MSC for teens (online)
We are living in a time of unprecedented change and uncertainty. Current events, including the global pandemic, compound the already significant challenges of adolescence, leaving teens even more vulnerable to stress and disconnection.
Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens (MSC-T, formally called "Making friend with yourself") is an empirically supported, 8-session program designed to foster the skills of self-awareness and resilience, helping teens to navigate more effectively with the ups and downs of life with greater ease. Research finds that MSC-T participants experience many benefits including decreased stress, greater resilience, and increased well-being.
Do you know a teen who:
Feels anxious about keeping up with everything at school?
Struggles with negative thoughts that makes them feel crappy about themself?
Strives for perfection and feels ashamed when they fail?
Is at a loss how to handle with friendship issues?
Gets upset easily and sometimes cries for no reason?
Feels like no one understands them?
Is a human teenager?
NEXT COHORT
Sep 14 - Nov 9, 2022 | Mondays and Thursdays 4:00pm - 5:30pm
**Open to teens aged 11-14 or 15-18**
PRICING
2500 CNY
Zoom link shared upon registration
WHAT TO EXPECT
Through exploring concepts and engaging in practices, teens will learn valuable tools and strategies to:
Calm their minds
Relax their bodies
Be less overwhelmed by intense emotions, social comparison and their negative self-talk
Motivate themselves with kindness instead of harsh criticism
Clarify their values and stand up for what matters to them
Be more present to enjoy the good things in their lives
Recognize they are not alone in their experiences
Feel more connected to others
PROGRAM CONTENT
Eight 90-minute sessions for your teen with two experienced MSC teachers
Weekly emails to participants and parents with information for each session
Weekly recordings of meditations for participants use
Access to instructors for questions and support throughout the program.
A workshop to support and empower parents and caregivers as they navigate adolescence with their teens
How to talk about the program to your teens...
1. What is this program about?
It’s about learning ways to not be so hard on yourself, and still be motivated and get things done.
2. What actually happens in the class?
We talk about what mindfulness and self-compassion are, we watch short videos, play a few games, learn how to do a music meditation, do a little bit of mindful art at the beginning of each class, and learn ways to de-stress in the moment when we start feeling overwhelmed.
3. Do I have to participate in everything?
No. You never have to participate in anything that you don’t want to.
4. Am I going to have to talk about my feelings? What if I don’t want to?
You never have to talk about anything that you’re not comfortable discussing. First and foremost, this program is about being kind to yourself. So, if it doesn’t feel like you’re doing something kind for yourself, you don’t have to do it.
5. I think you’re just saying that. I think once I get there, you’re going to find ways to make me participate.
Nope! We’re serious. This isn’t school.
6. How do you know that this program will help me not stress as much?
Through a number of research studies, we know that when teens are kinder to themselves, they have less depression, anxiety, and stress. So in this program, we “build” the self-compassion muscle. Just like lifting weights builds arm muscles, learning self-compassion builds resilience de-stress muscles.
7. My parent/therapist/coach/teacher thinks I should take this class but I don’t trust them. They’re an adult and they think they know me but they don’t really. Why should I take it?
Well, certainly don’t take it to make them happy! Take it to make you happy, because lots of teens have talked about how it has really helped them, and they don’t feel as stressed as they used to. Watch the Benji Project video to see what teens say about the program!
Instructors
Charlene Ng studied Psychology at Stanford University and later built teams at several internet companies such as Google and Alibaba. She is passionate about helping stressed-out teens to cope with stress and succeed in life so that they can feel calmer and happier. She is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.
Julia Feste is a former engineer and then Montessori educator, exploring topics related to the human connection, nonviolence and emotions through NNVC and mindfulness since 2015. Her passion has since become to create space for transformational education by applying principles of mindfulnenss, NVC consciousnness and coaching in her classroom. In most recent time Julia too a teacher training program in Mindful Self-Compassion which is enabling her to support teens in her classroom as a life science teacher.
Julia holds ACC coaching credentials with International Coach Federation.
