BEFRIENDING OURSELVES 

A FULL MSC, MINDFUL SELF-COMPASSION, PROGRAM

Live online 

Next date yet to be decided.

1 weekly session during 10 weeks.

30 hours of live teaching  and more.

2 teachers availabe during and in between each session.

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 Corine Caffort and  Stina Jorgensen, MSC Trained Teachers

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                  The Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program is a resource-building  training program designed to cultivate the skill of self-compassion.

Based on the groundbreaking research of Kristin Neff and the clinical expertise of Christopher Germer, MSC teaches core principles and practices that enable participants to respond to difficult moments in their lives with kindness, care and understanding.

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                  Self-compassion can be learned by anyone, even those who didn't receive enough affection in childhood or who feel uncomfortable when they are good to themselves.

It's a courageous attitude that stands up to harm, including the harm that we unwittingly inflict on ourselves through self-criticism, self-isolation, or self-absorption.

Self-compassion provides emotional strength and resilience, allowing us to admit our shortcomings, motivate ourselves with kindness, forgive ourselves when needed, relate wholeheartedly to others, and be more authentically ourselves.

 

                   Rapidly expanding research demonstrates that self-compassion is strongly associated with emotional wellbeing, less anxiety, depression and stress, maintenance of healthy habits such as diet and exercise, and satisfying personal relationships.

 

 Befriending ourselves and better love ourselves, others and our lives,

  it’s simpler than you think !

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                  * After participating in this full program, you should be able to:

• Practice self-compassion in daily life

• Understand the empirically-supported benefits of self-compassion

• Motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism

• Handle difficult emotions with greater ease

• Transform challenging relationships, old and new

• Manage caregiver fatigue

• Practice the art of savoring and self-appreciation

And so many other unique discoveries, specific to each of us according to our stories.

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Nb : After participating in the full program with no more than two missed sessions,  a certificate of completion will be delivered.

It will give you access to the graduate programs from the CMSC Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.

For those who might be interested in the Teacher Training Program later, it will fulfill one of the pre-requisites.

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                  * What to expect during the program ?

      > The objective of the program is to allow you to experience self-compassion directly and to learn practices that facilitate it in your daily life.

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Program activities include guided meditations, short talks of varying length and topic, numerous exercises inviting you to discover what your own experience of the topics is, group discussions (small and large) and practices to do between sessions at home.

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About the group discussions, you will be invited regularly to share about your experience. 

The verb “invited”  is the key :  for some, speaking might not come easily and the idea is not to force anything before you are ready. 

Just listening is also part of the learning  process.

However, sharing is also an important part of it for you and for others.

Focused on the lived experiences and not the story around, the encouragement is to share no more than what you feel comfortable sharing.

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Stina and Corine will provide the space to make it easier and we will build the boundaries of the group all together.

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To support your work, you will receive written content and recordings where appropriate, email assistance, either joined or individual, and/or individual zoom meetings throughout the program.

Besides the presence of both of them in each live session, Stina and Corine will make themselves available to make the program as tailored as possible to your individual needs while respecting the needs of the community that we will build together.

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Overall, each participant will have a unique experience and will be provided the space to find the best way to apply self-compassion for them that might be different than for other participants.

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         > This is primarily a compassion training program rather than a mindfulness training program. 

It is not necessary to have an established meditation practice beforehand.

Yet, it is,  of course, perfectly fine to have one.

Moreover, since mindfulness is the foundation of self-compassion, you will discover how the two are related and different.

     > The program is not a psychotherapy either.

However, by focusing on developing emotional resources rather than treating old wounds, beneficial change occurs naturally as we develop the ability to be with ourselves in a gentler, more caring way.

Compassion is a positive and energizing emotion.

However, it is said that "love reveals all that is not like it" and in the process of learning self-compassion, some difficult emotions may arise.  

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Stina and I will provide you with a supportive environment to guide you in holding these difficult emotions with care and kindness and make this 10-week adventure as enjoyable and meaningful as possible for all.

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The program is perfectly compatible with a therapeutic accompaniment which is in no way to be abandoned and in certain cases, is strongly recommended.

The program is not intended to replace any psychotherapy you may need.

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                   * Practical aspects

      > The program includes a first short orientation session of 1 to 1.5 hours to get a taste of the menu  and to answer your practical and technical questions at the end of the session.

It will be followed by 8 weekly sessions of 3 hours each and a half-day retreat the week between sessions 5 and  session 6.

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To support your work, you will receive written content and recordings where appropriate, email assistance, either joined or individual, and/or individual zoom meetings throughout the program.

You will be exposed along the program to around 30th exercises or meditation practices giving you the opportunity to experience self-compassion and to discover what is supporting you the most.

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      > Before registering, we invite you to question your ability to fully invest in the program.

It is important to plan to attend each session and practice, formally or informally, at least 30 minutes a day for the duration of the program, in order to get the most out of it.

This is not a commitment to be taken lightly, and if you are unsure, it is best to consider enrolling at a later, more convenient time.

Your participation is critical to the success of the program for everyone, including yourself.

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Asking yourself this question is in itself a first act of self-compassion.

