Strengthening the Heart with Compassion: June 29-July 1, 2012

A Weekend Retreat at the Esalen Institute in Northern California with the Stanford Center for Compassion & Altruism (CCARE), co-taught by Kelly McGonigal & Leah Weiss Ekstrom

Experience a weekend immersion in compassion cultivation, based on the Stanford Compassion Training program developed by psychologists, scientists, and contemplative scholars at Stanford University. Explore strategies for strengthening self-compassion, connecting with others, finding peace in difficult circumstances, and overcoming compassion fatigue. This session will include lecture, gentle yoga movement and breathing practices, meditation, self-reflection, and discussion. You will also learn about the scientific research demonstrating the benefits of training compassion, and strategies for sharing these practices with others.

I hope you will join me! This is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to compassion practices, or refresh and renew your practice if you have taken a previous course through CCARE.

Reservations Information (Accommodations & Pricing)

CEUs available for MFTs and LCSWs.

CEUs available for psychologists.

The following resources are intended to help those new to yoga research find and explore existing research; get small, low-cost projects off the ground; and find opportunities to communicate research to key audiences, including potential funders, professional organizations, and the general public. Prepared by Kelly McGonigal for the Yoga Service Council/2012 Yoga Service Conference.

If you have ideas for other resources that should be added to this list, please include the information in a comment on this page!

Slides from talk

McGonigalYSCResearchSLIDESHOW (best for viewing on computer)

McGonigalYSCResearchHandoutSlides (6-slides-per-page handout, easier to print)

General Resources

Finding Research

Create an account with PubMed, then conduct a search for a key term (e.g. “yoga” or “mindfulness meditation”). Click “save search,” which will then allow you to set preferences for receiving email updates for new research. Create as many alerts as you want this way, or use Advanced Search.

Search for research in progress at clinicaltrials.gov to find out who is running funded studies now.

Places to Publish/Present or Learn About Research

The International Association of Yoga Therapists publishes both a magazine and peer-reviewed research journal, and welcomes submissions of articles and reports that describe interventions and early-stage research (e.g. feasibility and pilot studies). IAYT also hosts the annual Symposium on Yoga Research (June 11-13 2013 in Boston).

Research Raven is a database of conferences and calls for presentations/papers by a wide range of groups related to trauma, at-risk populations, mental health, social work, medicine, psychotherapy, etc. Find conferences to attend and submit your work to.

The Yoga Service Council plans to put out a call for both presentations at the 2013 conference at the Omega Institute and articles for their forthcoming online journal.

Conducting Research

Informed Consent

The following websites provide examples of informed consent forms you can adapt to your own research project.

http://www.societyforscience.org/document.doc?id=33

http://www.union.edu/Resources/Academic/hsrc/_docs/consent.doc

http://www.csufresno.edu/humansubjects/resources/informed_consent.shtml

Self-Report Measures/Surveys

The following websites provide the items and scoring instructions for validated measures of outcomes relevant to yoga and mindfulness/meditation research. Before administering scales, especially to at-risk populations or children, be sure you understand the ethics and have obtained informed consent and relevant permissions.

Yoga Program Evaluation Surveys developed by Yoga Activist (survey participants, volunteers, and partners’ satisfaction and feedback; use as is or use as sample)

Stress-Related Scales from Sheldon Cohen (perceived stress, perceived social support, stressful life events, childhood stress, physical health symptoms, some translated into other languages)

Mindfulness Scales from the Mindfulness Research Guide (also includes lists of published research & other resources)

Pain-Related Scales from the UAB School of Medicine (pain, disability, physical function, etc.)

Trauma-Related Scales for Adults and for Children from the US Dept of Veterans Affairs

Compassion-Related Measures from the Compassionate Mind Foundation (compassion, self-criticism, social comparison, etc.); Compassion for Others and Self-Compassion Scales from Kristen Neff

Social Anxiety-Related Scales from Mark Leary (including anxiety related to appearance)

Child Mental Health Scales from The Reach Institute (anxiety, depression, ADHD, aggression)

Hospice, Caregiving, and Aging-Related Scales (depression, pain, fatigue, function, caregiver burden, etc.)

These are just some examples of measures to get you started.

If you are looking for validated scales on other topics, there are two main strategies. One is to do a Google search for “________ scale” and see what comes up. The second is to obtain published studies that have looked at the outcome you are interested in and see what measures they use.

Remember you can also ask the groups/administrators you are working with what outcomes they are already measuring that you might get access to.

Tools for Research Design and Analysis

Absolutely fantastic collection of articles, advice, and online tutorials about how to conduct research/surveys to evaluate programs/interventions, from planning your evaluation to reporting your results, and even what it takes to claim a program is “evidence-based.” Compiled by Wilder Research, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

How We Design Feasibility Studies. This article provides good advice and justification for conducting the simplest type of study on a new intervention/program.

Random Assignment Generator (for a randomized controlled trial).

Online Statistics Tool. This website contains calculators to conduct a wide range of analyses (e.g. descriptive statistics, t-tests, correlations) without understanding the math behind them! However, you still need to understand what analyses to run and how to enter the data. Many universities’ statistics departments offer free stats consulting to non-profit organizations; check your local university.

