Target Audience

This session is designed for Medical and Nursing School Faculty, Residents, Students, and Hospital/Clinic Staff.

Why Self-Compassion?

Compassion for others is essential in healthcare, but it is equally important to practice self-compassion. Constantly striving for perfection and battling self- criticism can lead to burnout. This session equips you with tools to cultivate self-kindness, fostering resilience and a more balanced approach to your work.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• • Understand the concept of self-compassion and its benefits for healthcare workers.

• • Identify personal strategies to manage high expectations and self-criticism.

• • Practice self-compassionate exercises to promote well-being.

Encounter Description

Introduction (10 minutes)

• • Welcome participants and provide an introduction to the concept of self-compassion.

Understanding Self-Compassion (20 minutes)

• • Participants will read the CompassionateUSA material on self-compassion for 10 minutes.

• • Spend an additional 10 minutes exploring Dr. Kristin Neff’s website to gain a deeper understanding of self-compassion. Resources can be found at:

What is Self-Compassion?

The Elements of Self-Compassion

Breaking the Hamster Wheel (20 minutes)

• • Participants will engage in reflective writing to break free from the hamster wheel of high expectations.

• • Prompt 1 (10 minutes): Identify one strategy to break free from the hamster wheel of high expectations. Consider setting boundaries through saying no or prioritizing tasks.

• • Prompt 2 (10 minutes): Compare a situation where you met expectations (positive feelings) to one where you fell short (negative feelings). Imagine offering supportive words to a loved one in the latter scenario. How would that differ from your self- criticism?

Practice Self-Care (20 minutes)

• • Participants will engage in guided self-compassion exercises for 20 minutes. These exercises can be found on Dr. Kristin Neff’s website under Guided Practices.

Wrap-Up (10 minutes)

• • Facilitate a discussion and Q&A session to share key takeaways from the session.

• • Encourage participants to continue practicing self-compassion and provide additional resources for self-care.

• • Additional resources can be found at:

• • CompassionateUSA Video #2: Be Good To Yourself

• • The Happy MD YouTube Video: Dr. Dike Drummond, MD, Physician Burnout Prevention – Treat Yourself Like a Dog

• • Ripples: Physician Well-Being Podcast “Mindfulness and Meditation”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ripples-physician-well-being/id1612286063?i=1000651375068

Target Audience

Medical and Nursing School Faculty, Residents, Students, and Hospital/Clinic Staff

Why Self-Awareness?

Healthcare work is emotionally demanding, involving interactions with patients, families, and colleagues. Developing self-awareness is a crucial skill for navigating these interactions with compassion. By honing your ability to be present, mindful, and emotionally aware, you can ensure your communication and actions positively impact both yourself and others.

Learning Objectives

• • Understand the importance of self-awareness in healthcare settings.

• • Identify key components of self-awareness, including mindfulness, heedfulness, and emotional awareness.

• • Practice mindfulness exercises to cultivate present-moment awareness.

• • Reflect on how self-awareness can improve interactions with colleagues, patients, and families.

Encounter Description

(Estimated time per activity is included)

Introduction (10 minutes): Welcome and introduction to the concept of self- awareness for healthcare professionals.

Understanding Self-Awareness (20 minutes):

Reading (15 minutes):

• • Skill 2 reading on Ethical Mindfulness (principles of Heedfulness, Mindfulness, & Awareness)

• • Skill 3 reading on Emotional Awareness

Additional Resources (5 minutes):

• • Discuss the key takeaways from the readings.

Exploring Self-Awareness (30 minutes):

Reflective Writing (20 minutes):

Prompt 1 (10 minutes): Reflect on a past interaction where a lack of self-awareness (heedfulness, mindfulness, or emotional awareness) may have caused difficulties with a colleague, patient, or family member.

Prompt 2 (10 minutes): Describe a recent interaction where utilizing self-awareness (heedfulness, mindfulness, or emotional awareness) benefited you or others.

Developing Self-Awareness (20 minutes):

Mindfulness Practice (15 minutes): Guided practice of the 5-minute breathing exercise (provided) or another chosen meditation technique.

