For many years, self-esteem was considered one of the keys to our psychological well-being, but recent research has identified some possible drawbacks in pursuing self-esteem, such as ego-defensiveness, narcissism, and social comparisons. In fact, pursuing self-esteem can create instability of self-worth. Some research implies that self-compassion may be a better and healthier way to relate to ourselves. Self-compassion offers the rewards of having self-esteem without any of its drawbacks.



Self-compassion involves treating ourselves with love and compassion, just as we would a dear and close friend. Rather than evaluating ourselves as either being a good person or a bad person, we can learn to treat ourselves with kindness, recognize that no human is perfect, and learn to be present with the struggles in life that seem to be inevitable. Having compassion for ourselves motivates us to change our lives, not because we feel inadequate or worthless, but because we want to ease our suffering and experience quality of life.



This web conference will present empirical research that demonstrates the association between self-compassion and psychological health. We will distinguish between self-pity, self-indulgence, self-esteem, and self-compassion and discuss how self-compassion may be an effective tool to motivate oneself instead of criticizing oneself. We will evaluate a randomized controlled trial conducted by Dr. Chris Germer on the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program, and learn some of the MSC program's techniques for use in daily life. Finally, the topic of self-compassion for mental health professionals will be discussed, and a practice designed to help professionals cope with caregiver burnout will be provided.



This web conference is intermediate instructional level and designed to help clinicians:




  1. Describe what self-compassion is and how it is different from self-esteem;

  2. Discuss key research that supports the benefits of self-compassion;

  3. Practice techniques to increase self-compassion in everyday life;

  4. Utilize self-compassion to cope with caregiver burnout.



If you have any questions or concerns about this web conference, or would like more information, please contact us here.


How the Web Conference Works

Attendees who register for this event will log in to the web conference center by using a computer and calling in to the teleconference line. Attendees will be able to ask live audio questions via phone and/or submit text chat questions via computer. Live streaming video and/or document sharing will also be available to participants. Alternatively, attendees may dial in to the teleconference line only, though attendees dialing in by phone only will be unable to ask questions.



Before the scheduled event, all registered attendees will be sent a reminder email with specific instructions on how to log in to the web conference center, as well as links to optional handout materials if applicable.



This event will include lecture and question-and-answer periods. A recording of the web conference will be available to members in GoodTherapy.org's Continuing Education Archives within two weeks. After the live event, a written transcript of the event will be available in the Member's Area. Members of GoodTherapy.org can receive continuing education credits for attending this event by logging in to the GoodTherapy.org Member's Area.


Continuing Education (CE) Information

Two continuing education credit hours will be provided by GoodTherapy.org for attending this web conference in its entirety. This web conference is approved for continuing education credit hours by the following boards and associations:

GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content and is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.

GoodTherapy.org, SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0395. 

Registration Information

Premium and Pro Membership with GoodTherapy includes access to this web conference at no additional cost, as well as other member benefits such as a profile listing in GoodTherapy's Therapist Directory. Not yet a member? Sign up for a Premium or Pro Membership, here.

Just want CE credits? Sign up for a monthly or annual CE Subscription with GoodTherapy to get unlimited access to our CE Program, including this event, other live CE web conferences, and hundreds of hours of homestudy courses.

Mental health professionals who are not members can attend this live web conference for $30.95 or access the homestudy recording for $15.50. Sign up here to purchase this CE course and earn a CE certificate.

Event Reviews from Members

"Dr. Kristin Neff is a wonderful presenter. She gave one of the best presentations I've ever seen on GoodTherapy.org. It was packed with solid information, research, and practical techniques, but Kristin made it captivating and engaging with her audience, even through the modality of a webinar. I could sense her enthusiasm and passion for self-compassion and am so impressed with her work and her presentation." - Kristen Martinez, MEd, EdS, LMHCA, NCC

Meet the Presenter

Kristin Neff, PhD

Kristin Neff, PhD, completed her doctorate degree in Human Development from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1997. Presently, she works as an Associate Professor at the University of Texas, Austin, in the Educational Psychology Department. Dr. Neff is a leader in the field for researching self-compassion, and she conducted the first empirical study on self-compassion over ten years ago. She has written a number of book chapters and articles and is the author of Self-Compassion. Dr. Neff’s work has been covered by Scientific American, MSNBC, and National Public Radio. Dr. Neff created a self-compassion training called Mindful Self-Compassion in collaboration with her colleague, Dr. Chris Germer. For more information about Dr. Neff and her work, please visit www.self-compassion.org.