Cultivating Therapeutic Presence with Mindfulness and Self-Compassion

Shari leads international trainings in the Cultivation of Therapeutic Presence (TP), a foundational and trans-theoretical approach designed to create effective therapeutic relationships. TP involves being fully present on a multiplicity of levels: physically, emotionally, cognitively, and relationally. TP helps therapists attune to themselves while being attuned to others to most effectively help them. Research suggests that mindfulness and compassion practices can help to cultivate this foundational approach to therapy. TP builds and strengthens positive therapeutic relationships and helps to utilize treatment approaches from different perspectives most effectively. In this training, you will develop a theoretical and experiential understanding of therapeutic presence, including the neurophysiological underpinnings of TP. You will also explore how mindfulness practice and self-compassion helps remove barriers to presence and deepens your ability to attune to the moment.

Presence and Self-Compassion in Psychotherapy

Therapeutic presence (TP) and Self-compassion (MSC) are trans-theoretical mechanisms of change in psychotherapy and the emotional heart of mindfulness when we meet suffering. Self-compassion is a part of presence, and yet strengthens presence. Both therapeutic presence and self-compassion are powerful resources for clinicians to maintain emotional balance in the midst of challenging clinical work, to enjoy their work and their clients more fully, and to prevent caregiver fatigue.

Since presence and self-compassion need to be directly experienced to be understood, this training is largely experiential combining didactic and experiential learning. It contains short lectures, exercises, videos, poetry, and group discussion. Participants receive instructions onto a wide variety of practices that can be practiced at home, and also taught to clients, students, and trainees.

Self-Compassion in Psychotherapy (SCIP) Certificate Training

Shari is part of an expert team of leaders in the Self-Compassion in Psychotherapy (SCIP) Certificate Program offered by the Centre for Mindful Self-Compassion. Compassion-based psychotherapy has been shown to alleviate a wide range of psychological disorders, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and substance dependency. It also appears to be an underlying mechanism by which other kinds of therapy seem to work. This program is created specifically for psychotherapists who see the importance of self-compassion for mental health and well-being and want to integrate self-compassion more deeply into their own way of practice. Learners will have a foundation in mindfulness- and acceptance-based treatment, and endeavour to use their personal mindfulness and compassion practice as a foundation for effective therapeutic relationships and interventions. For more information, please visit: https://scipprogram.com/

Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) 8-Week Program

Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is an empirically supported, 8-week training program designed to cultivate the skills of self-compassion. Based on the groundbreaking research of Kristin Neff and the clinical expertise of Christopher Germer, MSC teaches core principles and practices that enable participants to respond to difficult moments in their lives with kindness, care and understanding.

The three key components of self-compassion are self-kindness, a sense of common humanity, and balanced, mindful awareness. Kindness opens our hearts to suffering, so we can give ourselves what we need. Common humanity opens us to our essential interrelatedness, so that we experience the shared suffering that is part of being human. Mindfulness opens us to the present moment, so we can accept our experience with greater ease.

Self-compassion provides emotional strength and resilience and can be learned by anyone. Rapidly expanding research demonstrates that self-compassion is strongly associated with emotional well-being, less anxiety, depression and stress, maintenance of healthy habits such as diet and exercise, and satisfying personal relationships.