ABSTRACT

Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is a combination of mindfulness and compassion training – a mindfulness-based self-compassion training program. Research typically shows that self-compassion is positively associated with psychological health. The construct of self-compassion is drawn from Buddhist psychology, and was first operationally defined and introduced into the psychological literature. MSC is also a mix of personal development training and psychotherapy. The effectiveness of the MSC program depends, in part, on participants learning how to work with backdraft and also learning to practice self-compassion as a spontaneous response to suffering rather than as a strategy to directly change who we are or manipulate how we feel. Learning to become more self-compassionate is a process of moving from striving to change our experience and ourselves toward embracing who we are already. The Self-Compassion Break is taught as a reflective exercise in the program.