How Self-Compassion Can Help School Leaders Stay Grounded

It’s late in the afternoon when the knock comes on the office door. A parent has arrived, visibly upset about a decision made earlier in the day. As you speak with them, their voice tightens. Your own chest does, too. You notice your shoulders creeping upward, your breath becoming shallow. You want to listen well, […]

Can Self-Compassion Change the Way You See Society?

Ever since I was introduced to mindfulness, I have contemplated the image of the monk spending his days meditating in a cave deep in the foothills of the Himalayas. It seems like enlightenment might be slightly more attainable without the daily annoyances of traffic, parking tickets, taxes, and endless commercials. For most of us, however, […]

Can Teaching Self-Compassion Improve Teen Mental Health?

Suicide. It’s not something we like to talk about—especially when we’re talking about our kids. Yet it’s a painful reality in our world today. Unfortunately, most of us know someone in our community whose child has died by suicide. There’s good news and bad news on teen suicide rates. Let’s have the good news first. […]

Awareness and Self-Compassion: Two Powerful Tools for Chronic Pain

“Pain is not wrong. Reacting to pain as wrong initiates the tangle of emotional resistance against what is already happening.” ~Tara Brach The wooden meditation hall creaked softly as sixty people shifted in their seats, trying to find comfort in the silence. Outside, winter rain tapped against the windows, a gentle metronome marking time. I […]

How Self-Compassion Can Help You Deal With Stress

While we may have heard that it’s important to treat ourselves with kindness, sometimes this is easier said than done, especially when we’re under stress. When we’re facing challenging circumstances, we may fall back into less productive thought patterns, like ruminating or blaming ourselves. We may even worry that we’re going too easy on ourselves […]