Train to Teach: Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers Program
Welcome to the Journey of becoming a Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers (SCCC) Teacher! This journey requires a big heart and a passion for children’s well-being. SCCC teachers also understand that children’s acquisition of self-compassion is intricately linked to the resilience and self-compassion levels of their caregivers. To teach SCCC you need your own personal mindfulness and self-compassion practice, an authentic presence, and a curious and playful energy to bring to your interactions with children.
SCCC Teacher Training provides a foundation for teaching the SCCC program to children and caregivers (or groups of children). This teacher training pathway is designed for those who wish to teach the full 6-week SCCC course, as well as those who would like to integrate mindfulness and self-compassion into their ongoing professional activities with children (psychotherapy, coaching, teaching, etc.), and individuals who have a professional interest in the field (i.e., researchers, administrators, etc.).
“The Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers program is a powerful way to help kids learn how to be kind to themselves. It takes the core of the Mindful Self-compassion for adults and transforms it into something that is fun and accessible to children and their caregivers. I’d highly recommend SCCC for anyone who wants their child to grow up with skills of emotional resilience and self-acceptance.” -Kristin Neff, PhD, Co-developer of the adult Mindful Self-Compassion training
Here are the steps to becoming a trained SCCC teacher
There are a couple of prerequisites to meet before being accepted into the teacher training program, and you are encouraged to carefully consider whether you meet these prerequisites before you apply. Once accepted into the teacher training program, there are a couple of steps you will need to take in order to become a trained SCCC teacher.
Step 1:
Prerequisites
Complete Mindful Self-Compassion training and Compassionate Parenting: Help Children Grow Self-Compassion
Step 2:
Teacher Training
Participate in the SCCC Teacher Training including both live-online sessions and asynchronous online training.
Step 3:
Consultation Sessions
Register for and attend 3 online group consultation Zoom sessions while teaching your first SCCC course.
Step 1: Fullfilling the Required Prerequisites
There are 2 courses individuals must complete before for applying to SCCC teacher training:
- FIRST PREREQUISITE: Previous participation in an 8-week Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) course, 5-day Mindful Self-Compassion Intensive or 10-week Live Online MSC (LOMSC). MSC training can be taken with Jamie Lynn Tatera, or with another trained Mindful Self-Compassion instructor through the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.
- SECOND PREREQUISITE: After taking the full Mindful Self-Compassion training, your next step is to take Compassionate Parenting (CP): Help Children Grow Self-Compassion. This course provides a foundation in the development of children’s self-compassion within the context of the caregiver-child relationship, and will enable effective facilitation of an optimal parent-child dynamic during SCCC classes.
- SCCC applicants must also have a personal mindfulness and self-compassion practice and experience working with children.
Step 2: SCCC Teacher Training
Cost: $745
A limited number of partial scholarships are available for participants with financial need.
After completing the two prerequisite courses (MSC and CP), you can register and apply for SCCC Teacher Training. Your application will be reviewed and upon approval, you will be accepted into the program. Scroll down to see upcoming live-online SCCC TT dates.
The SCCC teacher training consists of 4 live-online teacher training sessions (including practice teaching components from the SCCC classes) as well as online (asynchronous) curriculum training/study.
For the asynchronous online training, teachers-in-training will need to allocate 1.5 – 3 hours (average of 2 hours) per week for up to 17 weeks. Asynchronous study can be completed in a shorter number of weeks if an individual chooses to allocate more hours of training time per week. Completion of asynchronous study and attendance at the 4 live-online sessions is required to successfully complete the program and move to the next step, although accommodations may be made in exceptional situations.