Reflection (5 minutes): Discuss experiences during and after the practice.

Wrap-Up (10 minutes): Discussion and Q&A. Share key takeaways and emphasize the importance of ongoing self-awareness practice.

Additional Resources

CompassionateUSA Video #1: Be Self-Aware: https://compassionateusa.org/be-self- aware/

Amish Jha TED Talk: How to tame your wandering mind: https://ed.ted.com/best_of_web/TFs5JFxz

Ripples: Physician Well-Being Podcast “Mindfulness and Meditation”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ripples-physician-well-being/id1612286063?i=1000651375068

Practice tip: Consider incorporating daily mindfulness practices, such as the breathing exercise provided, to further develop self-awareness.

Note: This session can be adapted to fit the specific needs of your institution. This revised version incorporates the information about self-awareness from the CompassionateUSA guide. It streamlines the reading materials and combines the reflective writing prompts for better flow. It also includes an additional practice tip to encourage ongoing development of self-awareness.

Target Audience

This exercise can be applied in any number of wellness scenarios to center participants as it provides a space for creative mindfulness and self-reflection.

Compassionate Skills Focus:

Self-compassion and compassion for others, mindfulness

Encounter Description:

This hands-on experience grounds itself in the moment and provides participants time to connect with one another and themselves through creative activity to inspire mindful reflection. Participants will explore self-compassion and compassion for others as they listen, learn, and reflect during the creative process.

Outcome:

To emerge refreshed with a renewed understanding of how art is a powerful communication tool and can help us to understand others and the world around us. The goal of today’s session is to give you time to reflect, create, connect, and be.

Time Needed:

45 minutes total, allowing for pause between exercises.

• • 10-minute welcome and introduction to the artists and topics, art demonstration

• • 10-minute drawing and painting exercise guided by self-reflection

• • 3-5 minutes to share art with shoulder partner/table to engage connection

• • 5 minutes guided video meditation (MoMA)

• • 5 minutes to journal and reflect on experience

• • 5-minute closing, discussion about art and how it can help us be present, focus, and process our environment/experience. Share additional artists Lee Krasner (umber paintings), Helen Frankenthaler (Eden revisited at SAMA).

Setup:

Participants enter a space that has art materials and cups of water with paper towels in center of each table. Printed booklet they can take that outlines the process, artists, and additional resources online with QR code

Part 1, 10 minutes, Introduction and guidance: begin with a welcome and 5-minute introduction to the artists use of line and color to inspire the exercise. We will use this time together today to explore how art can help us communicate, feel, and center ourselves in the moment. We’ll spend time looking at a few artists that you’ll find in the zines (yours to keep), followed by some creative exploration and self-discovery. The goal of today’s session is to give you time to reflect, create, connect, and be. We will begin with an art activity, followed by a meditation on color and conclude with a journaling reflection.

Il Lee (1952-) uses ballpoint pen to create massive, overlapping line drawings that involve the whole body. Sam Gilliam (1933-2022) used stains of color on suspended canvas to create immersive spaces. We will be using line and color to ground ourselves in the moment. Looking at these images by Il Lee, consider how the different line qualities can convey emotion. Color is another powerful visual tool! Reflect on how the colors in Gilliam’s work make you feel.

Guidance for activity in a quick demo to show how materials work: Begin by reflecting on your day and how you are feeling in this moment. We are going to use art as a form of meditation on this moment. Place your pen to paper in one continual motion, make a sweeping mark that repeats and overlaps. Think about how the movement reflects how you’re feeling. When you’re ready, switch to watercolor and add color to complement your line. Paint with plain water on an area, then dab color into it. Watch how it spreads. Try adding washes of color with water and color on your brush in other areas. You can use paper towel to dab color away. Color becomes another tool of communication in this exercise, allowing you to make art that suggests this moment as you center yourselves in the space. (play music, maybe rain sounds?). Let them know it is OK to pause within this timeframe. Turn the paper, look at it in a different way.

Part 2, 10 minutes, creative exercise: Participants are encouraged to begin experimenting with line and color for ten uninterrupted minutes.

Part 3, 5 minutes (or less), share: Ask participants to share their work with their shoulder partner (or the table if they’d prefer). Take a minute to look at one another’s artwork and appreciate the unique qualities in each one. Share how the exercise helped you connect to the moment/how you feel after taking a moment to create. Sharing art is a vulnerable experience. I’m proud of you! Now, we’ll move on to a guided meditation on color.

Part 4, 5 minutes, video: Play the video from the MoMA, a guided meditation on Sam Gilliam’s use of color.

Part 5, 5 minutes, journaling self-reflection: Return to your pen and paper. Write on your work-over the color, hidden in the line, on the reverse-wherever you feel moved. Reflect on this experience and meditation video. How did you feel? What adjectives come to mind? What did you discover about one another? Take a few moments to jot down words and notes that you want to remember from this time.

Part 6, 5-minute discussion about art and how it can help us be present, focus, and process our environment/experience. Share additional artists Lee Krasner (umber paintings), Helen Frankenthaler (Eden revisited at SAMA).

Closing: Today we used as a tool to center in the moment, to process how we are feeling, and to connect to one another. These creative tools are powerful ways to understand ourselves and the world around us. Thank you for participating!

Selected images to inspire the exercise:

Sam Gilliam, 10/27/69, 1969, acrylic on canvas

Il Lee, BL-115, 2008, ballpoint pen on paper

Additional Information:

Facilitation can be done by anyone, will require review of artwork and script and ability to demonstrate with materials.

Video for Meditation: https://www.moma.org/audio/playlist/309/4090 (video with transcript)

Materials: Crayola watercolors (can be shared with two people), Canson watercolor paper 11 x 15 (one pad has 30 sheets, 1 sheet per participant), Sharpie S-Gel fine point pens.

Cost: approximately $50 ($15 paper, $10 pens, $25 watercolor-10 sets at $2.50 each)

Artwork resources:

Il Lee: https://artprojects.com/il-lee/il-lee-ballpoint-pen-on-paper/

Sam Gilliam: https://www.moma.org/artists/2161

Introduction

The “Building Compassionate Communities: A Newsletter Series for Positive Change” is a part of the course “Building Compassionate Communities: A Guide Inspired by CompassionateUSA.” This series of impactful newsletter articles is designed specifically for city and county staff, aiming to cultivate a compassionate culture within city/county systems. Each installment provides practical approaches and actionable steps that staff can integrate into their daily routines, ultimately fostering a more positive and productive work environment.

Example

Step #1: Breathe Deeply!

Imagine feeling overwhelmed by emails, meetings, and demands. What if there was a simple tool to regain focus and manage stress? The first example in the series, “Breathe Deeply!” introduces a breathing exercise, such as box breathing, that can be easily incorporated into the workday. This breathing exercise involves several steps:

Exhale Slowly: Sit upright and slowly exhale all the air from your lungs.

Inhale Deeply: Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose to a count of four.

Hold: Hold your breath for a count of four.

Exhale Again: Slowly release the breath through your mouth.

Repeat: Perform this cycle for several minutes.

This simple breathing exercise offers several benefits, including improved focus and concentration, reduced stress and anxiety, and enhanced emotional regulation. To explore more tools for self-regulation and emotional awareness, staff can watch a free 6-minute video available at compassionateusa.org/be- self-aware.

A Range of Topics

In addition to breathing exercises, the “Building Compassionate Communities” series explores a variety of topics relevant to fostering compassion in the workplace. These topics include:

• • Gratitude Practices: Fostering appreciation for colleagues and the work accomplished.

• • Active Listening Techniques: Deepening understanding and fostering connection.

• • Celebrating Successes: Recognizing achievements and boosting morale.

• • Offering Help and Kindness: Fostering a supportive and collaborative environment.

• • Self-Care Strategies: Prioritizing well-being to enhance work performance and resilience.

• • Promoting Inclusivity: Creating a welcoming and respectful workplace for all.

