“In this beautifully written book, esteemed clinical psychologist and therapist Stan Steindl takes us on a personal journey into the ups and downs of what it is to be human and reveals both the challenges and the joys of building one’s compassionate mind.”
— Professor Paul Gilbert OBE, Founder of Compassion Focused Therapy and bestselling author
Life can be complicated. And sometimes, really very difficult. We may struggle with many common life challenges: in relationships, parenting, and work, just to name a few. We can end up suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression, or loneliness, isolation or shame.
But did you know that a lot of that suffering comes from within? Rumination and self-criticism are uniquely human thought processes, developed over hundreds of thousands of years. Our brains evolved into an impressive and complex organ that helped us to survive a primitive world, and yet today may yell at us with harsh and hostile criticism, sometimes even over the smallest thing!
In fact, critical self-talk is very common. And it flies just under the radar of our conscious mind — condemning and undermining us with its inner voice. This book will show you how to do better — to turn anguish into delight through the use of our Compassionate Self.
Through a clear series of steps and practices, noted clinical psychologist Dr Stan Steindl explains how compassion evolved as a vital part of our nature and thought, and the way we look after one another, and even ourselves. He then shows how to use our compassion as a key to a healthier mental life.
With personal vignettes illustrating the therapeutic benefits of compassion focused therapy, practical exercises that use mindfulness and imagery to help us develop attention to the present moment, and a wealth of guidance on self-criticism, shame and forgiveness, this book can change your life.
Purchase The Gifts of Compassion Here
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~Praise for the Gifts of Compassion
Smart and engaging, this book unpacks the science of compassion in a delightful way and shows how to bring compassion into our lives when we need it the most. Don’t miss the special topics on shame and forgiveness. Highly recommended!”
— Dr Christopher Germer, Harvard Medical School. Author, The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion
Dr. Steindl provides not only an understanding of the basis of suffering but a clear-cut path to overcome our suffering. His book is a gift to each of us.”
— James R. Doty, M.D., Stanford University Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) and best-selling author of Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart