October 21, Wednesdays 9-11:30am PT, Self-Compassion for Shame 8 Week Course
October 21 - December 16 (skip Nov 25) with Chris Germer and Laila Narsi This course meets every Wednesday from 9:00 - 11:30 am Pacific Time. Click here to view a Time Conversion Chart. Please note: This course also spans international daylight saving time changes (late October/early November), so participants joining from outside the U.S. should verify the meeting times using the Time Conversion Chart to ensure they attend at the correct local time. Scholarships and Continuing Education Credits available, see below. Welcome to this groundbreaking program developed by Dr. Chris Germer and the Self-Compassion for Shame development team! In this course, we’ll take a unique, non-pathological look at shame through the eyes of self-compassion and discover how self-compassion is the antidote to shame. What would happen if you were able to care for yourself when you felt shame, rather than being immobilized by fear, attacking yourself, or zoning out? How would your life be different if you could meet shame with compassion and stay connected, think in a balanced way, and make wise, healthy choices? Special topics include how to use self-compassion to work with: Mindfulness of Shame Origins of Shame Self-criticism Body shame Self-forgiveness Hidden Parts Social justice Prior participants of the Self-Compassion for Shame 8-wk course reported: 96% would recommend the course 96% said their experience of shame changed as a result of the course 89% would consider taking the course again 85% had better mental and emotional wellbeing after the course After learning about the theory and research on shame, you’ll have an opportunity to explore the personal and cultural causes of shame in your own life within the context of self-compassion. Practice groups are a key component of this 8-week course to help participants deepen what they learn and integrate it into their daily life. Upon registration, you will be asked to submit your preferred days/times, in order from most preferred to least. We will do our best to accommodate everyone’s preferred schedule. If enrollment numbers require, we will add an additional group. Tuesdays, 9am - 10am, starting October 27 (skipping November 24 ) Mondays, 3pm - 4pm, starting October 26 (skipping November 23 ) Fridays, 9am - 10am, starting October 22 (skipping November 27) Saturdays, 9am - 10am, starting October 23 (skipping November 28) Affinity Groups are an additional offering of this 8-week course to help participants who hold multiple identities explore how those identities intersect with what they are learning in their course - and how integrate it into their daily life. Affinity Groups this year will be offered at the following times: LGBTQIA+ group with David Fredrickson Monday, November 9th, 9am - 10am, PT Monday, December 7th, 9am - 10am, PT Visible/Invisible Disabilities with Evelyn Rodtmann Friday, November 6th, 11:00am - 12:00pm, PT Friday, December 4th, 11:00am - 12:00pm, PT BIPOC group with Carolina Bautista-Velez Thursday, November 5th, 9am -10am, PT Thursday, December 3rd 9am-10am, PT Meet Your Teachers Chris Germer and Laila Narsi are both Certified Teachers of Mindful Self-Compassion. Chris is also: A co-developer, along with Kristin Neff, of the MSC program and a co-founder of the Center for MSC Author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion and Self-Compassion for Shame (available October 1,2026) Co-author ofThe Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook and the professional text, Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program. MSC Teacher Trainer, and leads MSC intensives and workshops around the world Clinical psychologist and lecturer on psychiatry (part-time) at Harvard Medical School Integrating principles and practices of meditation into psychotherapy since 1978 Co-edited two influential volumes: Mindfulness and Psychotherapy and Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy Founding faculty member of both the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy and the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School Maintains a small private practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, specializing in mindfulness and compassion-based psychotherapy Laila is also: Certified Mindful Self-Compassion teacher trained by Drs. Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer in 2014 Founder of The Mindful Self, offering Trauma Informed Psychotherapy, Mindfulness, and Self-Compassion services since 1997 Certified in EMDR Therapy and an EMDR Approved Consultant specializing in PTSD, Complex trauma, Stress, Mood disorders, and Anxiety Childhood meditation practice nurtured by parents, continued interest in mindfulness, diversity, cultural studies, human rights, and international arts Traveled globally, working with various teachers, including Dr. Christopher Germer, bringing MSC to trauma specialists in Kenya Co-taught Making Friends With Yourself (MSC for Teens) intensive course in Kenya Directly trained and mentored by Drs. Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, Sharon Salzberg, and Steve Hickman
Course Registration, Course Registration + Continuing Education