Learning self-compassion through social connection at work: The experiences of healthcare professionals in a 6-week intervention

Self-compassion has previously been shown to buffer healthcare professionals from burnout and other forms of mental distress, yet research is lacking on how self-compassion can be developed and integrated into the healthcare work environment. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the potential precursors, mechanisms, and outcomes of change regarding how healthcare professionals learned self-compassion from attending a 6-week Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities (SCHC) training. Social connections at work enhanced the trustworthiness of the program and helped participants learn to apply self-compassion within the healthcare context. Participants described practicing self-compassion with “small daily gifts” and by offering themselves “grace.” They felt their relationships with patients, coworkers, and family members had improved as a result of the emotion regulation and self-care skills they had gained. Findings suggest the SCHC program may address HCP burnout and empathy fatigue by providing tools that help individuals replenish their energy throughout the day and emotionally separate from others’ experiences of pain. Situating programs within healthcare settings may help to reinforce and contextualize self-compassion concepts and facilitate the implementation and benefits of these tools and skills.