When’s the last time you tried to imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes? This is one of the simplest ways to practice empathy, a powerful skill that plops you into another person’s headspace so you’re in tune with what they may be thinking or feeling. To be human is to…
Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) places compassion, both for oneself and for others, at the heart of the healing journey. By nurturing a kind and nurturing inner voice, CFT equips individuals with the tools to soothe themselves and foster self-supportive behaviors. The ultimate aim is to construct a foundation of emotional resilience,…
I had always dreamt of volunteering during my late teens and early twenties, but the chaotic whirlwind of life made me hesitate to lend a helping hand. It felt like I was on a quest to reach that idyllic stage of white picket-fenced adulthood when I could commit to feeding…
Diversity can be celebrated all year round, not just on dedicated months, but it’s naive to celebrate diversity without also talking explicitly about racism and prejudice. Otherwise the evidence shows that our country’s deep social inequalities will just be perpetuated. A famous 2016 study revealed that majority-white high schools tended…
Compassion is sharing someone’s pain without sharing their suffering, according to meditation teacher and researcher Shinzen Young. While this sounds kind of contradictory, there’s a point to Young’s logic. One of the core skills of meditation involves focusing on the details of your experience while also accepting that experience…
No two therapy sessions are just the same—because no two people are just the same. We all have different problems. We all heal at different rates. And we all respond to therapy in different ways. But that’s not to say common themes don’t emerge—such as those that appear in counseling…
