Compassion is not a passive process, but an active one. It means being aware that someone (including you) is suffering and moving toward that suffering so that you can offer help. Compassion takes courage, wisdom, and strength. And, we can build more compassionate minds with practice. In this episode, Diana talks with Dennis Tirch and Laura Silberstein-Tirch about Compassion Focused Therapy, how they apply the principles of compassion to their family and in their work as founders and director of the Center for Compassion Focused Therapy. Listen in to hear heartfelt insights for a more compassionate future.

Listen and Learn:

Why it’s so hard to be compassionate when we feel threatenedWhy we have an inner critic and how to respond when it shoes itThe core qualities to develop to build a more compassionate mindHow compassion is different from kindnessHow we can respond to a long, dark winter with compassionHow we can heal divides with compassionWhat yoga and compassion focused therapy have in commonSuggestions to build a more compassionate future together

Resources:

* The ACT Practitioners Guide to the Science of Compassion by Dennis Tirch, Benji Schoendorff, and Laura Tirch* How to be Nice to Yourself by Laura Silberstein-Tirch* Stephan Porges on the Polyvagal Theory* The Compassionate Mind Foundation

About Laura Silberstein-Tirch

Dr. Laura Silberstein-Tirch

Laura R. Silberstein-Tirch, PsyD, is the Director of the Center for Compassion Focused Therapy., and serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Dr. Silberstein-Tirch is a clinical supervisor and compassion-focused therapy (CFT) trainer who presents internationally on mindfulness and compassion and is an author of 3 books, including “How to Be Nice To Yourself." She is a founder and Past-President of the New York City chapter of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science and the Compassionate Mind Foundation USA. Her research interests include psychological flexibility and emotions as well as CFT for anxiety and depression.

About Dennis Tirch

Dr. Dennis Tirch

Dennis Tirch, Ph.D. is the Founder of The Center for Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) in NYC, Past-President of The Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS), President of The Compassionate Mind Foundation, North America and an Associate Clinical Professor at The Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, NYC. He is an internationally acknowledged expert psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer in CFT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Buddhist Psychology (BP). Dr. Tirch is an author of 7 books, numerous book chapters and peer-reviewed articles on mindfulness-based psychotherapies. Dr. Tirch regularly trains CFT and ACT globally, through workshops and courses in-person and online. His work has been covered by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and NPR among other media outlets. Through regular Twitter and other social media posts, Dr. Tirch shares compassion focused insights with tens of thousands of people each day. Dr. Tirch is an Ambassador for the Ram Dass Fellowship, and an advocate for yoga, sobriety, and vegetarian/vegan living. Dr. Tirch is a Zen dharma holder, lay teacher of Sharma.

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