Love More, Stress Less
Mindful Self-Compassion
You know what to do when a friend is struggling. Why is it so hard to offer that same care to yourself? MSC teaches you the skills to access self-compassion - especially in the moments you need it most.
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8 Weeks
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Hybrid - online or in person
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Weekly 1:1 coaching
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Led by Dr. Patty Shutt
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All experience levels
Limited in-person seating. Register early to reserve your spot.
What is MSC?
An evidence-based program built on three skills.
Mindful Self-Compassion was developed by Dr. Kristin Neff, whose research opened the field of self-compassion, and Dr. Christopher Germer, a leader in bringing mindfulness to psychotherapy. It weaves together three capacities you can practice and strengthen.
Meeting yourself with care and understanding instead of harsh judgment - the way you'd naturally treat someone you love.​
Self-kindness
Common humanity
Recognizing that struggle and difficulty aren't personal failures. They're part of the shared experience of being human.
Holding your emotions in balanced awareness - neither pushing pain away nor being swept up in it.
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Mindfulness
Some part of you believes you're never quite good enough.
The harshest voice in the room is often your own.
If any of these ring true, you're exactly who this course was created for.
Sound Familiar?
You struggle to make your own health a priority
You feel pressure to stay productive instead of resting when you need to.
You worry your self-doubt is quietly limiting your life.
You get caught in a self-critical loop that only makes things worse.
You snap at the people you love - then carry the guilt afterward.
Try it now
A self-compassion break in three steps.
This practice is at the center of Mindful Self-compassion. It takes about a minute, and you can use it anywhere
Does it work?
A randomized controlled study says "yes".
Participants showed significant gains in self-compassion, compassion for others, mindfulness, and life satisfaction — alongside reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress. The size of the improvement tracked with how much people actually practiced in daily life.
Enhances emotional well being
Boosts happiness
Supports daily healthy habits
Reduces anxiety
Increases life satisfaction
Increases compassion for others
Neff & Germer (2012), Journal of Clinical Psychology. Read the full study.
The Heart of the WOrk
You don't silence the inner critic. You teach it a kinder language.
Self-criticism runs so automatically that most of us never hear it clearly. MSC slows it down enough to notice - and then offers something truer to say instead.
What's wrong with me?
This is hard right now.
I should be over this by now.
Healing doesn't keep a schedule
Everyone else is managing fine.
Struggle is part of being human
I don't deserve a break
What do I need right now?
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You meet yourself with kindness and compassion, and your health follows.
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Your mind-body relationship steadies - better sleep, more energy, more motivation to move and eat well.
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You honor and express emotion without reacting to it.
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You live with more presence, moving through challenges with greater ease.
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You befriend your inner critic and find more joy, peace, and confidence.
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Your heart opens, and a new sense of beauty and love becomes available to you.
MSC at Sacred Treehouse
The Details
Format
Live and online
Classes are held in a variety of formats: in person, via zoom or hybrid.
Schedule
8 weekly sessions
90 minutes each, plus assigned practices and optional readings
Extra Support
Weekly 1:1 coaching
An optional weekly call with a mindfulness coach for accountability and depth.
Included
8 weeks of membership
Free access to the Sacred Treehouse portal, with practices and masterclasses from our teachers and coaches.
Experience
All levels
The course benefits complete beginners and long-time meditators alike.
Alumni
Ongoing community
Graduates are invited on Sacred Treehouse retreats and receive discounts on future programs.
in msc you'll learn
How to become your own best teacher.
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How to stop being so hard on yourself
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How to motivate yourself with encouragement, not criticism
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Practices for home and everyday life
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How to handle difficult emotions with greater ease
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How to transform difficult relationships, old and new
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The theory and research behind mindful self-compassion
What MSC graduates have to say.
Taking MSC was the most transformational experience of my life. Learning to give myself permission to love myself and treat myself with compassion was essential for my physical, emotional, and mental health. I took the course twice and will likely take it again.
-Lynda
In their own words
I'd put off a mindfulness course because I felt too busy. But as I prepared for my kids to leave for college, I realized I needed more. MBSR changed my life in simple, beautiful ways, and MSC helped me hone what I'd learned. Caring for my mental health is now part of my everyday routine. Don't wait for the "right" moment — that moment is now.
-Stacie
Make peace with your inner critic.
Join Us
MSC teaches you to use mindfulness and compassion toward yourself - to prevent and heal emotional exhaustion, self-criticism, stress, guilt, and isolation, and to transform the relationships that matter most.
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Weekly sessions
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Tools for navigating life's difficult emotions
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Optional weekly one-on-one coaching calls
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Free 8-week access to Sacred Treehouse membershiop
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Retreat invitations and program discounts as an alum
Ended
650 US dollars
For questions and scholarship inquiries please email us at info@sacredtreehouse.org.