The Art of Self-Compassion with Chronic Pain
Begins October 24th 2025
Living with Chronic Pain, with More Kindness and Ease
A five-week online course with Dr. Christiane Wolf to help you meet pain with compassion, steady your nervous system, and discover moments of relief and resilience
Reflections from Past Participants
Why this Course?
Chronic pain can change everything: how you move, how you sleep, how you connect with others, even how you see yourself. It can feel overwhelming, isolating, and relentless.
But pain does not have to define your life.
Through mindfulness and self-compassion, you can discover a new way of relating to your pain, one that brings more ease, resilience, and kindness into each day.
This training also equips healthcare professionals with clinically validated compassion-based tools to support clients in pain management and emotional regulation.
This five-week course with Dr. Christiane Wolf, physician, meditation teacher, and co-author of A Clinician’s Guide to Teaching Mindfulness, offers practical tools, guided practices, and a supportive community to help you soften your relationship with pain and strengthen your relationship with yourself.
Why Self-Compassion Matters
When pain is ongoing, many of us try to fight it, ignore it, or push through. Sometimes we even fear that being kind to ourselves will make us weak, lazy, or more aware of the pain itself.
But research shows the opposite: self-compassion lowers stress, reduces suffering, and builds resilience. It helps you move from simply coping with pain to living with greater balance, presence, and dignity.
For psychologists and healthcare providers, this course also explores how self-compassion techniques can be integrated into clinical practice to support patient outcomes in chronic pain care.
“The practices didn’t make the pain disappear, but they helped me handle it in a whole different way. And when I know I can handle it, I’m not so afraid anymore.” – Course participant
What You Will Get
10 hrs Online LIVE
5
5
Join Us And Experience These Benefits
Shift your relationship to pain
Noticing what feels well, not just what hurts, so pain doesn’t dominate your whole experience
Soothe your nervous system
Simple practices like compassionate breathing and body scans that ease tension and calm stress
Meet difficult emotions with kindness
Fear, frustration, grief, and exhaustion become workable instead of overwhelming
Feel less alone
Connecting with others who understand the unique challenges of living with chronic pain
Healthcare Providers
Gain evidence‑based tools to support patients with chronic pain, reduce client distress, and deepen understanding of pain and emotion regulation
Course Introduction
Learn simple, practical tools to calm the nervous system and debunk common myths about self-compassion.
Discover how compassion and mindfulness work together, and feel what it’s like to soften around pain and replace self-criticism with tenderness.
Understand why self-compassion feels hard and learn how to move through fear and resistance with care.
Through a kindness body scan, notice both pain and ease, rebuild trust in your body, and explore tools for rest.
Bring everything together with compassionate breathing — inhale care for yourself, exhale compassion for others.
The Art of Self-Compassion with Chronic Pain is a five-week online journey into meeting your body, mind, and heart with kindness. Living with pain can feel exhausting and isolating. This course offers another way forward, one grounded in mindfulness, compassion, and resilience, and supported by current research in pain psychology and self-regulation.
Guided by Dr. Christiane Wolf, physician and meditation teacher, you’ll explore body scans, compassionate breathing, and gentle awareness practices tailored for people living with chronic pain. You can participate sitting, lying down, or simply listening. There is no one “right way.”
Each week you’ll be invited to notice not just what hurts, but also what feels well, and to meet difficult emotions with kindness rather than struggle. Over time, these practices become daily tools something to lean on when pain spikes, to help you rest, or to steady you through fear and frustration.
A key part of the course is community. You’ll have the option to share in small groups or reflect quietly, knowing you’re not alone on this path. All sessions are recorded and available to you anytime, so you can revisit the teachings whenever you need support.
For clinicians and caregivers, it also offers evidence-based skills that can be integrated into patient care to enhance emotional regulation, resilience, and therapeutic presence.
This course isn’t about erasing pain; it’s about changing your relationship to it so that it no longer defines your life.
“Excellent training! I left feeling peaceful, happy, looking forward to sharing teaching with my clients and integrating practices into my own life”
Dr. Christiane Wolf, MD, Ph.D.
