Courses and Events
Mindful Self-Compassion: 8-Week Course with Amanda Votto and Emily Williams
Copper Beech Institute, West Hartford, CT
CLASS DATES / TIMES: Wednesdays January 20, 27, February 3, 10, 17, 24, March 3, 10 from 9:30am-12pm;
Half-Day Retreat Saturday, February 20, 2021, from 1-5pm
IDEAL FOR: All levels, including beginners
DESCRIPTION: Mindful self-compassion is a practice that directly cultivates goodwill toward ourselves, especially when facing challenges. This course combines the skills of mindfulness and self-compassion to promote healing and well-being. While mindfulness teaches how to turn toward our challenges (whether physical, emotional or mental), self-compassion allows us to respond to these challenges with kindness and understanding. This course teaches how to befriend ourselves rather than judge, how to soothe ourselves in times of difficulty and how to to maintain a sense of well-being despite our challenges.
This is the standard eight-week Mindful Self Compassion course developed by Kristin Neff, Ph.D. and Chris Germer, Ph.D., both world-leading experts in self-compassion.
Studies have reported benefits of self-compassion practices, which include less depression, anxiety, and stress, improved coping skills, and greater social connectedness, optimism, and happiness.
In this 8-week course you will learn how to:
- Handle challenging emotions with greater ease.
- Quiet the inner critic.
- Befriend yourself.
- Relate to suffering from kindness.
- Transform difficult relationships.
Class Format will include lecture, discussion, guided meditation, written reflection, and small group sharing.
TUITION: $475
Mindful Self-Compassion Weekend Retreat with Amanda Votto and Emily Williams
Copper Beech Institute, West Hartford, CT
CLASS DATES / TIMES: February 05, 2021 05:00 PM – February 07, 2021 01:00 PM
IDEAL FOR: All levels, including beginners; Approved for 12 Continuing Education Credits from the NASW-CT
DESCRIPTION: There is nothing more powerful than being at ease within ourselves. But why is it at times, we can feel like we are our own worst enemy? In this weekend retreat, we explore how to befriend ourselves in a way that feels safe and authentic. Through the use of group lecture, guided meditation and reflection, group discussion and journaling, we will begin to build a strong inner foundation for compassion, safety and healing. We will explore how to meet difficult emotions with a depth of compassion rather than judgement. We will also uncover the role of the “inner critic” and how to shift our relationship to it in a way that allows for insight and healing to take place.
Research demonstrates that self-compassion builds resilience, reduces stress, depression, anxiety and improves social connectedness, happiness and coping skills.
This weekend retreat is based on the 8-week Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) course developed by Dr. Chris Germer and Dr. Kristin Neff.
This retreat is open for all levels- whether you are new to MSC or you have completed the 8-week course. There is always opportunity to grow.
Techniques that will be used throughout the weekend include:
- Whole Group Lecture
- Large and Small Group Sharing (Voluntary)
- Guided Meditations
- Reflective Journaling
At the end of the retreat, we will have learned:
- What mindful self-compassion entails
- Tools to practice mindful self-compassion in the moment
- How to provide safety and compassion for ourselves during challenging emotions
- How to motivate with compassion rather than criticism
- Research and benefits of mindful self-compassion
TUITION: $250
MBSR Daytime Spring 2021
Copper Beech Institute, West Hartford, CT
MANDATORY ORIENTATION: Monday, April 12, 2021, 9:30-11:00 a.m.
CLASS DATES: Mondays, April, 19, 26, May 3, 10, 17, 24, June 7, 14
CLASS TIME: 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m., with the first class extended by a half hour and last class by one hour
ALL DAY RETREAT: Sunday, June 6, 2021, 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
DESCRIPTION: Mindfulness is a way of learning to relate directly to whatever is happening in your life. It is a way of taking charge of your life, a way of doing something for yourself that no one else can do for you – consciously and systematically working with your own stress, pain, illness, and the challenges and demands of everyday life. Restoring within yourself a balanced sense of well-being requires increased awareness of all aspects of self, including body and mind, heart and soul. Mindfulness-based stress reduction is intended to ignite this inner capacity and infuse your life with awareness.
MANDATORY ORIENTATION: As a first step toward enrollment in the Course in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, we conduct a pre-program Orientation Session before the start of class. This Orientation Session is required of all participants before beginning the program. During this session you will have the opportunity to:
- Learn about Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and explore whether it is right for you
- Experience, first-hand, mindfulness methods and approaches you will be learning during the program
- Meet with your program instructor for a brief, informal conversation about MBSR
At the conclusion of the orientation, if you and your instructor discern that the MBSR course is a good fit for you, the balance of your registration is due. If you choose to withdraw, your full $100 deposit will be refunded.
TUITION: $650 for household income of $50,000+
$575 for household income of $40-$49K
$475 for household income of $39K & under
If you would like to retake this course we are pleased to offer a 30% discount to returning students.
Visit our MBSR page for more details and benefits >
Mindful Self-Compassion: 8-Week Course with Amanda Votto and Emily Williams
Copper Beech Institute, West Hartford, CT
CLASS DATES / TIMES: Mondays April 12, 19, 26, May 3, 10, 17, 24, June 7 from 6:30pm-9pm; Half-Day retreat Sunday, May 16, 2021, from 1-5pm.
IDEAL FOR: All levels, including beginners
DESCRIPTION: Mindful self-compassion is a practice that directly cultivates goodwill toward ourselves, especially when facing challenges. This course combines the skills of mindfulness and self-compassion to promote healing and well-being. While mindfulness teaches how to turn toward our challenges (whether physical, emotional or mental), self-compassion allows us to respond to these challenges with kindness and understanding. This course teaches how to befriend ourselves rather than judge, how to soothe ourselves in times of difficulty and how to to maintain a sense of well-being despite our challenges.
This is the standard eight-week Mindful Self Compassion course developed by Kristin Neff, Ph.D. and Chris Germer, Ph.D., both world-leading experts in self-compassion.
Studies have reported benefits of self-compassion practices, which include less depression, anxiety, and stress, improved coping skills, and greater social connectedness, optimism, and happiness.
In this 8-week course you will learn how to:
- Handle challenging emotions with greater ease.
- Quiet the inner critic.
- Befriend yourself.
- Relate to suffering from kindness.
- Transform difficult relationships.
Class Format will include lecture, discussion, guided meditation, written reflection, and small group sharing.
TUITION: $475 : Covers all the expenses of the course and supports others who cannot afford to attend
$300 : Covers most of the expenses of the course
$125: Covers some of the expenses of the course