#32: Tools for Self-Compassion with Dr. Kristin Neff

In this episode, Mary interviews the pioneer of self-compassion research: Dr. Kristin Neff. Although our society puts much focus on building self-esteem, Dr. Kristin explains why self-compassion is a much more useful and impactful place to focus on. From soothing symptoms of depression and anxiety to helping us be kinder to others, self-compassion is key to greater well-being, especially for women. Dr. Kristin generously shares tips and tools that will help you be kinder to yourself during difficult times.

In addition to writing numerous academic articles and book chapters on self-compassion, Dr. Kristin is author of the book Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself. She received her doctorate from UC Berkeley, studying moral development and then did 2 years of postdoctoral study at the University of Denver studying self-concept development. During Kristin’s last year of graduate school she became interested in Buddhism and has been practicing meditation ever since. While doing her post-doctoral work she decided to conduct research on self-compassion – a central construct in Buddhist psychology and one that had not yet been examined empirically until Dr. Kristin created a scale to measure the concept. Dr. Kristin is currently an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.

In conjunction with her colleague Dr. Chris Germer, she has developed a training program called Mindful Self-Compassion, which is taught by thousands of teachers worldwide. They co-authored The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook as well as Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program: A Guide for Professionals.

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