BASICS

CCARE’s Compassion Training Teacher Certification program is a part-time, 12-month training for professionals who want to deepen their ability to share the science, philosophy, and pedagogy of compassion. Graduates, who fulfill all program requirements, including a period of supervised teaching, will be certified to teach CCARE’s Compassion Training Course. The Compassion Training Course is 9-week program developed by a team of psychologists, scientists, and contemplative scholars at Stanford University.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Requirements include:

• Academic coursework (1 course per quarter) that may be completed at the Stanford University campus or online
• Quarterly projects that can be completed independently
• 2 3-day residential retreats at an educational retreat center and sanctuary in Woodside, CA, and 1 5-day professional intensive course at Stanford University.

Retreat dates for the 2012-2013 academic year are as follows:

3 day intensive retreat, September 7-9, 2012, at Stillheart Institute in Woodside, CA.

3 day intensive retreat, January 18-20, 2013, at Stillheart Institute in Woodside, CA.

5 day intensive retreat, June 26-30, 2013, at Stanford University.

Pre-Requisite for the Program

Students in the Teacher Certification Program are required to take either the 9-week Compassion Training Course, or a 3-day intensive version of the course, by September 2012. This pre-requisite may be completed following acceptance in to the Teacher Certification Program. See live course listings here.

Who are the instructors and retreat leaders for the program?

Classes and retreats will be led by certified instructors affiliated with the Center for Compassion & Altruism Research & Education. See a partial instructor list here.

Academic Calendar

Fall 2012(September 24-December 14, 2012)

Retreat at Stillheart Institute in Woodside, CA. September 7-9, 2012

Academic Coursework: The Science of Compassion. This class will explore the latest scientific thinking on the evolution of compassion; the psychology, biology, and neuroscience of empathy, compassion, and altruism; and how early life experiences, social forces, and culture shape our responses to others’, as well as our own suffering

Independent Project: Daily practice of the compassion-focused meditations taught in the Compassion Training Course, along with a journal of observations and questions.

Winter 2012 (January 7-March 22, 2013)

Retreat at Stillheart Institute in Woodside, CA. January 18-20, 2013

Academic Coursework: Philosophical Perspectives on Compassion. This class will explore how various religious and philosophical traditions understand suffering, compassion, and altruism; and how individuals can draw on and respect different traditions when interacting with diverse groups.

Independent Project: Retake or virtually view the Compassion Training Course, with a focus on analyzing classroom dynamics and teaching strategies.

Spring 2012 (April 1-June 12, 2013)

No Retreat.

Academic Coursework: Perspectives on the Practice of Compassion. This class will address practical strategies for offering compassionate presence and service in a wide range of settings, from hospitals to prisons, and how to avoid compassion fatigue and burnout. A wide range of guest speakers will share their professional and personal experiences.

Independent Project: Complete and report on a service project (volunteer or professional) that involves offering compassionate presence and/or action.

Summer 2012

Professional Intensive at Stanford University, CA. June 26-30, 2013

During this intensive, practical/oral exit examinations will be completed.

No Academic Coursework.

Supervised Teaching. Candidates who wish to be certified to teach the Compassion Training Course will teach the 9-week program under the supervision of a senior instructor. Candidates will have up to 1 year (Summer 2013) to complete this requirement. Undergoing the supervision process does not guarantee that candidates will be certified; however, every effort will be made to support the candidate through the process.

How to Apply

What are the admission requirements?

We welcome applicants of diverse backgrounds and goals.

Ideal candidates will have professional experience in a field that is related to, or could be enriched by ideas and practices of compassion. This includes, but is not limited to: education, healthcare, social work, psychotherapy, religious services, public policy, law, business, science and others.

There are no education requirements for admission to the certificate program. However, candidates must be prepared to complete a graduate-level curriculum in psychology, philosophy, and theories of teaching/learning.

Because daily compassion-focused meditation practice is central to the Compassion Training Course and Teacher Certification Program, all candidates must be willing to commit to their own daily personal practice. Candidates are not required to have previous experience practicing or teaching meditation. However, such experience will be considered in the admission process.

How do I apply?

To apply, complete the online application process.

Application fee: $50 payable online.

You will be asked to submit the following materials via postal mail. Please send the materials to:

CCARE Teacher Certification Program, 1215 Welch Road, Module B Room 55, Stanford, CA 94305-5400

• A brief personal statement (approximately 1000 words) explaining your interest in the program, including how professional and/or personal experiences have shaped your interest.
• A brief response (approximately 500 words) to one of the following questions:

1. Compassion is often described as the desire to relieve suffering. How do you define suffering, and what does it mean to you to relieve suffering?
2. Describe a time when your compassion was challenged, or you experienced the limits of your own compassion.

• A resume or C.V. that includes your education, work experience, and any other relevant activities (e.g. service/volunteer projects, religious or community involvement, meditation training).
• 2 letters of recommendation from someone who is well-suited to assess your candidacy for the program. The letters may come from a colleague/co-worker, employer, religious leader or meditation teacher, or anyone in your community who can speak to your interest in compassion, education, and/or service.

All applications will be reviewed by the admissions team. Applicants may be contacted by email/phone to arrange for an interview.

Deadlines for Application

There are two deadlines for applying to the Professional Certificate Program in Compassion Education.

Early Acceptance Deadline: Feb 15, 2012

We will begin reviewing applications, and granting early acceptance, to highly qualified and motivated candidates on a rolling basis. Applicants may be contacted for interviews. Those accepted will be notified of their acceptance by March 15, 2012. Applicants not accepted in this process will be fully re-considered during regular admissions (see below).