Participants in the SCCC teacher training course will receive:
- Teacher training including both online and live-online instruction in the SCCC curriculum and practice teaching components of the program
- The SCCC teacher guide for teaching the six-session Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers class
- Video and audio resources for teaching the Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers program
- Bonus Self-Compassion for Kids Mini-Lessons
Participant Requirements
The prerequisites for taking SCCC Teacher Training include:
- Daily mindfulness and self-compassion practice
- Experience working with children, preferably in groups
- Previous participation in an 8-week Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) course, 5-day Mindful Self-Compassion Intensive or 10-week Live Online MSC (LOMSC)
- Previous participation in Compassionate Parenting (CP): Help Children Grow Self-Compassion
Training Objectives
At the completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Identify the core themes and practices presented in each of the six sessions of SCCC
- Understand the rationale for the modifications made from the adult MSC program
- Describe different ways of involving parents so that they can appropriately engage and support their children in their practice
- Identify obstacles for children learning mindfulness and self-compassion and strategies for overcoming these obstacles
- Identify obstacles to mindfulness and self-compassion practice and strategies to overcome them
- Deepen one’s understanding of key elements in teaching mindfulness and self-compassion practice to children and caregivers
Continuing Education Credits
This information pertains to Live Online SCCC Teacher Training components only. Participants will not receive CE credits for asynchronous online study. Continuing Education Credits will be offered for US certified psychologists, therapists and nurses. (Please see the list below for details.)
In order to receive CE credits, you must attend all the Teacher Training Sessions. No credit is given for partial attendance. You will also need to fill out the online Evaluation after the training completes. CE Certificates will be emailed about a month after the program completes.
Psychologists: Continuing Education Credit for this program is provided by UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness. The UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course offers 8.5 hours of CE Credit.
California licensed MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, LCSWs: Continuing Education Credit for this program is provided by UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness. The UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. 8.5 hours of CE Credit may be applied to your license renewal through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. For those licensed outside California, please check with your local licensing board to determine if CE Credit is accepted.
Nurses: Nurses: UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP16351, for 8.5 contact hours.
Please submit the $60 USD fee when registering.
Please contact Jamie Lynn Tatera with any questions regarding CE credits.
Step 3: Consultation Sessions
Cost: $295 ($225 for low-income countries)
After completing the asynchronous and live-online sessions of the SCCC TT, your next step on the teacher training pathway is to teach the SCCC class to parent-child pairs (or groups of children only if you only intend to be a Self-Compassion for Children teacher) and enroll in and complete three consultation sessions. To become a fully trained SCCC teacher, teachers-in-training must enroll in a series of three consultation sessions while teaching the SCCC program. During each of your consultation sessions, you will discuss your experience teaching (or preparing to teach) the SCCC program as well as any questions that you have. Consultation sessions may be private or small group.
To be eligible to apply for Trained Teacher status after completing your consultation sessions, the following is required:
- Your SCCC course must have at least 6 parent-child pairs (or six children)
- Your course must follow the SCCC curriculum and not be a modification or adaptation of the curriculum
Teacher Trainer and SCCC Program Developer Jamie Lynn Tatera
Jamie Lynn Tatera is a Certified Mindful Self-Compassion instructor, a Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens instructor and teacher trainer, SCCC program developer, teacher and teacher trainer as well as an elementary school teacher.
Jamie Lynn brings a wealth of experience, skill and passion to her SCCC classes and SCCC teacher trainings.
Upcoming Live-Online SCCC Teacher Training Dates
Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers (SCCC) Teacher Training
Combo live-online and asynchronous online teacher training for individuals who would like to teach the SCCC program in an educational, clinical, or community setting.
Live-Online and asynchronous Online Study beginning October, 2023 with 4 LIVE Sessions
Dates and Times of 4 Live-Online Sessions:
- October 2023 initial live-online session (exact date and time TBD)
- February 2025 3 live-online practice teaching sessions (exact dates and times TBD)
Email Jamie Lynn Tatera for information regarding the next live-online SCCC Teacher Training.
“This is an exquisite adaptation of the empirically-supported Mindful Self-Compassion program that somehow manages to preserve the essence of MSC and still make it entirely accessible and engaging for a much younger audience and their parents. Skillfully constructed, thoroughly tested and thoughtfully presented, the SCCC program will make a big impact in the world in kids and parents who need it most.” -Steve Hickman, Executive Director of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion
Submit your name and information to express interest in participating in the Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers teacher training program and to receive updates about upcoming informational sessions
Express Interest in Learning to Teach
The Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers (SCCC) teacher training has been created to align with the adult Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) and Mindful Self-Compassion-Teens (MSC-T) teacher training processes offered through the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.