In our hyperconnected yet often disconnected world, learning to hold ourselves with kindness is a steady, practical way to navigate complexity, uncertainty, and the demands of modern life with a little more ease and authenticity. Self-compassion involves treating yourself with the same kindness you'd offer a good friend facing similar challenges. It's a trainable skill that can strengthen your capacity to navigate competing priorities and reduce the cognitive burden of perfectionist standards.
What contemplative traditions have long understood—that how we relate to ourselves shapes resilience, connection, and wellbeing—is increasingly supported by randomised trials and meta-analyses. These studies associate self-compassion training with reduced self-criticism, stress, and burnout, and improved emotion regulation, psychological flexibility, and relationship quality.
Research identifies three core components of self compassion: mindfulness (developing the capacity to observe difficult thoughts and feelings without being consumed by them), common humanity (recognizing that challenges and setbacks are part of the shared human experience), and self-kindness (treating yourself with care during difficult moments).
This one-day workshop offers a supportive space to bring together traditional practices and contemporary science, with practical ways to develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself. Drawing on research, you'll explore evidence-based practices that have been associated with reduced self-criticism, greater emotional resilience, and sustainable ways to maintain effectiveness during intense periods.
Workshop participants report feeling more authentic, confident, and connected with themselves and others.
Your Facilitator
Associate Professor Amy Finlay-Jones is the lead editor of the Handbook of Self-Compassion, published by Springer, and has published numerous peer reviewed articles regarding the benefits of compassion. She is the Founder at Kindful, certified in Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) through Stanford University and trained as a Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) teacher through the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.
With Masters degrees in Clinical Psychology and Health Economics and a PhD in Clinical Psychology, Amy brings both scholarly rigor and practical wisdom to her teaching. Her ongoing research investigates the effects of compassion training on individual and interpersonal wellbeing, ensuring that her approach remains grounded in contemporary evidence while honouring contemplative traditions.
Kindful sits at the intersection of science and wisdom, helping individuals and organizations cultivate the skills that support deeper connection, greater compassion, and more sustainable ways of living and working. Amy's approachable teaching style creates a supportive environment for genuine learning while providing the structure needed for practical development.
Who This Is For
This work is particularly meaningful if you find yourself caught in patterns of harsh self-judgment, struggle with the exhaustion of constant decision-making and mental load management, or notice that your capacity to care for others sometimes comes at the expense of caring for yourself.
Self-compassion changes how you relate to failure, setbacks, and the inevitable challenges of being human, offering practical pathways for anyone ready to break free from inner criticism and develop genuine resilience, and foster compassionate connections with yourself and others.
People who excel at supporting others but struggle to extend that same grace to themselves. If you're tired of being your own harshest critic and ready to discover what becomes possible when you are able to take a gentler approach to yourself, this workshop is for you.
Professionals in any field seeking research-backed approaches to sustaining their drive and enjoyment for their work, while maintaining wellbeing and integrity —including healthcare workers, educators, consultants, entrepreneurs, creatives, and corporate professionals.
People navigating transitions, or reexamining what matters most in their life, who are interested in developing authentic confidence that doesn't require constant validation and learning to trust their own judgment amid competing expectations.
Through developing self-compassion, you'll cultivate greater emotional stability, improved decision-making under pressure, enhanced creativity and innovation, stronger relationships both personally and professionally, and increased resilience during challenging times.
What You'll Discover
The Science Behind the Practice | Understand self-compassion as a measurable construct with demonstrated effects on mental health, physical health, and relationships.
Embodied Learning Through Guided Practice | Experience self-compassion as both a lens through which we respond to ourselves, a way of coping with difficult experiences, and an embodied state of being
Integration Resources | Access Kindful's curated assessments, guided practices, reflection tools and other evidence-based resources for ongoing development beyond the workshop.
Practical Details
Investment: General admission: $245 | NFP worker: $220 | Concession/Student: $195
Includes: Take-home resource pack with guided meditations, self-assessments, and integration tools
Catering: Light snacks provided throughout the day; please bring your own lunch
What to Bring: Comfortable clothing suitable for gentle movement, and journal or notebook,
Members of our Kindful Community will receive a 10% discount.