Stanford School of Medicine’s
Compassion Cultivation Training
Bornali Basu, Ph.D. is a Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) instructor dually certified by the Stanford School of Medicine's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research & Education (CCARE) and the Compassion Institute.
Compassion is the wish for the long-term wellbeing of self and others accompanied by the urge to help end suffering. Although compassion is a natural capacity within us, everyday stressors, social pressures and life experiences can make it difficult to respond with kindness. We can choose to cultivate our compassion instinct by training our hearts and minds to intentionally choose thoughts and actions that will bring us resilience and lasting joy.
Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) is an 8-week program designed to strengthen compassion for yourself and others. CCT was developed at Stanford University and integrates traditional contemplative practices with contemporary psychology and scientific research. The training is focused on developing self-awareness, kindness, empathy and courage to support the ability to respond mindfully to suffering and includes:
- Weekly 2-hour classes focused on skills acquisition
- Group discussion, informal lectures and in-class exercises
- Daily meditation practices
- Techniques to practice compassion in daily life
Benefits based on preliminary findings suggest that CCT and similar programs can increase self-compassion and self-care, and enhance meaningful connections with others. CCT is designed to support anyone who wants to cultivate compassion including caregivers, parents, healthcare professionals, therapists, executives, those in public service – people from a wide range of life contexts. No previous meditation experience is required.
Next online CCT Class with Bornali scheduled for September 2024
The class is specifically customized for therapists, nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals, and is available for 12 CE’s upon successful course completion. You will be introduced to practical tools and techniques that can be integrated into your life, providing protection against an inherently stressful work environment while promoting a reconnection with professional meaning.
To register please visit NYU Silver Continuing Education.
Benefits of compassion training based on research:
Healthcare providers and caregivers: CCT improves caring behaviors towards oneself, and the capacity to tolerate a full range of emotions – qualities associated with resilient caregiving.
College students: CCT can help address anxiety and difficulty coping with stress by improving self-soothing techniques and targeting self-critical thought processes.
Workplace: CCT improves mindfulness – a component of social/emotional intelligence associated with decreased stress, enhanced productivity, and compassionate leadership.
A partial list of sites at which Bornali has offered compassion based curriculum include NYU Langone Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center & the Metropolitan College of New York.
Continuing Education Credits (CE) may be available for select classes.
To learn more about related research findings please visit the compassion database at ccare.stanford.edu. To schedule private CCT classes for groups of 7 participants or more, please call Bornali at (646) 202-0122.