PSY 03 — The Science and Practice of Strengthening Compassion
Summer
Tuesdays
7:00—8:50 pm
Date(s)
Jun 30—Aug 4
6 weeks
Drop By
Jul 13
1 Units
Fees
$215
Open
Compassion can be defined as the desire to relieve suffering, rooted in a sense of connection, caring, and courage. In this course, we will explore both the latest scientific research on compassion and the philosophical and practical considerations for strengthening compassion in everyday life. We will explore the evolutionary and biological basis of compassion, how culture shapes who we feel empathy for, the most common barriers to compassion, and how compassion can be learned. We will also discuss the importance of self-compassion, how to deal with compassion fatigue, and how to translate a compassionate mindset into meaningful action.
The instructors for this course are program developers and instructors for the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), which is striving to create a community of scholars and researchers, including neuroscientists, psychologists, neuroeconomists, and contemplative scholars, in order to undertake a rigorous scientific study of the neural, mental, and social bases of compassion and altruistic behavior through a wide spectrum of disciplines such as neuroscience, psychology, economics, and contemplative traditions.
The instructors for this course are program developers and instructors for the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), which is striving to create a community of scholars and researchers, including neuroscientists, psychologists, neuroeconomists, and contemplative scholars, in order to undertake a rigorous scientific study of the neural, mental, and social bases of compassion and altruistic behavior through a wide spectrum of disciplines such as neuroscience, psychology, economics, and contemplative traditions.
This course may not be taken for a Letter Grade.
Kelly McGonigal, Senior Teacher, Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), Stanford
Kelly McGonigal teaches for a wide range of programs at Stanford, including the School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Business. In collaboration with CCARE, she has conducted scientific research on the benefits of training compassion. She has received the Walter J. Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching at Stanford. She is the author of The Upside of Stress and The Willpower Instinct. McGonigal received a PhD in psychology from Stanford.Leah Weiss Ekstrom, Senior Teacher, Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), Stanford
Leah Weiss Ekstrom is a contemplative scholar and writer specializing in the application of meditation in secular contexts. She teaches courses on compassionate leadership at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and is a senior teacher and trainer for Stanford’s Compassion Cultivation Program. She also leads Compassion Education and Scholarship at HopeLab, an Omidyar Group research and development nonprofit focused on resilience. Ekstrom is a co-founder of the Foundation for Active Compassion, which provides meditation practices of compassion and wisdom to people involved in social service and social change work. She received a PhD from Boston College.Textbooks for this course:
(Recommended) Thupten Jinpa, A Fearless Heart: How the Courage to Be Compassionate Can Transform Our Lives (ISBN 1594632626)