practices. Throughout the day, both instructors will demonstrate how these practices promote the reduction of stress, anxiety, pain and promote health in a user-friendly fashion.

The effects of mindfulness meditation for pain relief are one of the most reliable effects of this ancient practice. Yet, the active mechanisms supporting mindfulness-based pain relief remain poorly characterized. In this workshop, Dr. Zeidan, leading mindfulness-based cognitive neuroscientist with an expertise in pain, will lead a day of scientific exploration and meditative practice. Dr. Zeidan will provide an easily understandable delineation of the neural, physiological and psychological processes supporting mindfulness-based pain relief. He will also delve into research demonstrating how mindfulness changes the brain, is different from placebo and other meditative practices, and involved processes that are unique and distinct from other mind-body approaches. In addition, there will also be a section focused on the role of compassion meditation and pain relief, an emerging field of science. Dr. Jennifer Miller, a licensed psychologist and MBSR teacher, will guide participants in a range of meditative practices found to reliably reduce pain and suffering in the laboratory and clinic. These practices will include traditional mindfulness practices like awareness of breath, walking meditation, loving kindness and compassion practices. We are very excited to offer this exciting workshop with two of the leading experts in their respective fields.