S3 Ep 44: How To Teach (And Practice) Self-Compassion with Dr. Shauna Shapiro
Nov 3, 2023
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Renowned psychologist and mindfulness expert Dr. Shauna Shapiro discusses the power of self-compassion in parenting. She shares insights on building a compassionate mindset, dealing with a child being hard on themselves, and fostering emotional growth in parents and kids.
Teaching self-compassion to children equips them with a powerful tool for navigating life's challenges and promotes resilience and well-being.
Self-compassion is not about letting oneself off the hook, but rather being honest, supporting personal growth, and treating oneself with kindness and understanding.
Deep dives
Teaching Kids Self-Love and Self-Compassion
In this episode, Dr. Eliza Pressman explores the topic of self-compassion, focusing on teaching children self-love and self-compassion. Dr. Shana Shapiro, a psychologist and mindfulness expert, joins as a guest. Dr. Shapiro shares her personal experience of practicing self-compassion during a challenging divorce and how it transformed her life. She emphasizes the importance of teaching children self-compassion and introduces her children's book, 'Good Morning, I Love You,' which aims to instill self-compassion in young readers. Self-compassion is distinguished from self-esteem and is shown to be a more reliable and beneficial source of support and motivation. Research demonstrates that self-compassion helps individuals make healthier choices and improves resilience and overall well-being. By cultivating self-compassion in children, we can equip them with a powerful tool for navigating life's challenges.
The Power of Self-Compassion
Dr. Shapiro delves into the science behind self-compassion and its transformative effects. She addresses common misconceptions that self-compassion makes individuals lazy or self-indulgent, highlighting research that shows self-compassionate individuals are more successful in reaching their goals, taking care of themselves, and being generous and compassionate towards others. She emphasizes that self-compassion is not about letting oneself off the hook, but rather being honest with oneself, supporting personal growth, and treating oneself with kindness and understanding. By nurturing self-compassion, we can create positive neural pathways that promote resilience, motivation, and overall well-being.
Teaching Self-Compassion to Children
The episode focuses on practical ways to teach self-compassion to children. Dr. Shapiro explains that the story-driven approach of her book, 'Good Morning, I Love You,' aims to engage children in learning self-compassion through storytelling. The protagonist, Violet, learns to replace self-judgment with self-kindness and experiences the transformative power of self-compassion. Dr. Shapiro also suggests simple techniques such as having children put their hand on their heart and say kind words to themselves, practicing naming emotions to calm the nervous system, and nurturing a sense of common humanity by sending loving-kindness not only to oneself but also to others. By helping children navigate self-judgment and embrace self-compassion, we can instill a foundation of self-love and resilience for their lifelong well-being.
Repairing with Self-Compassion
The episode concludes by discussing the significance of repair, both with oneself and with others, through self-compassion. Dr. Shapiro emphasizes the role of self-compassion in healing shame and judgment, which are prevalent among individuals across various experiences and backgrounds. By practicing self-compassion, individuals can create an environment for growth, learning, and kindness towards oneself. Dr. Shapiro provides valuable insights and guidance for parents in helping their children make reparations with themselves, teaching them to name their emotions, offer self-care, and cultivate an understanding of common humanity. By fostering self-compassion, parents can empower their children to navigate life's challenges with kindness, resilience, and self-belief.
In this insightful podcast episode, we sit down with renowned psychologist and mindfulness expert, Dr. Shauna Shapiro, to explore the transformative power of self-compassion in the realm of parenting.
Dr. Shapiro shares her expertise on how mindfulness and self-compassion can help parents develop resilience, improve their relationships with their children, and create a more nurturing and supportive family environment. Drawing from her extensive research and personal experiences, she offers valuable insights into building a compassionate mindset, what to do when your kid is hard on themselves, and how to foster emotional growth in both parents and kids.
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