How Mindfulness Can Improve Self-Compassion

Did you know that mindfulness increases compassion for others and ourselves? When we practice mindfulness, we attend to the present moment as it is with a quality of care and kindness for ourselves.

“When we are mindful of our own struggles, and respond to ourselves with compassion, kindness, and support in times of difficulty, things start to change. We can learn to embrace ourselves and our lives, despite inner and outer imperfections, and provide ourselves with the strength needed to thrive,” says Dr. Kristin Neff, a leading expert on mindful self-compassion.

This process of combining skills developed through mindfulness with the emotional practice of self-compassion is called Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC).Studies on MSC practice have shown a range of benefits including lowering levels of anxiety and depression, decreasing negative self-talk and judgment, and increasing optimism, forgiveness, and emotional intelligence. Research findings show that participation in well-known mindfulness programs such as Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) increases self-compassion. One key study, Beddoe & Murphy , found that nurses who participated in a MBSR program reported increased compassion for patients and also for themselves, diminishing the negative impact of challenging interactions. At Mindful Kids Miami we offer multiple programs for increasing self-compassion such as MSC, MBSR and MBCT. Sign up for one of our courses today and begin your journey to greater self-care.