The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive

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 book was so useful in discovering ways to have compassion for myself. I was able to use the exercises to develop a personal growth mindset that helped me develop skills to give myself more self compassion. This book is a must if you are wanting to build self-esteem and confidence.

This has made a big difference in my ability to self-regulate, and I’ve recommended it to so many people.What I really love about this is that it doesn’t dodge accountability or repair. It just makes owning your mistakes easier. And it validates anger and frustration - then channels it into positive action. It’s not even particularly upbeat, though it helps you live your best life amid all of ups and downs that are the state of the world.

Love this workbook

Book was nice, but didn't need it as it was a gift and the person I gifted it to already had a copy.

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.

I really love this. It took me a while to open the book. But when I did, I was so happy that it was easy to read. Simple steps that I find are really working in my life. If you struggle with depression and how to find steps to really love yourself… This is a great action book

This book has the potential to change your life. Not overnight and not in some magical way, but slowly and realistically. If all you’ve known is motivation through tough talk and dealing with emotions through suppression and avoidance, then this book can be revolutionary. Please consider giving it a try, I’m grateful I did.