Curious about self-compassion?

Chronic stress can leave us feeling overwhelmed, but resilience doesn’t mean shutting down our emotions. Kristin Neff, PhD, and Chris Germer, PhD, explain how cultivating a strong back—courage and stability—alongside a soft front—compassion and care—helps us face difficulties without being consumed by them. 

Emotional distress can hijack our attention, leaving us exhausted and joyless, but mindfulness isn't just about calming the mind. Mark Williams, Emeritus Professor at Oxford and Founding Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, reveals how cultivating awareness of the feeling tone—the immediate sense of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral in each moment—helps us interrupt the cycles of reactivity that fuel our suffering, allowing us to respond with wisdom rather than react on autopilot.

Chris Germer, PhD, clinical psychologist, Harvard lecturer, and co-developer of Mindful Self-Compassion, explores why self-compassion is the most natural thing in the world. Discover how embracing this instinct can help you respond to suffering with kindness rather than self-criticism.

Self-compassion is often misunderstood as self-pity, but the two couldn’t be more different. While self-pity isolates us in thoughts like "Why me?", self-compassion reminds us that everyone struggles. Kristin Neff, PhD, and Chris Germer, PhD, explain how self-compassion helps us break free from rumination, ease emotional burdens, and feel more connected to others.

Professor Willem Kuyken, a leading expert in mindfulness and well-being, explores how patience can transform your mind into a lifelong friend. Discover how cultivating patience helps you navigate life’s challenges with greater ease, trust, and wisdom.

Dr. Rick Hanson, psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and best-selling author, explores two meanings of 'victim'—one reflecting real mistreatment, the other implying helplessness. Discover how self-compassion honors the first without fueling the second.

Some fear that self-compassion leads to self-indulgence, but true self-compassion always has its eyes on the prize: alleviating suffering. Kristin Neff, PhD, a pioneering self-compassion expert, explains how mindfulness, kindness, and common humanity help us meet our real needs—not just our wants—while keeping our choices balanced and sustainable.

Annabelle Kyle Dortch, Psy.D., clinical psychologist, shares why self-criticism keeps you stuck—and why self-compassion is the key to real change. Discover how to break the cycle and grow in a way that truly lasts.

Learn how to overcome common fears and embrace self-compassion with expert advice from Dr. Chris Irons, a clinical psychologist and one of the world's leading researchers and trainers of Compassion Focused Therapy.  Uncover the top ten fears of self-compassion and find effective ways to address them.

Harboring resentment binds us to our pain, but true forgiveness isn't about condoning harmful actions. Dr. Frederic Luskin, Stanford's renowned forgiveness expert, shares nine practical steps that help us acknowledge our hurt while creating space for healing—showing us how to make peace with what we don't approve of and reclaim our personal power.

Affirmations can be powerful tools for personal growth, but their effectiveness isn't universal. Dr. Jeffrey McDonnell, specialist Clinical Psychologist, and Dr. Caroline Lee, PhD, explain that affirmations must be "developed and applied thoughtfully" to be beneficial. Willem Kuyken, PhD—ranked among the top 1% most cited scientists globally—suggests "integrating affirmations into mindfulness practice" for lasting change, while clinical psychologists Dr. Kyle Dortch and Dr. Michelle Chung emphasize aligning "behavior with your words" rather than relying on "magic words."

Chris Germer, PhD, clinical psychologist, Harvard lecturer, and co-developer of Mindful Self-Compassion, challenges common misconceptions about mindfulness. Explore what mindfulness isn’t—it’s not about relaxation, emptying the mind, or escaping pain—and discover how it can help you develop a deeper, more accepting relationship with your thoughts and emotions.