Dr. Christiane Wolf (pronounced in English close to “Kristy-Anna”) is a physician turned mindfulness and compassion teacher and teacher trainer. She is an authorized Buddhist teacher in the Insight (Vipassanā) meditation tradition, teaching classes and retreats worldwide.
She helps stressed people to get into—and stay—in the zone of calm, peace and joy, and to find their way back there when life inevitably kicks them back out. This zone doesn’t only feel good but is the place to make better decisions, for oneself and for the world.
Her teaching integrates clinical insight with contemplative practice, helping individuals and healthcare professionals cultivate resilience and emotional regulation through mindfulness and compassion.
Christiane is the author of Outsmart Your Pain: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion to Help You Leave Chronic Pain Behind, and the co-author of A Clinician’s Guide to Teaching Mindfulness, the classic training manual for several mindfulness teacher trainings across the globe.
Reflections from Past Participants
Self-Compassion: Master It for Chronic Pain Relief!
We explore the power of self-compassion, especially for those facing chronic pain. We’ll learn how to navigate tough situations and shift our relationship with ourselves, drawing insights from clinical psychologist research and helpful guided meditations.
Who Should Enroll?
This course is designed for anyone living with the challenges of chronic pain or long-term health conditions who longs for a gentler, more supportive way of being with their body and mind, and for healthcare professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of compassion-based approaches to pain management.
You may recognize yourself if:
- You often feel exhausted from battling pain and want a different approach.
- You’ve tried meditation or mindfulness before but found it hard to adapt when pain was present.
- You’re seeking practical tools to calm stress, soften difficult emotions, and feel steadier through ups and downs.
- You want to learn at your own pace, with the option to sit, lie down, or simply listen, without pressure to “do it right.”
- You crave the support of a community that understands what it’s like to live with pain.
- You’d like to reduce isolation and bring more moments of ease, kindness, and connection into your life.
- For health professionals, this training provides evidence-based tools from mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), that can be applied in clinical work to support emotional regulation, reduce pain-related distress, and improve therapeutic presence.
- Psychologists, therapists, nurses, and other clinicians working with chronic pain populations will gain both personal insight and practical strategies applicable to client care.
No prior meditation experience is needed. Whether you’re brand new or have practiced before, you’ll find simple, adaptable practices that meet you right where you are.
Join Us
Pain may be part of your life, but it doesn’t have to define who you are.
Through mindfulness and self-compassion, you can discover a gentler, steadier way of being with yourself—one that softens suffering and opens the door to moments of ease, connection, and even joy.
The Art of Self-Compassion with Chronic Pain is your invitation to practice with others who understand, guided by a teacher who blends medical knowledge with deep compassion.
This isn’t about ignoring or fighting pain. It’s about transforming your relationship with it—so you can live with more kindness, resilience, and hope.
“I no longer feel defined by my pain. I can meet it with compassion, not fear.” – Course participant
Register Now
Payment Plan
- Over 10 hours of LIVE Instruction
- Online learning community
- Lifetime access to the content
- 10 CE Credits*
11 weekly payments of $29
*There will be an additional $100 fee for CE credit that you can add at checkout.
Full Payment
- Over 10 hours of LIVE Instruction
- Online learning community
- Lifetime access to the content
- 10 CE Credits*
$299
*There will be an additional $100 fee for CE credit that you can add at checkout.
- Scholarships are very limited and reserved for those who are truly experiencing financial hardship. Click here to apply.
Add-ons (Optional)
You can add during checkout
Continuing Education
10 CE Credits – $100
This 5-session program offers up to 10 CE credits for $100; 2 credits per session attended in full. These credits are applicable for psychologists and California-licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors. Please review our Continuing Education information page for Provider details, and to determine if your association or board will accept credits offered by Spirit Rock.
Attendance Policy:
- Participants will receive separate CE certificates for each session attended live and in full.
- No partial credit will be awarded for missed or partially attended sessions. Missed sessions are not eligible for partial refunds of CE fees.
