"I feel prepared, comfortable, qualified and energized to step forward as a leader of compassion. I'm incredibly grateful for this!"
by
"I feel prepared, comfortable, qualified and energized to step forward as a leader of compassion. I'm incredibly grateful for this!"
by
Social Worker
USA
My ACT Capstone Project allowed me to tap deeply into my own history and heart to understand the ways I’m uniquely situated to benefit my community. It required me to move beyond ideas about compassion to embodied, relational practice."
I created a compassion cultivation workshop series for adults living with congenital urological conditions, specifically hypospadias and epispadias. Rare, chronic, congenital health conditions — especially those related to the urological and reproductive systems — can be a source of mental and emotional challenge, including feelings of loss, shame, inadequacy, or anger.
The strength of my workshop was the ability to practice compassion in community with others with similar experiences. Together, we created space to compassionately listen to one another and engage in embodied practices to connect with compassion for others and ourselves.
Through a partnership with the Hypospadias & Epispadias Association, I recruited a group of seven participants. The size was particularly well-suited for an intimate workshop experience.
Each 2.5-hour workshop consisted of brief content delivery, embodied practices of compassion, and conversation with compassionate listening. The workshop had four sections focused on 1) Mindfulness, 2) Experiencing Compassion, 3) Self-Compassion, and 4) Expanding our Circle of Concern. They took place over Zoom and included people across the U.S. and one in Chile.
This experience allowed me to more intentionally embrace and embody principles of compassion and to share them with my community. Pre- and post-workshop surveys indicated that participants experienced increases in knowing specific ways to cultivate a deeper connection to compassion, seeing compassion as a resource available to them when dealing with difficulty, and feeling compassion toward themselves as a person with hypospadias or epispadias.
By nature, ACT requires participants to take action to alleviate suffering and cultivate compassion through the Capstone Project. My project invited me to come off the sidelines and more deeply embrace my story and vulnerability — and to trust my ability to embody compassion with others in a supportive environment. Healing is about more than medical care, and I’m happy to be contributing to this wider field of compassion.
Trust the process. The scaffolding of the Capstone Project will meet you — wherever you are. Also, be courageous and allow yourself to put your story and your desire at the center of your Capstone Project. This will make your project authentically yours.
by
Partner, Wisdom Ventures Fund and Founder, Mandala Ventures
USA
"ACT propelled me to launch many different projects purely based on compassion and human connection. Gratefully, I've connected with many like-hearted humans who will carry our collective vision forward to bring mindfulness, human connection and well-being to more people globally."
My project served investors and entrepreneurs who want to invest in and create innovative products that support human flourishing. It addressed tech addiction, loneliness (in an always-connected world), and rising mental health challenges.
We founded a venture firm that’s dedicated to funding startups and businesses focused on enabling a more mindful, connected and thriving world.
We have announced the Wisdom Ventures Fund and hundreds of people have expressed interest in receiving funding from Wisdom Ventures.
ACT offered me a strong foundation and a community to strengthen my commitment to serve others with the gifts I have received. Mindfulness and compassion practices have transformed my life. We know that one candle can light hundreds of candles and those candles can light another thousands and millions. We need this collective light to address the challenges of our times and ACT serves as a fertile ground for us to cultivate these skills with loving teachers and an amazing community.
Don’t think twice! Go for it.
by
Business Owner
USA
"My Capstone Project enabled me to provide selfless service to a family member who uses a power wheelchair. Our family built an accessible home to provide Sophie more independence and enable her caregiver parents to enjoy more free time with Sophie and her sister. The project energized a whole community or people."
My project served a family with a special needs child named Sophie, as well as the family members caring for her, by building an accessible home that provided Sophie with more independence.
Sophie’s previous home was demolished and an accessible home was built to replace it. This new home is built on grade with voice-activated locks and openers to enable her to enter and exit her room and home on her own. An elevator provides her access to all the areas of the home where other family members can go. Other essential features make Sophie’s life and those of her parents easier.
Several hundreds of people touched this project with their hands and hearts. It was originally thought that the project would impact her immediate family. However, a positive tsunami of kindness and compassion rippled through to the tradespeople working on the project, friends, neighbors and others who followed the project.
An accessible home was built with updates on a Facebook called “Sophie House Project.” A video showcasing a handful of people involved in the project was also posted and garnered over 2,500 views.
I was astounded at the kindness, interest, and compassion shown by so many folks – even when they had not met Sophie. Many posted kind words on the Facebook page and offered to help in so many ways. Indeed, Sophie’s family is tickled pink as expected. I hope the compassion ripple keeps it rippling.
Skilled ACT teachers shared their wisdom and I wish I could have absorbed all of their wise words and listening skills. Classmates demonstrated amazing and compassionate projects to change the world! Personally, I saw the value of doing something selflessly — simply because it felt like the loving thing to do.
Take up the challenge to change yourself and the world around you by becoming a more compassionate person. Compassion is contagious and you will be supported by teachers and fellow classmates who are all attempting to create a better world through the manifestation of meaningful projects to relieve the suffering of others. What more could anyone ask for. I wish you well on your journey.
by
Executive Speaking Coach, Communications Consultant, Actor
USA
"My Capstone Project allowed me to move more deeply into my work helping clients bring their "best selves" to every presentation, conversation, or performance. I led workshops on triggers with technologists and brought compassion into my acting classes."
