Heart in the Moment
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Live Befriended: The Course.
Let’s face it. Sometimes, being kind to ourselves is easier said than done. Our best intentions fall flat when the Inner Critic has the last word. Is it possible to change our ways? To step beyond this adversarial relationship into contingency-free support? To live befriended?
Thanks to the latest research, we now know that self-compassion is a skill anyone can learn.
Live Befriended is a six week course based on the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) curriculum that’s taught across the globe on six continents. Consider it a sort of retreat in the context of daily life. Individualized instruction, journaling prompts, guided meditations (no previous meditation experience required,) and home practice suggestions welcome your immersion into a new way of relating to your world.
Why is self-care important? As the saying goes, we are most helpful to others when we first secure our own proverbial oxygen mask. Empirical studies describe increased capacity for perspective-taking and caregiving after participating in class curriculum.
And that’s not all. Research on self-compassion also describes its effectiveness in lessening anxiety, enhancing well-being, diminishing depression and stress, improving interpersonal relationships, and motivating healthy habits.
To read more about the research, check out Dr. Kristin Neff’s website.
While Live Befriended is therapeutic, it is not a substitute for therapy. Rather, the emphasis is on skill-building and resourcing self-growth.
In a nutshell - Live Befriended is part brain science, part contemplative practices, part self-inquiry - and part hands-down adventure.
Life is short and precious and rare. Live befriended.
What to Expect
Here’s a sampling of Live Befriended:
- Explanation of the neuroscience of stress and well-being.
- Examination of achievement-based self-esteem vs. contingency-free self-worth.
- Simple, on-the-spot techniques for activating the body’s internal soothing system.
- Skills to direct your present moment experience and access inner calm.
- Tools for checking in with yourself during daily transitions.
- Suggestions for savoring and gratitude practice.
- Exercises to ignite compassion for self and others.
- Techniques for getting to know your Inner Critic and awakening an Inner Ally.
- Framework for a comprehensive life audit.
- Inquiry into the gifts hidden within life’s hardest moments.
- Body-centered practices for working with difficult emotions.
- Scientific explanation for emotional contagion in relationships.
- Exploration of caregiver fatigue and boundary setting.
Course Enrollment
Live Befriended is available starting April 7.
To find out more, please contact Sabrina for more information.
Feedback from Previous Class Participants
- “This course has made a huge difference in my life and has given me skills to practice that I have never had before. I believe self-compassion is the key to a happy, fulfilled life - giving us permission to author our own lives. My wish is for all people to have access to these life-giving skills.”
- “I felt I learned a ton! Thank you Sabrina for a wonderful class.”
- “I love it! Thank you for teaching permission to give myself a moment when needed to befriend my very own self!”
- “Exercises seemed to be very timely and helpful . . . I left each class eager to try them out!”
- “This course has deepened my compassion practice and thoroughly enriched my life. It met my “science” needs, spiritual needs, healing needs and community needs. It has deeply touched me.”
- “I found the energy surrounding the class relaxing, accepting, and peaceful. The material was presented in an easy-to-follow format. I really appreciated the practice exercises in class.”
- “You are a great presenter and guide for meditation.”
- “I loved the class and have found that it is already making huge changes (positive ones) in my life, and in my relationships with others.”
- “I found myself reacting differently to a number of situations . . . The class gave me tools to deal with upsets as they arose.”
- “This class was exactly what I needed.”
- “I had great compassion for the rest of the world, but not so much for myself. This course has shown me the path to get there.”
- “Taking Sabrina’s class gave me the strength and resilience to handle stressful life events, and even grow from them. The skills to be present in the moment, be aware of my inner critic, stay connected to friends, and be kind to myself and others have been invaluable not only in ‘crisis’ moments, but in allowing me to be open to all life's joys, too.”
- “Every class gave me tools I will return to and use. An abundance of information!”
- “Gratitude for skill building, for feeding the being that supports and embraces us deeply.”
- “This class has been so helpful in teaching me to stop and think in stressful situations before just reacting.”
- “The influence of compassion has grown immensely in all areas of my life.”
- “I learned how to shift from constantly striving and being ‘on the go’ to finding happiness right here, right now.”
- “This class has been such a bouquet of skills and celebrations - to live life well!”
- “This helped me to switch from critical mind (of self and others) to compassion . . . listening more, trying to fix less.”
- “I consider my own time and commitment given to this very well spent, and would highly recommend it to anyone who might be interested. This course has really helped me access a kindness and gentleness with myself that I don’t know I’ve ever tapped into before.”
- “Taking the course with Sabrina fundamentally changed my relationship with myself. Somehow I was the exception to all the wonderful care and grace I freely gave to others. Now, I give this same care to myself . . .I am so grateful for this experience.”
- “The course was perfect for my place in life as a reminder and for new learning. Thank you.”
- “This was exceptionally done. Thank you so much!”
- “Thank you for your gift of knowledge and compassion. Thank you for taking the time to teach us this life-changing course.”
Recommended Readings
Suggested writings by Mindful Self-Compassion co-founders to deepen personal practices before, during, or after course completion:
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff
The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion by Christopher Germer