MSC Program
Based on the groundbreaking research by Kristin Neff and the clinical expertise of Christopher Germer, the MSC course teaches participants how to apply core principles and useful tools to tackle challenging moments in their lives with kindness and understanding toward themselves.
MSC is a group training that focuses on skill building using practical tools and useful resources. The course includes activities such as meditations, didactic teachings, experiential learning, group discussions, inquiry, and home practices. The training focuses more on developing compassion than on learning mindfulness per se, though mindfulness is the foundation of the approach. The goal is to allow participants to experience self-compassion and become more familiar with it through activities that they can integrate naturally into their daily lives. The course is a total of 27 hours, but a 6- or 9-hour short course is also available.
The course focuses on developing emotional resources. Although compassion is a positive, uplifting emotion, learning about it can unearth some painful feelings. The goal is not to analyze or resolve old wounds—it is not a clinical intervention or group therapy. MSC teaches us how to be caring and understanding towards ourselves to foster beneficial changes. The teacher ensures that this process is carried out in a safe, supportive environment.
Program objectives
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Practice self-compassion in daily life
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Understand the empirical benefits of self-compassion
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Learn how to encourage and motivate ourselves with kindness rather than criticism
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Manage painful feelings with more ease
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Transform challenging relationships, old and new
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Manage caregiver fatigue
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Practice the art of self-appreciation and the art of savoring the present moment
Useful information
The course consists of 9 weekly 3-hour sessions and includes a silent retreat, all online and live. You do not need any previous mindfulness or meditation experience to participate.
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Throughout the course, it is recommended to practice self-compassion every day, gradually working up to 30 minutes daily. To fully benefit from the program, you should not miss more than 2 of the 9 sessions.
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The following reading is recommended as complimentary tools for the course:
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The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive. By Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer
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Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself, by Kristin Neff
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The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion, by Christopher Germer
Note that this MSC course provides continuing education credits from the Ordre des psychologues du Québec and is a prerequisite for obtaining the Self-Compassion in Psychotherapy for Psychotherapists (SCIP) certification. For more information, visit scipprogram.com.
Short course in MSC
The short course consists of a formal adaptation of the original training. Groups interested in this training can select either a 9- or 6-hour format, offered over 6 weekly sessions.
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The short course was developed for participants who cannot attend the original program, but who still wish to begin their MSC journey and learn targeted skills. Designed to be integrated into tight schedules, the short course accommodates even the busiest people.