Teaching Adolescents the Skills of Self-Compassion
Rhiannon McGee,Head of Positive Education (MAPP and Masters of Education - Student Wellbeing), Geelong Grammar School

A moment of self-compassion can change your entire day. A string of moments like these can change the course of your life. (Germer, 2009) Those of us who work with adolescents are well aware of the challenge, change and growth that characterises this time of life. However, as well as providing enormous opportunities for self-discovery and personal evolution, the teenage years can also be marred by self-criticism, anxiety and depression. There is growing research to indicate that adults and adolescents who are more self-compassionate are more resilient in the face of setbacks or failures, less likely to engage with harsh self-criticism and unhealthy perfectionism and more likely to experience enhanced wellbeing. The research also indicates that self-compassion can be cultivated with practice. This experiential workshop will introduce participants to a range of self-compassion practices which they can introduce to their students, as well as to their own lives, to contribute to increased self-awareness, self-compassion and ultimately, greater compassion for others.