The Contemplary is delighted to be hosting Kristin Neff in Melbourne in June 2018. Kristin will give a talk on Friday 22nd June followed by this half-day workshop on Saturday 23rd June. You can read about the workshop on this page but if you would like to find out more about Kristin’s talk please use this link.

About Kristin

Kristin Neff, PhD, received her doctorate in Human Development from the University of California at Berkeley in 1997. She is currently an Associate Professor in Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. A true pioneer in the field, over a decade ago she first identified self-compassion as a measurable trait, and now there are over a thousand published studies on the benefits of self-compassion. In conjunction with Chris Germer she co-developed Mindful Self-Compassion, an eight-week empirically supported training program in self-compassion that is currently taught all over the world. She is also cofounder of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.

About the Workshop

Self-compassion involves treating ourselves kindly, like we would a good friend we cared about. Rather than continually judging and evaluating ourselves, self-compassion involves generating kindness toward ourselves as imperfect humans, and learning to be present with the inevitable struggles of life with greater ease. It motivates us to make needed changes in our lives not because we’re worthless or inadequate, but because we care about ourselves and want to lessen our suffering. This workshop will provide simple tools for responding in a kind, compassionate way whenever we are experiencing painful emotions. We all want to avoid pain, but letting it in—and responding compassionately to our own imperfections without harsh self-condemnation—are essential steps toward living happier, more fulfilling lives. Through discussion and experiential exercises, you will gain practical skills to help bring self-compassion into your daily life. You will learn how to stop being so hard on yourself; motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism; and how to care for others without losing yourself. This course is relevant for the general public as well as to practicing mental health professionals.