Regular Admissions Deadline: March 15, 2012

Submit all materials by March 15. Applicants may be contacted for interviews. All candidates will be notified of the admissions decision by May 1, 2012.

What is the cost?

The total cost for completing the year-long program is approximately $4500.

Application fee: $50

Pre-requisite fee (if not already completed): $325 for in person 9-week course or $750 for 3-day intensive

Quarterly tuition/assessment fee (Fall through Spring): $1500 total

$500 per quarter; $350 for each 10-week class; $150 for each quarter’s individual assessment ; $175 for the second Compassion Training Course in Winter, 2013.

Retreat fees (housing/meals/materials included; fees may vary based on housing choices): $750 each for Fall and Winter Retreats.

Professional Intensive fee $950 for 5 day intensive at Stanford.

Additional costs for those who require for on-campus meals and housing.

Teaching supervision fee (for certification candidates only):$500 tuition fee for the group supervision conference call and a single evaluation of a single class- live or video. Candidates who want more intensive mentoring will have the opportunity to arrange for private supervision at an additional cost of $125 per hour.

Payment is due on a quarterly basis.

Limited financial aid/scholarship money is available. Please contact sctinformation@stanford.edu for more information.

Click to watch: The Today Show Willpower Tips

Interview by Matt Lauer. Original broadcast: 1/3/2012.

Check out the slide show on the Huffington Post’s Books Section.

[Excerpted Below]

The self-help shelves are full of guides on weight loss, health, happiness, and self-improvement. But sometimes the most life-changing ideas and advice are found in the science section.

As a health psychologist, it’s my job to help people make difficult changes. I learned early on that it was easier to change people’s attitudes and behaviors with a fascinating new finding than with platitudes or pleading. The right study doesn’t just convince you that you should do something. It gives you a whole new way to understand yourself and the world around you.

For example, when I show my Stanford students videos of an addicted rat willing to be electrocuted for its next fix, they report back that remembering this image gives them the willpower to resist temptation. Pictures of how the brain responds to bargains helps shopaholics understand their need to buy; studies showing the importance of self-compassion for weight loss convinced dieters to stop calling themselves fat, lazy, and hopeless.

And in my experience, it’s these “A-ha!” insights that give us the inspiration and motivation to make a change for good. That’s why I wrote The Willpower Instinct – to give people enough A-ha moments to tackle any challenge.

Want to know my favorite picks for science help to be happier, get fit, save money, have better sex, lose weight, break bad habits, be kinder to yourself, and more? Check out the slide show on the Huffington Post’s Books Section.

Bookstore browsing image by Martin Cathrae, licensed under Creative Commons.

About the show:

At the start of a new year, many of us resolve to adopt a healthier lifestyle. We plan to quit smoking if we haven’t already; or we intend to get into a regular exercise routine, give up junk food and lose weight. Why are New Year’s resolutions so easy to make–and so hard to keep?

If we only had more willpower, we think, perhaps we wouldn’t give in to temptation so easily. Can we exercise willpower like a muscle to make it stronger? Find out how self-control works and how to make it work for you. And have a happy and healthy new year!

Guest: Kelly McGonigal, PhD, is an award-winning psychology instructor at Stanford University and a health educator for the School of Medicine’s Health Improvement Program. Her psychology courses for professionals and the public (including The Science of Willpower and Living Well with Stress) are among the most popular in the history of Stanford’s Continuing Studies program. She is the author of Psychology Today’s “Science of Willpower” blog. Dr. McGonigal’s latest book is The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It.

The show asks the question: “Why do we lack willpower?” and talks to three psychologists: myself, procrastination researcher Tim Pychyl, and David Walsh, author of No: Why Kids-of All Ages-Need to Hear It and Ways Parents Can Say It. Then the host gamely tries out our theories and advice.

You can listen to it here or download it for free on itunes.

As part of her work with CCARE she shares some of her background with Stanford as well as her long-standing Buddhist practice, which pulls from both the Zen and Tibetan traditions. We close the discussion by exploring some of the difficulties with teaching meditation in a secular context, as well as some of the benefits that come through framing the teachings in scientific and psychological terms.

Listen to the podcast (or read the transcript) here.

Stanford health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, PhD, and senior teacher for the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, discusses the importance of self-compassion for happiness, mental health, and personal success. Part of the 2011 Stanford University Happiness Conference on Feb 12, 2011. [13 min video]

ScholarMatch is a website where potential donors can learn more about students who need assistance paying their college tuition. As a donor, you can choose the student you want to support or let ScholarMatch choose a specific student for you, and you will be sent periodic updates about that student’s progress in school throughout that academic year.

The students are from the San Francisco Bay Area (where I live), and many are first-generation college students. They have been nominated by the ScholarMatch‘s community partners, such as teachers, college counselors, and college access organizations and selected by a committee to become scholars.

ScholarMatch is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in the lives of individuals and pay back the benefits we’ve received from our education. It’s fun to browse the students’ profiles; my first donation was to support a young woman who wants to study psychology and dance — just like I did as an undergraduate. I received a full tuition scholarship for four years, the only way I would have been able to afford a private university. It’s a privilege to support young students and remember with gratitude those who paid my way.

Check out this video of a ScholarMatch scholar talking with The Office’s John Krasinski (he donates!) about how the organization has helped her and her family. (The comedy starts at 3:04 — what else do you expect from Krasinski?)