For many of us — and those we may work to support — shame is operating beneath the surface of some of our most difficult experiences, like self-criticism, fear, and anger. And while it is “mostly invisible,” as Dr. Chris Germer, co-founder of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, reminds us, we can learn to identify and work with shame.

In this 9-minute video, Dr. Germer offers helpful insight into the nature of shame, including how it is different from guilt, and points out many ways that it may show up in our experience — often as an invisible component of difficult emotions such as fear and anger. Finally, Dr. Germer discusses why research shows that self-compassion is the opposite of shame, both theoretically and empirically.

Join Our Upcoming Live Workshop + Q&A With Dr. Chris Germer!

We’re thrilled to be hosting a 90-minute interactive workshop on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 with Dr. Chris Germer — Working with Shame in Therapy: The Transformative Power of Self-Compassion. Learn more and register here >>

Join Our Upcoming Live Workshop + Q&A With Dr. Chris Germer

We’re thrilled to be hosting a 90-minute interactive workshop this month with Dr. Chris Germer on Working with Shame in Therapy: The Transformative Power of Self-Compassion.

In this 90-minute live workshop for mental health professionals, Dr. Germer, co-developer of the Mindful Self-Compassion program, invites you to look at shame through the eyes of self-compassion. As he reminds us, shame is one of the most painful and pervasive human emotions, often hiding in anxiety, grief, anger, and stuck patterns in therapy. Yet at its core, shame is an innocent emotion rooted in the universal wish to be loved. When we learn to recognize shame, and meet it with kindness, connection, and mindful awareness, it begins to lose its grip.

Drawing on clinical experience and current research, Dr. Germer will explore how self-compassion can act as an antidote to shame — moving clients from self-criticism, isolation, and rumination toward self-kindness, common humanity, and mindful presence. You’ll learn practical ways to bring compassion into your presence as a therapist, into the therapeutic relationship, and into client practices, including how to work safely with “backdraft” when compassion brings old pain to the surface.

In this workshop you will:

• Gain a deeper understanding of shame including its evolutionary purpose, and how it is learned through early attachment, family dynamics, and culture.
• Learn what current research tells us about the link between shame and psychopathology, and the close relationship between shame and trauma.
• Understand the role of self-compassion at the level of therapist presence, the therapeutic relationship, and client-directed practices — creating an environment where compassion becomes the atmosphere of therapy rather than a technique.
• Practice simple, safe skills to cultivate self-compassion and alleviate shame engaging in accessible, research-supported practices you can use for yourself and with clients.

Also Coming Up: CMSC’s Self-Compassion in Psychotherapy (SCIP)

If you might also be interested in CMSC’s Self-Compassion in Psychotherapy (SCIP) program beginning in January, you’re warmly invited to a free SCIP information session and community meditation with Chris, Galia, Lisa, and Shari on Saturday, November 29 from 8–9:30 am PT. It’s a great way to meet the teaching team, ask questions, and get a sense of whether the program aligns with your professional goals. You’ll also receive a special discount offer by attending and there will be a replay available so even if you can’t make it, sign up and we’ll send you a link to watch. Click here to learn more >>

About Chris Germer

Chris Germer, PhD is a clinical psychologist and lecturer on psychiatry (part-time) at Harvard Medical School. He co-developed the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program with Kristin Neff in 2010 and MSC has since been taught to over 100,000 people worldwide. They co-authored two books on MSC, The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook and Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program.

Chris spends most of his time lecturing and leading workshops around the world on mindfulness and self-compassion. He is also the author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion; he co-edited two influential volumes on therapy, Mindfulness and Psychotherapy, and Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy; and he maintains a small private practice in Arlington, Massachusetts, USA.