Engaging Staff and Building Community

Each newsletter article in the series encourages staff reflection and discussion through prompts and questions. This fosters a sense of shared purpose and encourages collaboration across different departments. By consistently practicing these micro-steps, the impact of hundreds of staff members can create a ripple effect of compassion throughout the systems. Over time, this compassion extends outward to the community they serve.

Benefits of the Series

Micro-Steps, Macro Change: These small and practical steps contribute to a larger movement fostering compassion within city and county systems.

Actionable Content: Each article provides clear and actionable steps that staff can implement immediately.

Building a Community: By fostering a sense of shared purpose and encouraging collaboration across departments, this series strengthens the community within the workplace.

Diverse Topics: While the breathing exercise is just one example, the “Building Compassionate Communities” series explores a wide range of topics, ensuring staff members can implement compassionate practices in various areas of their work.

Building a Culture of Compassion: These bite-sized articles offer practical guidance to staff, empowering them to integrate small and actionable steps into their daily routines. By doing so, they contribute to building a culture of compassion within their city and county systems.

compassion and create a positive work environment. Through consistent practice, these micro-steps have the potential to create a substantial and lasting impact on the community they serve.

Listening Circles:

Objective: To create a supportive space for participants to share personal experiences, concerns, and aspirations, promoting empathy and mutual support.

Topics for Exploration:

Identity and Belonging: Participants can discuss their experiences of identity, belonging, and cultural heritage, exploring how these factors shape their sense of self and community.

Challenges and Resilience: Participants can reflect on personal challenges they have faced and the strategies they have used to overcome adversity, fostering resilience and solidarity.

Hopes and Dreams: Participants can share their aspirations for themselves and their communities, envisioning a future built on compassion, equity, and collective well-being.

Poverty: Exploring Economic Inequality: Discussing the impact of poverty on individuals and communities, exploring systemic factors contributing to economic disparities, and brainstorming solutions for poverty alleviation.

Youth Empowerment and Engagement: Sharing experiences and perspectives on the challenges faced by young people, including access to education, employment opportunities, mental health support, and social inclusion.

Homelessness: Understanding Homelessness: Exploring the root causes of homelessness, such as housing affordability, unemployment, mental illness, and substance abuse, and discussing strategies for homelessness prevention and support.

Community Violence: Promoting Peace and Conflict Resolution: Reflecting on the impact of community violence on individuals and families, discussing strategies for violence prevention, conflict resolution, and community-building.

Loneliness and Belonging: Combating Social Isolation: Sharing personal experiences of loneliness and social isolation, discussing the importance of social connections, community engagement, and support networks for mental health and well-being.

Implementation:

Facilitate small-group discussions in which participants take turns speaking and listening without interruption or judgment. Provide prompts or guiding questions to stimulate reflection and discussion. Encourage active listening, empathy, and validation among participants.

Benefits:

Listening Circles offer a space for participants to feel seen, heard, and valued, fostering empathy, connection, and a sense of shared humanity. By sharing their stories and listening to others, participants deepen their understanding of themselves and their communities, building bonds of trust and solidarity.

Methodologies for Listening Circles:

Inside-Outside Circles:

Description: Inside-Outside Circles involve dividing participants into two groups: one group forms an inner circle, while the other forms an outer circle. Participants in the inner circle discuss a topic or question, while those in the outer circle actively listen. After a set time, the circles rotate, allowing participants to share and listen from different perspectives.

Application: Inside-Outside Circles can be used to facilitate structured discussions on sensitive topics, ensuring that all participants have an opportunity to share their insights and perspectives while practicing active listening and empathy.

https://inside.ewu.edu/managementtoolbox/inside-outside-circle

World Café:

The World Café method involves setting up multiple small tables or stations, each with a different discussion topic or question. Participants rotate among the tables at regular intervals, contributing their ideas and insights to each discussion. This format encourages dynamic conversations, cross-pollination of ideas, and the generation of new perspectives through diverse interactions.

https://theworldcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Cafe-To-Go-Revised.pdf

Listening Walks:

Objective: To cultivate mindfulness and awareness while exploring the natural beauty and cultural richness of the community, promoting connection and appreciation.