- Attendance will be tracked automatically and verified as follows:
- Sign in to Zoom with the same email used to register for the program, before joining the program, to enable proper attendance tracking.
- Join the program by a web browser or Zoom App, not dialing in by phone.
- Arrive on time, and stay logged in and engaged for the duration of the program.
- It is the responsibility of the participant to ensure adequate internet reliability and bandwidth.
- After each session, participants with full attendance will be emailed a form to submit their professional information. Please complete this within 1 week of receiving the link.
- Upon submission of the professional information, participants will be emailed the Certificate of Attendance for that session.
Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public. Understanding and applying self-compassion is a clinically relevant skill that enhances a provider’s ability to support patients living with chronic pain. This program offers a science-informed, experiential approach to working with the nervous system’s response to suffering, helping providers recognize how compassion-based interventions can interrupt patterns of reactivity and stress. By integrating current research with contemplative practices, the course empowers care providers to better support their patients while also tending to their own well-being and resilience in the face of caregiving stress.
Session 1 – Foundations of Self-Compassion in Chronic Pain Treatment
Oct 24, 2025 | 2 CE credits
Learning Objectives- At the end of the program, you will be better able to:
1.a) Describe the three empirically supported components of self-compassion (mindfulness, common humanity, self-kindness) and their relevance to chronic pain treatment.
1.b) Describe the phenomenon of “backdraft” in compassion practice, and formulate strategies for safely addressing it in clinical settings.
Session 2 – The Warmth of Compassion and Mindfulness as Clinical Interventions
Oct 31, 2025 | 2 CE credits
Learning Objectives- At the end of the program, you will be better able to:
2.a) Utilize at least two compassion-based practices, such as soothing touch and compassionate imagery, to support emotion regulation and reduce pain-related distress in clinical populations.
2.b) Differentiate between mindfulness and compassion in the context of clinical interventions for pain and emotional suffering.
Session 3 – Addressing Fear, Resistance, and Trauma with Compassion
Nov 7, 2025 | 2 CE credits
Learning Objectives- At the end of the program, you will be better able to:
3.a) Explain the role of the autonomic nervous system in the experience of chronic pain, and evaluate how compassion-based interventions may modulate physiological stress responses.
3.b) Describe the risks and clinical considerations of introducing self-compassion practices with clients experiencing unresolved trauma and chronic pain.
Session 4 – Somatic Awareness and Tools for Regulation
Nov 14, 2025 | 2 CE credits
Learning Objectives- At the end of the program, you will be better able to:
4.a) Apply a self-compassionate inner dialogue technique to reduce pain-related rumination and emotional distress.
4.b) Describe the role of the threat–soothe system model in understanding the self-critical response to chronic pain.
Session 5 – Compassionate Breathing & Clinical Integration
Nov 21, 2025 | 2 CE credits
Learning Objectives- At the end of the program, you will be better able to:
5.a) Explain how self-compassion modulates the brain’s pain matrix and affects the perception of chronic pain.
5.b) List psychological and physiological outcomes associated with increased self-compassion in patients with chronic pain.
Continuing Education content level: Introductory
*Please note:
- For full provider information and additional CE information, including attendance requirements, cancellation, and grievance policies, please visit our Continuing Education Credit information page.
- If you hold a different license than those listed above, or a license from a different board or association than those listed on our CE info page, please contact your licensing board or association directly to request pre-approval/acceptance of CE credits offered at Spirit Rock. Spirit Rock does not confirm the applicability of credit for those with licenses other than those listed.
- Co-sponsor Mindful CECs is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP17985 for 10 contact hours.
- Potential Conflict of Interest Statement: This instructor may have authored publications relevant to the subjects covered in this course. The instructor might reference these publications during the course, and they may receive financial compensation if these publications are purchased.
- Credit is awarded for instructional time only and does not include extended silent meditation, if offered.
