Our mental attitudes, beliefs, and expectations can have a big influence on whether we thrive and prosper or stagnate and decline. Rick Hanson, an eminent neuropsychologist, describes how the brain has a negativity bias designed to keep us safe rather than happy. He says that this makes our brain like Velcro for bad experience and Teflon for good experience.
An example of this negativity can be seen in how we often relate to ourselves with harsh attitudes of self-criticism. But a harsh, self-critical, inner voice can undermine our self-confidence and self-esteem and lead to feelings of guilt and shame that undermine our mental wellbeing. This often results in higher levels of stress, anxiety, and low mood.
However recent research shows cultivating heartfelt positive mental states, such as loving kindness and compassion, leads to increased resilience, mental wellbeing, and contentment. Combining with mindfulness, experiential training in loving kindness, compassion, and gratitude gives us greater mental flexibility and enables us to meet three of our essential needs, for safety, satisfaction, and connection.
Mindful self-compassion (MSC ) is an experiential eight week training programme based on the groundbreaking research of Kristin Neff PhD and the clinical expertise of Christopher Germer PhD. It teaches core skills that empower participants to respond to life’s difficult moments, with kindness, care, and understanding. It enhances abilities to:
• Practice self-compassion in your daily life.
• Motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism.
• Handle difficult emotions with greater ease.
• Transform challenging relationships, old and new.
• Manage caregiver fatigue.
• Practice the art of savouring and self-appreciation.
Course facilitator Martin Delaney MSc (mindfulness, compassion, and insight studies ) completed training to teach this course, under the direction of Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer, at the University of California San Diego Centre for Mindfulness. To find out more attend the upcoming Introduction to Mindful Self-Compassion evening taking place on Tuesday February 25 at 7pm in the Clayton Hotel, Galway. The event costs €5.
An eight-week Mindful Self-Compassion course starts on Tuesday March 3 at 7pm in the Clayton Hotel. Limited places are available on this course, and prior registration is essential. For further details contact [email protected], phone 083 3930654, find Blooming Mental Wellbeing on Facebook, or see cbtinterpretations.com