Trying to force things is rarely compassionate.

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     > It is recommended that you have access to a Zoom account on a computer in a quiet location where you will not be disturbed, and that you have some familiarity with Zoom meetings.

The use of a computer is recommended as some features are different than on a tablet or a phone.

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Your presence matters.

That is why we kindly ask you to be visible and leave your camera on.

This creates a sense of safety, avoiding anyone to wonder -”Is she/ he there?”

It also gives us a sense of common humanity, showing each other respect and support.

If for some reason you need to turn off your camera, please let us know in the chat.

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We will use simple functions : knowing how to enter the Zoom meeting, change its name, mute and unmute your sound, switch on your camera, and join a subgroup are among the skills that will be useful and with which it is recommended that you become familiar before the course begins.

The ideal is not to have to lose time on technical issues during the course.

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If you are very uncomfortable with the matter of technology, don't hesitate to let us know so that we can accompany you as best as possible : another act of compassion to offer yourself.

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      > In addition, it is a good idea to bring pen and  note-pad for most sessions.

 

      > One-on-one meetings with either one or both of us will be offered in the process of your registration to get to know each other and answer any questions you may have before the program begins.

This opportunity will also be offered throughout the program  at midpoint and on demand.

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      > The following book is recommended as a companion to the MSC course :

The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook, by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer (2018)         

You may find it easily online for less than $ 20 or possibly  in Public Libraries.

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If you havve any problem to get it, do not hesitate to contact Corine or Stina.

Corine : corine.wowpresence@gmail.com

Stina : stina.opps@gmail.com

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                  * Prerequisites

None !

 Everyone is welcome, regardless of background or identity.

No prior experience with mindfulness or meditation is required to participate.

However, you will be asked to share some personal information when you register, and only if you wish.

This information will help us to prepare our program as closely as possible to the unique group that will be formed, and will of course remain confidential.

It can also help us determine if there is anything in your life that might be a possible contraindication to attending this program at the time and if so, we will discuss together what solutions to consider.

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                     *  Rates 

   > On your administrative registration form, you will be asked to pick your own price for the course.

Stina and Corine want this program, which has transformed both their lives, to be truly accessible to all.

Therefore, we ask you to weigh in your current personal situation to choose what would be a fair price for you while giving the capacity to  sustain this program and others.

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For your information, the recommended regular registration fee is USD 400  for the full program ( 10 weeks  = USD 40 / week ).

It is really just an indication for your information !
If you cannot afford to pay this much, feel free to pick the fair price regarding your current situation.
It is true that the fees help them to sustain their different programs.
Yet, Stina and Corine don't want finances to be an obstacle to access : their only requirement is your full engagement in the process, as it is what will make all the difference for you and your fellow participants, and then beyond the classes.

So feel comfortable making your choice.

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NB: The expenses related to the purchase of the recommended but optional book are not included.

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                  * About your co-teachers :  Stina Jorgensen  and Corine Caffort

 Stina is a MSC-Trained teacher through the official teacher training by the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion affiliated with the University of San Diego, Ca and she is based in Norway.

She is also for years a Mental health advocate, a personal coach, and a Yoga trained-teacher for kids.

And for more than a year,  Stina is very much engaged with the Plum Village Lay Community initiated by Thich Nhat Hanh and will bring the depth of her own practice to the course.

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Corine is a MSC-Trained teacher  through the official teacher training by the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion affiliated with the University of San Diego, Ca, and originally from France, she is currently based on the East-Coast of the US.

She is also teaching the full program in French with another co-teacher.

She is a bi-weekly host on the platform Palousemindfulness.com offering her sessions through the lens of self-compassion in English for almost two years and a weekly host on her own platform in French around mindfulness and self-compassion.

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Stina and Corine met in a circle of practice from the CMSC Center for Mindful Self-Compassion while they were both  engaged in their training as MSC Teacher.

Besides their teaching collaboration, they are also part of another weekly deep practice community for 2 years.

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You may discover more by clicking on their respective names.

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        Contact and registration 

You have more questions, you want to be put on the waiting list or receive more further information regarding this course , you are ready to register : in all cases, contact us by email.

 For practical reasons and easier communication, it’s better to have Corine and Stina both copied on your messages.

 Corine  : corine.wow-presence@gmail.com

 Stina : stina.opps@gmail.com

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 * Outline of the course

 

                                                                                                                       

Week 1 Session O

Orientation

1 to 1.5- hour

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Week 2 Session 1

Introduction to Mindful Self-Compassion

           3-hour

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Week 3 Session 2

Practicing Mindfulness

          3-hour

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Week 4 Session 3

Practicing Loving-Kindness

          3-hour

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Week 5 Session 4

Discovering Your Compassionate Voice

         3-hour

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Week 6 Session 5

Living Deeply

         3-hour

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Week 7 Session R

Retreat

         3 to 4-hour

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Week 8 Session 6

Meeting Difficult Emotions

         3-hour 

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Week 9 Session 7

Exploring Challenging Relationships

          3-hour

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Week 10 Session 8

Embracing Your Life

         3-hour

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