The Washington, D.C. Art & Science of Mindfulness Compassion & Wisdom Conference May 15-17, 2014 Marriott Marquis Hotel Washington, D.C.

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1 The Washington, D.C. Art & Science of Mindfulness Compassion & Wisdom Conference May 15-17, 2014 Marriott Marquis Hotel Washington, D.C. Thursday, May 15, :30 a.m. Keynote Presentation Inside Compassion: A New Model & Radical Vision Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D. Abbott & Head Teacher, at Upaya Zen Center, Santa Fe, NM, Author, Being with Dying (2008) Compassion is often associated with religion. It is also believed to be at times the cause of distress in those who experience it. And yet, recent research suggests that, on the contrary, compassion might be a source of hardiness, resilience, and well-being. It is as well an important feature of socialization essential to our individual and collective wellbeing. This presentation explores a new model of compassion that is nonlinear, context sensitive, and practical. The talk also outlines categories of compassion that give more dimensionality to what we usually consider compassion to be. Explore the obstacles to compassion Identify key features of cultivating compassion 9:45-11:15 a.m. Keynote Presentation The Healing Power of Compassion Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D. This session will explore through direct practice and exercises the cultivation in compassion in our every day lives, as well in special situations, like in care of the dying and in working with those suffering from trauma. It will also explore a unique intervention that one can use can used in compassion-based interactions. Understand how to cultivate compassion in interactions with patients Explore compassion as a socially relevant process in our everyday lives. 12:30-2 p.m. Concurrent Presentations Our Nature is to Nurture: A Journey into the Origins of Compassion Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Ph.D. Science Director at UC Berkeley s Greater Good Science Center, Berkeley, CA This presentation will explore the notion that compassion is key to human evolutionary fitness. Evidence from multiple scientific disciplines suggests that attuning to others and care-taking are core human competencies which fundamentally strengthen one's chances for survival. Looking at biological systems, research from social psychology and

2 studies that examine compassion, we'll map out the rationale for considering compassion essential to health and well-being. Define compassion and understand the more primary psychological processes that contribute to compassion. Understand the key studies and observations showing that compassion is fundamental to humans, and also evident as a survival advantage in primates. Understand the key biological systems that support experiences of compassion, and the care-taking behavior that is motivated by compassion. Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself Kristin Neff, Ph.D. A pioneer in the field of self-compassion research; author of Self-Compassion (2011); Assoc. Professor of Human Development, Ed. Psych. Dept., Univ. of Texas, at Austin. Self-compassion maximizes emotional resilience when we make mistakes, feel inadequate, or encounter other forms of suffering in our lives. In this workshop, participants will learn what self-compassion is, how it works, and research demonstrating its benefits. Key practices will also be introduced to help bring selfcompassion into daily life the self-compassion break and self-compassionate letter writing. Learning objectives: Understand the role of self-compassion in dealing with suffering Describe key research that supports the benefits of self-compassion for wellbeing. Practice techniques to increase the ability to be self-compassionate in daily life. 2:30-4 p.m. Concurrent Presentations Compassion Fitness: Evidence-based Practices for Boosting Your Own Compassion Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Ph.D. The field of Compassion Science has galvanized the development of several scientifically validated compassion training programs by thinkers from prestigious academic institutions - and even at the tech company Google. This workshop will briefly survey these programs, then preview key practices that people can use to experience compassion more readily and widely on a day to day basis, and review the evidence that supports the validity of each of these practices. Learn about the main academically-developed compassion training programs and the research that has demonstrated their efficacy Examine and try several key practices from these programs

