Teaching Self-Compassion to Teens

Grounded in knowledge about the unique developmental challenges of adolescence, this book presents an innovative approach for teaching self-compassion to teens and young adults in clinical, educational, or community settings. Lorraine Hobbs and Niina Tamura provide guided practices, creative exercises, and teaching strategies adapted from Kristin Neff and Christopher Germers widely disseminated Mindful Self-Compassion program for adults. Case examples, sample dialogues, and scripts illustrate how to set up and run successful groups that address teen concerns such as self-criticism, self-esteem, social comparison, and strong emotions. The book offers guidelines for cultivating a personal practice and working with parents. Tips for providing a safe, effective learning environment are woven throughout; a special chapter covers trauma-sensitive teaching.

I. Self-Compassion and Adolescence 1. Adolescent Challenges and the Promise of Self-Compassion 2. The Inner Workings of Self-Compassion during Adolescence 3. The Landscape of Self-Compassion Training for Teens II. Building a Personal Practice for Teaching from Within 4. Teacher Qualities 5. Deepening Your Personal Practice III. Growing Your Craft as a Self-Compassion Teacher 6. The Essentials of Teaching Self-Compassion to Teens 7. The Art of Inquiry with Teens 8. Trauma-Sensitive Teaching IV. Training Teens in Self-Compassion 9. An Introduction to Mindfulness and Self-Compassion 10. Mindfulness 11. The Wisdom of Loving-Kindness 12. Stress and the Adolescent Brain 13. Finding Our Compassionate Voice 14. Self-Compassion versus Self-Esteem 15. What Matters Most 16. The Challenge of Strong Emotions 17. A Step toward Gratitude 18. Parenting with Presence References Index

Lorraine Hobbs, MA, is Founding Director of the Youth, Family, and Education Programs at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Center for Mindfulness. As a family therapist, Ms. Hobbs has combined her clinical experience with her mindfulness and self-compassion expertise to coauthor curricula including Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens (MSC-T), an adaptation of the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program for adults. She is codeveloper of the MSC-T teacher training program and provides trainings internationally. Ms. Hobbs is a certified teacher of MSC, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and Compassion Cultivation Training, and is an MBSR mentor through the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute. Niina Tamura, PhD, is a psychologist specializing in child and adolescent psychotherapy, based in Heidelberg, Germany. She combines mindfulness- and compassion-based approaches with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Before turning to clinical practice, Dr. Tamura was a researcher in developmental psychology at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. She is a trained teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) and Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens (MSC-T).