Our eight-week Mindful Self-Compassion course teaches core principles and practices that enable participants to respond to challenges and difficult emotions with care and understanding.

OVERWIEV
Research has shown that self-compassion greatly enhances emotional wellbeing. It boosts happiness, reduces anxiety and depression, and can even help maintain healthy lifestyle habits such as diet and exercise. Being both mindful and compassionate leads to greater ease and wellbeing in our daily lives.

WHEN?
Saturday mornings 09.30 to 12.00. Starts with the orientation session on 17 May 2025, the course starts on 7 June and runs until 2 August 2025 (no session on 5 July).

WHERE?
Online. You will get Zoom log-in details when your place is confirmed.

THE FORMAT?

Two and a half hour orientation session at the start.
Eight further weekly two and a half hour classes including mindful self-compassion practices, discussion and exercises.
The course follows the programme outlined in the Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook by Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff.
It is recommended that you buy this book to accompany the course, but it’s not essential.

Daily meditation home practice between 20 to 40 minutes.

FACILITATOR: Paul Johanson

Paul Johanson is a social worker, mindful self-compassion teacher and cognitive analytic therapist in private practice. He has worked in many areas of health and social care, including criminal justice, substance misuse, serious mental illness, psychological therapies, cancer and palliative care.

Paul has worked as a strategic leader for the NHS in implementing national programmes in mental health, psychological therapies and patient experience. Paul is a long-term Buddhist practitioner, beginning his journey over 35 years ago in the Rinzai Zen Buddhist tradition, and has been a student in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism since 1991. He has been the Buddhist Chaplain at the University of Sussex since 2013.