University of Toronto

Mindfulness and self-compassion are seen as two wings of the same bird. Traditional Buddhist teaching in self-compassion are powerful and elegant, and can be interwoven with contemporary evidence-based clinical practices to address such issues as self-criticism, depression, low-self-esteem, anxiety and social isolation. Compassionate mind development with individuals has been shown to be a viable clinical approach that engages people in overcoming these negative emotional states, and also supports individuals and communities for general well-being.