Mary O’Callaghan

Mary O’Callaghan, MA, EAP, is the founder-director of Oscailt. Mary is an accredited psychotherapist and supervisor and has also been exploring meditation practices for nearly 40 years. During that time, she spent eight years living as a Buddhist nun and underwent intensive training in Eastern psychology and meditation. She has led meditation retreats in Europe and Asia and is passionate about integrating mindfulness into everyday life.

Email:mary@oscailt.com

https://oscailt.com/calendar/mindful-self-compassion-msc-course-sept-2024/

Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) Course – an 8-week program facilitated by Mary O’Callaghan. It starts on Monday the 23rd of September and runs until the 11th of November. Classes will be held on Monday evenings from 7.15 pm – 9.45 pm. There will be a half day of practice on Sunday the 3rd of November from 10.00 am – 2.00 pm. The fee is €350.

While many of us would be quick to complain about being treated harshly by a loved one, friend or colleague, the reality is that we tend to treat ourselves in ways we would never treat anyone else. When things go wrong for us, how quickly we use expressions of self-blame such as what’s the matter with me? or what have I done now? or there I go again!. This habit of negative and critical self-talk is undermining, unproductive and stressful.

Mindful self-compassion helps us, first to recognise these habits as they arise (mindfulness) and then to let go of our harshness towards ourselves and, instead, to develop understanding, tenderness and kindness (self-compassion).

This eight-week programme is for anyone who has some previous experience of mindfulness and who wants to cultivate compassion for themselves and for others.