"Env

isio

n Y(

OU

R) P

ath

After

Co

lum

bia"

a feeling of wanting to help someone who is sick, hungry, in trouble, etc.; sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it

http://www.merriam-webster.com

COMPASSION

You may IMAGINE YOURSELF

As a therapist….a compassionate healer

As you envision Y(OUR) Path After Columbia…

you are a member of a management team, or a policy group….

A compassionate colleague

Or you may imagine

Charles M. Schulz

NOW IMAGINE HOW YOU THINK ABOUT YOURSELF

“Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, ‘Where have I gone wrong?

Then a voice says to me, ‘This is going to take more than one night.’”

"Env

isio

n Y(

OU

R) P

ath

After

Co

lum

bia"

Self Improvement? or Self-compassion?

1. I'm disapproving and judgmental about my own flaws and inadequacies.

2. When I'm feeling down I tend to obsess and fixate on everything that's wrong.

3. When I'm really struggling, I tend to feel like other people must be having an easier time of it.

4. When I think about my inadequacies, it tends to make me feel more separate and cut off from the rest of the world.

Almost About Half AlmostNever Of The Time Always 1 2 3 4 5

WEIGH (rate) YOURSELF

Kristin Neff University of Texas at Austinself.compassion@yahoo.com

http://www.self-compassion.org/test-your-self-compassion-level.htmlhttp://www.self-compassion.org/test-your-self-compassion-level.html

5. When I fail at something important to me I become consumed by feelings of inadequacy.

6. When something upsets me I get carried away with my feelings.

7. When I'm feeling down, I tend to feel like most other people are probably happier than I am.

8. When something painful happens I tend to blow the incident out of proportion.

Almost About Half AlmostNever Of The Time Always 1 2 3 4 5

RATE YOURSELF (CONT.)

Kristin Neff University of Texas at Austinself.compassion@yahoo.com

http://www.self-compassion.org/test-your-self-compassion-level.htmlhttp://www.self-compassion.org/test-your-self-compassion-level.html

9. When times are really difficult, I tend to be tough on myself.

10. I'm intolerant and impatient towards those aspects of my personality I don't like.

Almost About Half AlmostNever Of The Time Always 1 2 3 4 5

….THEN ADD UP YOUR SCORE

WEIGH YOURSELF (CONT.)

WHAT YOUR SCORE MEANSAs a rough guide:

A SCORE of 3.5-.5 for your overall score indicates you are low in self-compassion

A SCORE of 2.5-3.5 indicates you are moderately self-critical

A SCORE of 1-2.5 means you are not harsh with yourself and may be high in self-compassion

http://www.self-compassion.org/test-your-self-compassion-level.htmlhttp://www.self-compassion.org/test-your-self-compassion-level.html

NOTICE WHEN YOU ARE SUFFERING, DON’T TRY TO BLOCK IT OUT OR IGNORE IT

Self compassion is treating yourself like you treat your clients, your colleagues and your friends

2. Remind yourself that suffering is universal; we all make mistakes, have misfortunes and suffer

3. Don’t get so caught up in your own pain that you think it is all there is

1. Treat yourself with kindness

Being selfish or self-centered, prioritizing one’s needs over those of others

Self-pity that is engrossing, separates one from others and leads to exaggeration of suffering (e.g. over-identification with emotions)

"Env

isio

n Y(

OU

R) P

ath

After

Col

umbi

a"

Self-compassion is not

There is evidence that self-compassion can be taught

Women have lower self-compassion scores than men

higher levels of life satisfaction…

better emotional processing…

more honest self evaluation without rumination or negative affect…

greater acceptance of undesirable aspects of one’s character and behavior without obsessing, becoming defensive or feeling badly…

greater acceptance of pain

Self compassion correlates with lower levels of depression and anxiety…

Neff 2003Leary et al 2007Costa and Pinto-Gouveia 2011

COM

PASS

ION

: : a

feel

ing

of w

antin

g to

hel

p so

meo

ne

who

is s

ick,

hun

gry,

in tr

oubl

e, e

tc.;

sym

path

etic

cons

ciou

snes

s of

oth

ers'

dist

ress

toge

ther

with

a

desi

re to

alle

viat

e it

Gifts of radiant warmth, sunflowers are the happiest of flowers, and their meanings include loyalty and longevity. They are unique in their ability to provide energy in the form of nourishment and vibrance, an attribute which mirrors the sun and the energy provided by its heat and light.

Envision Y(OUR) Path After Columbia as strewn with flowers of compassion and a great sunflower

of self-compassion