3 Review scientific evidence which suggests that specific practices produce changes that are beneficial to health, well-being, and interpersonal functioning. Self-Compassion and Difficult Relationship Interactions Kristin Neff, Ph.D. This workshop will explore the role of self-compassion in dealing with difficult relationships. Participants will learn how self-compassion can foster upward rather than downward spirals of interaction in conflict situations, techniques to skillfully deal with anger toward those who have hurt us, and practices to develop forgiveness for our selves and others. Learning objectives Understand how self-compassion can foster healthy relationship interactions. Develop skills to productively work with anger. Practice techniques to foster forgiveness for our selves and others. Friday, May 16, :30 a.m. Keynote Presentation Love 2.0 How Positivity Resonance Nourishes Health Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D. Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Author, Love 2.0 and Positivity This presentation will discuss research highlights the particular benefits of shared positive emotions. Her findings on the benefits of positive social connections have inspired her to redefine love as micro-moments of positivity resonance between people even strangers. Dr. Fredrickson describes how the heart s capacity for love can be measured and how loving-kindness meditation can strengthen this capacity. Describe how positive emotions broaden awareness and promote growth of resources, health and well-being. Understand how positivity resonates between and among people, creating micromoments of shared positivity, bio-behavioral synchrony, and mutual care. Describe how self-sustaining upward spiral dynamics, triggered by positivity resonance, improve cardiovascular health :30 p.m. Keynote Presentation Compassion & Attunement Frank Ostaseski This experiential session will explore both presence and roadblocks to compassion. We will learn how compassion implies an intimacy with suffering that can be felt as an attunement. The non-judgmental attention of compassion needs to cognizant of the spectrum of considerations but be precisely attuned to what matters most to the suffering individual or group in the moment.

4 Learn to develop compassionate presence in the face of suffering Identify the temporary strategies we use to avoid suffering. Identify the healthy role and experience of mindfulness and compassion in addressing suffering and facilitating healing. 1:45-3:15 p.m. Concurrent Presentations Wisdom and Compassion in the Treatment of Trauma: First Do No Harm Christine A. Courtois, Ph.D, ABPP Private Practice, Washington, D.C., National Clinical Trauma Consultant, Elements Behavioral Health, Promises-Malibu and Los Angeles, CA This presentation will discuss the necessity for a trauma-informed perspective in the treatment of traumatized individuals and attention to spiritual and existential issues. Such an approach begins with respect and encompasses information, wisdom, and compassion regarding the injuries that have been suffered and the damage that has been done. It respects the individual and seeks to understand his/her unique experience and to tap personal and cultural strength, resilience, and resourcefulness. Psychotherapists, as helping professionals, are charged with the ethical dictum to do no harm. With the traumatized, it is to do no more harm. The ethics of treatment and the need for deep respect and compassion will be emphasized in this presentation. Describe different types of trauma. Identify characteristics of interpersonal trauma that make it more damaging than impersonal trauma, on average. List several characteristics of trauma-informed care. Being a Compassionate Companion Frank Ostaseski One of America s leading voices in contemplative end of life care; Founder, The Metta Institute, Co-founder, Zen Hospice Project; Author, Being A Compassionate Companion, audio series Compassion is the intelligent response of our Being to the presence of suffering. Without the presence of compassion, care giving becomes a series of mechanical, technological efforts that exhausts everyone and heals no one. We will explore how compassion can function as an inner guide in identifying and reducing the true causes of suffering. Learn to develop compassionate presence in the face of suffering Identify the temporary strategies we use to avoid suffering. Identify the healthy role and experience of mindfulness and compassion in addressing suffering and facilitating healing.

5 3:30-5 p.m. Concurrent Presentations Increasing Your Daily Diet of Love & Compassion Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D. In this workshop, Dr. Barbara Fredrickson shares lab-tested practices that you can use to increase your daily diet of love, compassion, and other positive emotions. She also introduces you to free on-line tracking tools that you can use to monitor your progress. Learn ancient meditations techniques that have been shown by modern science to improve health and well-being. Learn informal practices that unlock love and compassion that you can use in just micro-moments. Develop practical skills for increasing your and others' daily diet of positivity. Wisdom & Compassion in the Treatment of Trauma: Relational Dimensions of Healing Christine A. Courtois, Ph.D., ABPP Trauma that is interpersonal often involves betrayal, second injury, and sanctuary trauma. In this presentation, these issues will be discussed as they relate to the healing dimensions of treatment, particularly the relationship with the therapist. Psychologist Philip Kinsler wrote of the centrality of relationship in working with the traumatized, a theme that will be underscored in this presentation. We will discuss what is expected of the therapist and personal and professional preparations needed to work with traumatized individuals. Also discussed will be the risks and challenges associated with the posttraumatic and dissociative relational matrices within which the work occurs. Common transference and countertransference issues and enactments will be presented and case material used to illustrate approaches to management. Both vicarious trauma and posttraumatic growth as ongoing process issues for the therapist will be addressed. Attendees will be able to identify common elements of interpersonal trauma. Attendees will be able to describe several types of personal and professional preparations therapists should make to work effectively with traumatized individuals. Attendees will be able to identify several common transference and countertransference themes that emerge in trauma treatment. Saturday, May 17, :30 a.m. and 11:00-12:30 p.m. Keynote Presentation Cultivating a Forgiving Heart Tara Brach, Ph.D. Clinical psychologist, Buddhist teacher and author of Radical Acceptance, and True Refuge. Immeasurable individual, relational and societal suffering arises out of our egoic conditioning toward judgment and blame. Forgiveness is the releasing of this armoring, the letting go of our habitual ways of protecting our human vulnerability or woundedness. The capacity to forgive is necessary for a continued healing, maturing