Course Logistics
Schedule
- Friday, October 24, 10 am – 12 pm PT
- Friday, October 31, 10 am – 12 pm PT
- Friday, November 7, 10 am – 12 pm PT
- Friday, November 14, 10 am – 12 pm PT
- Friday, November 21, 10 am – 12 pm PT
Course FAQ
Although our Programs are available on any device, we suggest using a computer (if possible) and Chrome or Firefox browser to log in: https://courses.spiritrock.org
Note: The login for our Online Learning Platform differs from your Spirit Rock login.
Accessing Your Program Page:
Click on it from your Dashboard after you’ve logged in. Once there, navigate through the sections on “My Courses” on the dashboard.
Are you logged in? Use the “log in” button on the top right of the page. This will give you the access you need to see all the content.
Although the Online Learning Platform works on mobile and tablet devices, for the best experience, use a desktop or laptop. This might be an easier way to find all the areas of the site as you are learning how it works.
The course is delivered LIVE online over a five week period over Zoom.
If you notice a link, content, or anything that isn’t working properly, please email us at courses@spiritrock.org
Try refreshing your browser and check your internet connection. Check another website to see if it’s just our site or something in your system.
Yes, once you’ve completed the course, you will retain lifetime access to all course materials, allowing you to revisit lectures, exercises, and meditations whenever needed.
We would love for you and your Sangha to join as a group. Please email us at courses@spiritrock.org with more details so we can help you.
If you have a question that isn’t answered here, email us at courses@spiritrock.org.
This course is about the Four Brahmavihāras (Metta, Karuna, Mudita, and Upekkha), which are Buddhist heart practices that cultivate love, compassion, joy, and balance. The course will provide practical meditation techniques and real-life applications to help participants develop these qualities in their lives.
Spirit Rock offers scholarships for those in need. If the course fees are a barrier, please complete the scholarship form HERE.
- If you need to cancel before the course begins, we’ll provide a refund with just a $25 administrative fee deducted.
- For cancellations made by 5:00 PM PST on Oct 31st, we’ll happily refund your payment, keeping only a $49 course fee.
- To assist you with your cancellation, please reach out to us directly at courses@spiritrock.org. We’ll take care of the process for you.
- After November 1st, we won’t be able to issue refunds, so we appreciate your understanding.
- CEs are non-refundable.
Although our Programs are available on any device, we suggest using a computer (if possible) and Chrome or Firefox browser to log in: https://courses.spiritrock.org
Note: The login for our Online Learning Platform differs from your Spirit Rock login.
Accessing Your Program Page:
Click on it from your Dashboard after you’ve logged in. Once there, navigate through the sections on “My Courses” on the dashboard.
Are you logged in? Use the “log in” button on the top right of the page. This will give you the access you need to see all the content.
Although the Online Learning Platform works on mobile and tablet devices, for the best experience, use a desktop or laptop. This might be an easier way to find all the areas of the site as you are learning how it works.
The course is delivered LIVE online over a five week period over Zoom.
If you notice a link, content, or anything that isn’t working properly, please email us at courses@spiritrock.org
Try refreshing your browser and check your internet connection. Check another website to see if it’s just our site or something in your system.
Yes, once you’ve completed the course, you will retain lifetime access to all course materials, allowing you to revisit lectures, exercises, and meditations whenever needed.
We would love for you and your Sangha to join as a group. Please complete this form to request group registration.
Spirit Rock offers scholarships for those in need. If the course fees are a barrier, please complete the scholarship form HERE.
- If you need to cancel before the course begins, we’ll provide a refund with just a $25 administrative fee deducted.
- For cancellations made by 5:00 PM PST on Oct 31st, we’ll happily refund your payment, keeping only a $49 course fee.
- To assist you with your cancellation, please reach out to us directly at courses@spiritrock.org. We’ll take care of the process for you.
- After November 1st, we won’t be able to issue refunds, so we appreciate your understanding.
- CEs are non-refundable.
Our Guarantee
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Please read our detailed refund policy in the FAQ above. For any questions or to request a refund, please contact us at courses@spiritrock.org.
Group Program
Join us on this transformative journey with the course The Art of Self-Compassion with Chronic Pain and save 15% when you sign up with a friend or group using the link below!
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