Topics for Exploration:

Interconnected Ecosystems: During the walk, participants can observe and discuss how different elements of the environment, such as plants, animals, soil, and water sources, interact and depend on each other within the local ecosystem. This topic can highlight the interdependence of living organisms and the delicate balance required for a healthy environment. Participants can reflect on the ways in which human activities, such as deforestation or pollution, disrupt these interconnected systems and contribute to environmental degradation.

Climate Resilience and Community Adaptation: Participants can explore how communities are adapting to the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and shifting weather patterns. The walk can include visits to local green infrastructure projects, community gardens, or sustainable urban development initiatives that aim to increase resilience to climate-related challenges. Through discussions and observations, participants can learn about the importance of community collaboration, innovation, and adaptive strategies in addressing climate change and building more sustainable communities.

Nature-Based Mindfulness and Social Connection: This topic focuses on the mental health benefits of spending time in nature and fostering social connections within communities. During the walk, participants can engage in nature-based mindfulness practices, such as mindful walking, deep breathing, or silent observation of natural surroundings. These practices can help participants reduce stress, improve mood, and cultivate a sense of interconnectedness with the environment and each other. Participants can also share personal experiences and reflections on how spending time in nature and connecting with others outdoors enhances their overall well-being and sense of belonging to a larger community.

Implementation:

Organize guided walks or tours led by knowledgeable facilitators who provide insights into the history, culture, and ecology of the community. Encourage participants to engage their senses, observe their surroundings mindfully, and share their observations and reflections with others during breaks or discussions.

Benefits:

Listening Walks offer participants an opportunity to connect with their surroundings, cultivate mindfulness, and appreciate the beauty and diversity of their community. By exploring shared spaces and sharing observations and stories, participants deepen their connection to place and each other, fostering a sense of belonging and stewardship.

Target Audience

Children 4 years – 18 years old, reached through educators, families, youth groups, religious youth groups, and therapists.

Why Artistic Bridges?

Artistic Bridges Website

As young people create, they 1) integrate feelings and can heal, 2) grow in self-confidence by discovering they can make something, 3) transform negative experiences into positive ones, and 4) express their cultural identity. Seeing others’ creations can spark their creativity, help them recognize our common humanity, and invite them to learn more about another culture. Art helps develop social-emotional intelligence.

Adults or older children who lead younger people in art activities can grow in understanding some of the challenges of growing up today. They can develop positive relationships, patience, hope, and gratitude. If they participate in international collaborations and use www.bookcreator.com to upload creations, they may discover that younger people are more skilled than they are. Intergenerational learning and teaching can help create strong bonds.

Learning Objectives

• • Integrate feelings and promote healing through creative expression.

• • Develop self-confidence by creating something unique.

• • Transform negative experiences into positive outcomes.

• • Express and celebrate cultural identity.

• • Foster empathy and global awareness through exposure to diverse cultures and languages.

• • Enhance social-emotional intelligence.

Encounter Description

(Estimated time per activity is included)

Facilitator Preparation (1-2 hours):

• • Review the Artistic Bridges project on the Charter for Compassion platform Artistic Bridges (charterforcompassion.org)

• • Review the Artistic Bridges Facilitator Guide

• • Understand the impact of art on emotional well-being and cultural identity.

Introduction (20 minutes):

• • Welcome youth participants and introdu to the Artistic Bridges project and its goals.

• • Overview of the importance of art in emotional healing, cultural expression, and global awareness.

Creating Art (1-3 hours):

• • Individual or group creation of visual art, song, sculpture, drama, dance, poetry, or spoken word.

• • Emphasis on integrating feelings, expressing cultural identity, and transforming negativity into positivity.

• • Optional: Adult facilitators may wish to record the project through photography, audio recording, or filming the created work for international sharing ( submissions must follow guidelines ).

Those working with young children may want to focus on the Children’s Charter for Compassion www.CharterforCompassion.org/what-we-do/support-kids/childrens-charter.html