The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions » (New Edition)

Christopher K. Germer, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in private practice in the Boston area, Clinical Instructor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, and a founding member of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. He is the coeditor of an acclaimed book for professionals, Mindfulness and Psychotherapy.

“Buck up.” “Stop feeling sorry for yourself.” “Don’t ruin everything.” When you are anxious, sad, angry, or lonely, do you hear this self-critical voice? What would happen if, instead of fighting difficult emotions, we accepted them? Over his decades of experience as a therapist and mindfulness meditation practitioner, Dr. Christopher Germer has learned a paradoxical lesson: We all want to avoid pain, but letting it in--and responding compassionately to our own imperfections, without judgment or self-blame--are essential steps on the path to healing. This wise and eloquent book illuminates the power of self-compassion and offers creative, scientifically grounded strategies for putting it into action. You’ll master practical techniques for living more fully in the present moment—especially when hard-to-bear emotions arise—and for being kind to yourself when you need it the most. Free audio downloads of the meditation exercises are available at the author's website: www.mindfulselfcompassion.org.

PsycCRITIQUES

"Very well written...filled with practical suggestions and methods....Both the reasoning supporting the importance of the method and the method itself are presented in a clear and compelling fashion. I felt excited, touched, and enriched as I read on, and I am sure most readers will have a similar response....Offers a good integration of Eastern spirituality with Western science to make a compelling argument for the values and effectiveness of mindfulness and compassion meditation. Not only is the argument clear and convincing, but the book also offers plenty of practical aids....Should you read this book? Enthusiastically, yes....An excellent review of the evidence for mindful self-compassion in a psychoeducational manual and a step-by-step guide to developing awareness, self-compassion, and loving kindness."--PsycCRITIQUES

foreword ix

acknowledgments xi

introduction 1

Part I discovering self-compassion

1 being kind to yourself 9

2 listening to your body 36

3 bringing in difficult emotions 61

4 what's self-compassion? 81

5 pathways to self-compassion 101

Part II practicing loving-kindness

6 caring for ourselves 129

7 caring for others 160

Part III customizing self-compassion

8 finding your balance 193

9 making progress 221

Appendix A emotion words 245

Appendix B additional self-compassion exercises 254

Appendix C further reading and practice 268

notes 281

index 300

about the author 306