In session 1 we will define compassion, how and why we suffer, and the role of our tricky brains and the old brain-new brain loops we get caught up in.

Session 2 looks at the “three circles model” of emotions—threat, drive and soothing

Session 3 goes a little deeper, discussing the idea that we are made up of multiple parts, and that one of those parts is the compassionate self.

Session 4 starts to explore the three flows of compassion, beginning with the flow of directing compassion to others. The compassionate self helps with this, offering compassion to others, and in this session we also take a look at fears, blocks and resistances to compassion.

Session 5 discusses the second flow of compassion…how we can open ourselves up to receiving compassion from others. This is a tricky one, and so we explore the fears, blocks and resistances again, starting to identify opportunities to notice and accept compassion from others in our lives.

Session 6 explores our life stories. What startegies have we had to develop to keep ourselves safe? And do they serve us? What would have happend if we had grown up under other circumstances? What strategies would we have developed then?

Session 7 focuses in on self-compassion, bringing the compassionate self to ourselves, exploring practical skills and strategies, and examining the fears, blocks and resistances that may arise for this flow.

Session 8we dive into the issue of shame and our social selves and how that can create tricky situations for us. We work on facing our shame experiences with Compassion.

Session 9 looks at another important part of ourselves—the critical self—and we explore the forms and functions of self-criticism and how to direct compassion to this part of ourselves.

Session 10 brings in a range of other parts, especially the big three—angry self, anxious self, and sad self—and how we can extend our own compassion to these evolutionarily important, yet sometimes very difficult, emotional selves.

Session 11 We sum up what we've learned and develop our Compassionate selves further to adapt to what we've learned. We work on our Compassionate response through a Compassionate letter.

Session 12 We sum up the whole learning experience and work onhow to maintain it all, living a compassionate life…inside and out.