6 and expanding of self-identity. Ultimately it is an essential de-conditioning process on the path of full spiritual realization. This two-part presentation examines forgiveness from an evolutionary and transpersonal developmental perspective, and explores the mindfulness-based attentional strategies that we and our clients can use to nourish perspective, insight and compassion. The first presentation will present an overview and focus primarily on the process of selfforgiveness. The second will expand the domain to include forgiving others. The presentations include both didactic and experiential learning. Learning Objectives Understand forgiveness from the perspectives of transpersonal development and evolutionary psychology Examine the attentional strategies that best combine with psychotherapy in dealing with need for forgiving self and/or others. Differentiate between mindfulness strategies and other attentional strategies that strengthen compassion Review and assess the contraindications and challenges of employing mindfulness strategies that underlie forgiveness in clinical settings Utilize mindfulness and compassion/forgiveness strategies in addressing situations of intrapsychic and interpersonal conflict Explore the implications of individual forgiveness work on broader societal challenges of addiction and violence. 1:45-3:15 p.m. Concurrent Presentations Mindfulness, Compassion & the Pain Paradox John Briere, Ph.D. Assoc. Professor of Psychiatry & Psychology at USC; Director, Psychological Trauma Program at LAC+USC Medical Center Although our culture is highly invested in avoiding negative experience, Buddhist and Western psychologies agree that avoiding emotional pain leads to long-term suffering, whereas directly engaging pain ultimately reduces it. From this perspective, ongoing trauma-related anxiety, sadness, even intrusive memories are not bad -- in fact, they represent access to experiences that can be cognitively, emotionally, and existentially processed. Critical in supporting the client's experience of this paradox is the therapist's compassionate capacity to allow and tolerate pain in this process. Objectives: Describe the Pain Paradox Identify the differences between "pain" and "suffering" Describe how the therapist's compassion can facilitate the client's processing of traumatic memories

7 Self Compassion: Managing Difficult Emotions Chris Germer, Ph.D. Clinical Instructor- Psychology, Harvard Medical School; Author, Mindful Path to Self-Compassion (2009), Coeditor, Wisdom & Compassion in Psychotherapy (2012) Self-compassion is a powerful tool for managing intense and disturbing emotions such as fear, despair, and shame. Participants will learn a safe and effective practice for regulating emotions Soften, Soothe, and Allow and explore obstacles and stages of progress on the path to self-compassion. Identify inner obstacles to self-compassion Practice self-compassion techniques for difficult emotions, including shame Recognize stages of progress in self-compassion training 3:30-5 p.m. Concurrent Presentations Mindfulness, Compassion, Suffering & the Therapist John Briere, Ph.D. Being a psychotherapist means regular exposure to people undergoing painful emotions and describing upsetting things. Witnessing pain of this magnitude can generate unwanted feelings in the therapist and threaten basic, protective assumptions about the world. The client s experiences may bring home the inevitability of future suffering in the therapist s own life. Luckily, phenomena especially helpful in working with clients mindfulness and compassion -- can lessen vicarious traumatization and countertransference, and increase enjoyment and growth in the work. List two critical components of a healing therapeutic relationship define compassion Describe a mindfulness activity that can increase the therapist's direct, yet less reactive, access to the client's suffering Self-Compassion Training for Care Givers Chris Germer, Ph.D. Self-compassion is warm, connected presence. It can be practiced in the midst of a caregiving crisis or as a general antidote to compassion fatigue. A modern adaptation of tonglen Giving and Receiving Compassion will be introduced, along with equanimity practice for caregivers. o Practice self-compassion for self-care o Practice self-compassion to enhance listening skills o Practice equanimity in challenging caregiver relationships