Compassion It’s 2021

As I reflect on the second year of the pandemic, I feel proud and grateful.

Compassion It has continued to step up and show up for individuals, organizations, and communities during these challenging times. 

 

Here are our highlights from 2021:

1 – We offered compassion trainings to THOUSANDS 

In 2021, we served over 2,900 individuals through live compassion trainings. 

Thanks to COVID, most of our sessions continue to be held online. This allows us to support people from around the world.

We led trainings for:

• Staff members of YWCA Greater Cleveland
• Educators at Riverside County’s Office of Education 
• Board members of an Alaskan financial services company
• Junior high students on Canada’s Prince Edward Island
• Plus so many more!

2 – We were featured in some cool spots

As a Tar Heel, I felt honored to share Compassion It’s story in the University of North Carolina’s alumni magazine. Thank you, Beth McNichol Neefjes, for the wonderful write-up.

 

I also shared Compassion it via:

• Michelle Becker’s Well Connected Relationships podcast
• Joree Rose’s Journey Forward podcast
• Children’s Discovery Museum of San Diego Parenting on the Go video series

3 – We developed and piloted a new course

Burrell and I have said for many years that the eight-week course we teach is not accessible, so we created something new! 

We developed and led a new five-week course Compassion Training for Busy People for a diverse cohort from all over the map, from street outreach workers in Chicago to yogis in California.

 

4 – Someone in India created this beautiful poster!

I was pleasantly surprised to receive this piece of art created by artist and social worker Bodhisatva Vivek. 

Get yours today!

 

5 – We trained compassion teachers

It’s expensive and time-consuming to become a certified compassion teacher, and we wanted to do something about that. In order to scale compassion, we need more people teaching it.

To solve this problem, we created a basic one-hour course – Compassion It Community. So far, we’ve trained two cohorts of teachers who now teach the course in their communities.

 

6 – We finally led in-person trainings

It felt great to move beyond the screen and connect with participants in person! I led a few sessions in California and also made my way to Maryville, Missouri, for the first time.

As this year’s Ploghoft speaker at Northwest Missouri State University, I gave a 90-minute talk for faculty and students in the education department.

 

7 – We teamed up with some awesome organizations

We LOVE collaborating with talented people and like-minded organizations, and we were so grateful to work with:

• Compassion Education Alliance
• Executive and leadership coach Melissa Eisler
• Onyx Offsites & Trainings 
• T. Denny Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion
• UCSD Center for Mindfulness

 

8 – We supported UCSD Medical Students

One of my favorite trainings this year was a six-week course I developed and facilitated for medical students. These Sanford scholars will face immense challenges in medical school and beyond, and I felt privileged to support and guide them.

 

9 – We kept growing as teachers

I’ve spent the last year learning from Roshi Joan Halifax and many other wise teachers through a program on social and environmental justice at Upaya Institute.

As our nation and world face unprecedented challenges, Burrell and I continue to seek and gain wisdom on how to skillfully show up for our planet and all of its inhabitants.

We are beyond grateful for our clients, donors, Advocates, customers, friends, and family members who help us keep Compassion It alive and thriving. We wouldn’t be here without you!

That’s a wrap. Adios, 2021. 

If you believe in the work we do, please support us with your donation! You can also become a Compassion It Advocate, purchase wristbands, or bring us to your organization.