The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook

I got this book at the recommendation of my therapist and boy has it changed my life. I haven’t finished it yet, but there were a few life-changing statements in the introduction alone. It has allowed me to understand that self-compassion is NOT selfish and is actually essential to surviving. It has really opened up my eyes to the MAJOR differences in the compassion I show others vs. the compassion (or lack thereof) that I show myself. I’ll admit that I’m truly devoting a lot of time to this and accepting it completely, which I have found to be the most beneficial. I have found that having a copy of an “emotion wheel” and a list of tones (positive, neutral, and negative) on hand has also been helpful in navigating some of the exercises throughout the book. I have only been working through this book for a short period of time, but it has already had a positive impact in my life. *For reference: I’m a 22 y/o female, have anxiety, depression, and avoidant personality disorder, and have been on antidepressants for years (this is my dad’s account excuse the profile pic). This book has been one of the first truly beneficial resources that I have been introduced to. It has not only helped me work on self-compassion, but it has also helped me be more mindful in situations where I’m usually very anxious and start overthinking. I would highly recommend this book. The chapters are set up by introducing a topic & providing real world examples that are easy to understand. At the end of the chapter they have exercises where they have you reflect on certain situations (they prompt you) and write down your thoughts. There’s usually a few exercises that end up with you really breaking down how you think/act. They usually address your true inner feelings that you may have been burying or ignoring (hence the emotion wheel), and they bring it back around to exercises that allow you modify the negative behaviors that you’re been reflecting on to wrap up the chapter. I personally think spending a decent amount of time on the exercises is truly beneficial to individual success. (Sorry for the novel-length review but I truly think this is an amazing resource.)

This workbook is gentle, clear, and honestly pretty comforting. The exercises are simple to follow, and they help you slow down and look at yourself with a little more kindness. It is not overwhelming, and you can go at your own pace. If you want something that supports your mental well being in a practical, doable way, this is a really solid pick.

Do you beat yourself up a lot? Are you harshly self-critical? Then Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer’s new workbook on self-compassion might be the exact book for you. It has certainly been very helpful to me. A few years ago, I read Neff’s book Self-Compassion and also Germer’s book The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion. Both are excellent foundations for understanding why we are self-critical and how self-compassion can help. Neff and Germer’s joint venture in the form of this workbook, The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive, is based on their Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) training programs. I have attended one of these, and this workbook is equally helpful for working on self-critical patterns in yourself and becoming more self-compassionate. Neff and Germer are experts in the field of self-compassion and have done countless MSC trainings together. This workbook reflects all that work. It is very well written with a reader-friendly layout. The chapters are short with clear descriptions of what self-compassion is and what it isn’t, as well as many practical exercises: journaling exercises, meditation/mindfulness exercises, and reflections. The book gives you access to downloadable audio files of some of the exercises. You do not have to have attended the trainings or read any of the previous books to get a lot out of the workbook. It stands alone, the exercises are excellent, and while I recognized many of them from the MSC training, it didn’t seem repetitious to do them in this format. Quite the contrary. I find that each time I approach this material, I approach it a little differently. I notice something different. The fact is we’re never done with self-compassion practice. There’s no end-point; there’s just more practice. I highly recommend this workbook to anyone who wants to become more self-compassionate. Whether you’ve already done a lot of work in this area, or this is your first exposure to the idea of self-compassion, this book will be an excellent guide, a compassionate friend on your journey.

Helpful from the very first page. Regular mindfulness just never was very effective for me, and this method is a game changer. I’m only a quarter of the way through, and I’m already feeling more at ease as I navigate challenges. Between this workbook and regular bilateral music listening, I feel like I’m building a foundation on skills that work for me. Taking responsibility for supporting myself emotionally is powerful!

Waited for more than three weeks for the book, way beyond the estimated arrival time when I ordered the book. Luckily that I am not in a hurry to get the book. The cover of the book is 1-2 mm shorter than the content, looks like a defective item. Probably that's why it's slightly cheaper than the rests. Would appreciate if I'm aware about what I'm getting and paying for. Read the intro chapter and it's engaging. Looking forward to complete the book.

Every word in there is so useful!

buen libro de trabajo

Ein tolles Buch über Achtsamkeit und Selbstmitgefühl – sehr hilfreich im Alltag

Excellent livre, exercice pratiques et simples , je recommande.