Building a culture of self-compassion

 

Reflective pause

How do you typically respond to yourself during challenging times or when you make mistakes? How might practicing self-compassion improve your response?

Self-compassion is the practice of extending kindness, understanding, and acceptance towards oneself, especially during times of suffering, failure or distress. It enhances our coping abilities and protect us from stress and burnout. Self-compassion is also a potent source of resilience, enabling us not only to endure adversity, but to thrive. Additionally, as self-compassion can enhance empathy and improve interpersonal relationships, there are likely to be benefits for people who access services. 

Neff (2016) identifies three elements of self-compassion:

• Self-kindness: being warm, patient and understanding towards ourselves when we suffer, fail or feel inadequate, rather than being self-critical and hostile. 

• Common humanity: recognising that personal suffering and feelings of inadequacy are part of the human condition, and not something that makes us different from others. 

• Mindfulness: taking a balanced and accepting approach to our negative emotions, so feelings are neither avoided nor exaggerated.

Developing interventions to foster self-compassion and healthy self-care strategies early is crucial. Kinman and Grant’s (2020) research found that social care practitioners often view themselves as self-compassionate but are reluctant to prioritise their own wellbeing over the needs of others, seeing it as self-indulgent or irresponsible. Similar findings with healthcare professionals show that prioritising self-care in both working and personal lives can be challenging, with practitioners often feeling they need ‘permission’ to do so (e.g. Andrews et al., 2019; Egan et al., 2019).

Several strategies can improve self-compassion. For example, compassion-focused expressive writing can help us overcome self-criticism and develop the self-reflection required for self-compassion. Other strategies, some of which are included in this workbook, will also be helpful: 

• Preparing for reflective supervision and reflective conversations can foster self-compassion and encourage practitioners to prioritise self-care.

• Peer coaching can help identify and share best practice among co-workers to improve self-care.

• Mindfulness techniques can help us maintain personal boundaries and enhance awareness of the self and the need to care for it.

• Using strategies to challenge unproductive thinking can also help us relate to ourselves in a more compassionate, friendly and forgiving way.

More information about self-compassion and some useful resources can be found here.