So let the secrets be revealed:

Now go play Oprah’s Thank You Game on Facebook! Help us see the good in others and inspire each other to rise up and be the best versions of ourselves. All it takes is thanking someone and a click to let the world know where gratitude is spreading.

Last week I stopped by the Toronto studios of the CBC to give the following 3-min advice about how to gain more willpower over the siren songs of your cellphone, Angry Birds, Facebook, or whatever tech-drug has you never satisfied but always seeking.

You can also listen to the full radio interview I did with Spark host Nora Young here.

Kelly McGonigal on Spark from Ryan Couldrey on Vimeo.

Beginning April 18, you can order the 6-CD set OR download the program in MP3 format at Sounds True.

The official wide release date is April 28 2012. You can pre-order the 6-CD set from any major bookseller, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Chapters (Canada), and Indie Bound.

Program Description

Personal Transformation Based on Mindfulness and Self-Compassion

What’s your most important goal? Why does it matter so deeply? How will you overcome the obstacles? Answer these questions with sincerity, proceed with mindfulness and compassion, and you have just set in motion a revolutionary method for personal change that is supported by both the latest science and traditional wisdom. On The Neuroscience of Change, psychologist and award-winning Stanford lecturer Kelly McGonigal presents six sessions of breakthrough ideas, guided practices, and real-world exercises for making self-awareness and kindness the basis for meaningful transformation.

Practical Methods to Retrain Your Brain to Support Your Goals

Our understanding of the incredible power of the human brain is at an all-time high, with the emerging fields of neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and psychophysiology opening new possibilities for greater health, happiness, and freedom from suffering. Drawing on her training as a research scientist and longtime practitioner of meditation and yoga, Dr. McGonigal reveals these startling findings, including the clinically supported methods for training the mind away from default states that no longer serve us, and establishing behaviors and attitudes aligned with our highest values and aspirations.

The First Rule of Change: It’s Already Happening

As the world’s wisdom traditions teach and science is now verifying, our lives are in fact defined by constant change. Whether you’re looking to change a behavior, improve your health or other circumstances, or simply for a way to bring hope and resilience into your life as it is, The Neuroscience of Change will help you trust yourself and unfold your true capacities for personal transformation.

Highlights:

• Willingness, self-awareness, and surrender—how to nourish the seeds of change
• Focusing on the process, not the outcome
• How to overcome the “trigger-to-instinct” reaction
• The proven benefits of meditation—and how to start practicing yourself
• How to transform self-criticism into self-compassion
• Why your mind creates habits-and how to consciously create new ones
• Making values-driven commitments
• Visualization and the principle of “encoding prospective memories”
• The power of the vow
• “Deep activation” and the danger of rejecting what is
• Working with inner experiences as the key to making outward change
• Six hours of breakthrough science, practical wisdom, guided exercises, and mindfulness meditations for making positive change that lasts

You can order the 6-CD set from any major bookseller, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Chapters (Canada), and Indie Bound.

You can order the 6-CD set OR download the complete set at Sounds True.

Watch via the link below, or download the audio or video for your ipod/phone/computer.

http://twit.tv/embed/10740

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.

Buddy

Echo

One of my favorite ways to donate to Best Friends is to sponsor one of their special-needs animals that cannot be adopted out, such as Echo, a red-tailed hawk with one wing, or Buddy, a former “stunt cat” who was rescued from Hollywood with a broken hip, a broken jaw, a broken tail, and a detached retina.

MORE ABOUT BEST FRIENDS:

At the Sanctuary

The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary at Angel Canyon, at the heart of the Golden Circle of national parks in southern Utah, is home on any given day to about 2,000 dogs, cats, and other animals, who come from shelters and rescue groups around the country for special care they can only receive at Best Friends.

Most of the animals who find their way to Best Friends have special physical or behavioral needs, and our expert staff of veterinarians, trainers and caregivers offer them all the help they require. Most of them are ready to go to good new homes after just a few weeks of special care. A few, who are too old or too sick, or who have suffered extra trauma, find a home and haven at the sanctuary, and are given loving care for the rest of their lives.

Around the Country

Best Friends works with our members — and with humane groups, individuals and entire communities — to set up spay/neuter, shelter, foster and adoption programs in neighborhoods, cities, and states throughout the country. Through this work, Best Friends is helping to save and rehabilitate tens of thousands of animals each year.

Through the online Best Friends Network, the society reaches across the nation and around the world, helping local communities to rescue animals in distress and to create their own No More Homeless Pets communities.

Animal Rescue

At home and abroad, Best Friends has led some of the largest animal rescue efforts in recent history. These rescues include natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, wartime situations, and animal hoarding or failed shelter situations where hundreds of dogs and cats need urgent and continuing care for many months before they can be placed in good new homes. With its sanctuary and rescue experience, Best Friends is the only organization in the country capable of mounting such major rescue efforts.

Public Education

Best Friends offers workshops, internships, training programs and conferences to help individuals, groups and communities to set up and manage their own shelter, rescue, adoption and spay/neuter programs. Best Friends magazine also has the largest readership of any general-interest animal publication in the U.S.

Find out more by visiting bestfriends.org:

Click to watch: The Today Show Willpower Tips

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