My project was designed to serve my clients in the tech world, my acting students and my family and caregivers as we dealt with my father’s passing this year.
My project addressed the stress of loss whether that be physical loss, loss of work, loss of confidence, or loss of compassion for oneself.
As part of a Compassionate Conversations Series, I designed and delivered workshops in the corporate world to investigate and work with triggers, both personally and professionally. With my acting students, I introduced concepts of compassion to enable them to overcome nervousness, support each other, and create roles from a place of non-judgment. Within my family, I was able to bear witness to my father’s death in a way I never expected, empathize with and support the healthcare workers who were part of our journey, and heal relationships with estranged family members through compassionate conversations.
My audience was a diverse group of wonderful people from across the globe, from 18-94 years of age, who were open, courageous, and curious. The trigger workshops were held 7 times with intimate groups of 10 people or less. 72 actors stretched themselves in classes of no more than 12 people. The family impact included 50-100 people and continues to grow, a person at a time.
I facilitated my corporate workshops online in highly interactive zoom sessions (2-4 hours each). I spent the month of August with my family in Pennsylvania, donning PPE to visit my Father in skilled nursing for the last month of his life, being the support person my Mother needed, and I created a zoom celebration of his life after he passed that brought us all together. I delivered acting classes both virtually and in person, and performed (as an actor) on NBC, calling on compassion as a “superpower” on the set as cast and crew were returning to work and uncertain of safety protocols prior to vaccine availability.
Participants of the trigger workshop valued identifying triggers and their origins. They especially appreciated a writing exercise that consisted of identifying one’s physical, emotional, mental, and nervous system responses, naming their stories, and openly sharing them with others. The impact was a greater understanding of where others may be coming from, the internal and external stories we tell that lead to triggered responses, and tangible tools for growth. The actors had performance breakthroughs, learned to coach each other in healthy ways and to more fully embrace the uncertainty of being an artist.
I learned to be much more gentle with myself, to ask for support when I needed it, to reach out to my colleagues at ACT for witnessing, compassion and reminders to put into practice the tools we were exploring, everywhere.
I especially love and appreciate that ACT is not a one-size-fits-all program, but an ever-evolving way of being with myself and others in the world. I get to walk my talk, and listen with my heart anywhere and as often as possible.
Embrace the time for yourself even if you have doubts, it is all welcome. The program can be a touchstone in more ways than may immediately be apparent to you. If you feel the tug, follow it.
by
Director, Organizational Effectiveness, Adobe
USA
"My Capstone Project helped me to internalize the powerful lessons we learned and scale them to benefit a diverse global audience. ACT enhanced my self-awareness and emotional intelligence, connected me with a talented and supportive community, and enabled me to impact a large number of friends and colleagues."
My project addressed the stress and burnout experienced by individual contributors, people managers, and senior leaders in corporations, as well as staff and volunteers in non-profit organizations.
I facilitated 12 workshops and guided 360 participants through compassion and mindfulness practices. Additionally, there are 7 additional sessions planned for ~150-200 more participants.
96% indicated greater appreciation for how compassion can benefit them at work
96% agreed that they would apply something they learned from the session
90% agreed that they want to explore further the topic of compassion
One participant shared: “I truly felt like this session was curated for me and the inner conflicts I create for myself on a daily basis.” Another expressed: “I absolutely loved how you shared a way to compassionately address conflict management during meetings. Now I’m doubly motivated to work on this.”
The ACT Program provided me with meaningful and actionable content, delivered in a safe and trusting environment with a supportive, diverse, and exceptional global community of people. The most profound learning experience I have had in at least the past decade!
Go on faith, trust the process and your instincts, and remain open to new possibilities!
by
Co-Founder, BeDo
Scotland
"Wow, my Capstone Project really pushed me to walk the walk. My own understanding of compassion has evolved, grown, and been enriched by the perspectives of my ACT colleagues. My project left me with a profound sense of purpose and I feel privileged to be able to bring this body of knowledge to my community."
I chose to serve social science and public health researchers experiencing second-hand suffering experienced before, during, or after qualitative interviews in which participants may share harrowing stories of suffering, trauma, etc.
I crafted a methodological guide for incorporating the principles of compassion into the interview as a research method, with particular emphasis on recognizing the shared common humanity of researchers and research participants.
There were 34 registrants (with approximately 20 attendees) from across 6 countries and 16 universities. My workshop consisted of two half-days on Zoom.
One participant shared: “This training was immensely powerful and helpful for me both in my work and personal life. It has intrigued me to explore many of the resources provided to develop my understanding of compassion and incorporate that knowledge and specific practices into my life and work.”
I come away from the ACT program with a profound sense of accomplishment and purpose, knowing that I took this humble idea from a seed to a flower, and that Compassionate Interviewing will have a positive impact on the global community of social scientists who care about more ethical, sustainable methodologies.
Trust your gut, dream big, and lean on your peers. Embody compassion yourself and you cannot fail!
by
Pediatric Anathesiologist
Australia
"The Capstone Project framework's clear steps, timeline, excellent mentoring and group support constantly propelled me forward to design, deliver and analyze my project's impact. I had to be courageous, stretch my personal boundaries, and learn new skills, so I could present myself to my colleagues with credibility in a different role."
Initially, I intended to serve health care professionals where I work in Melbourne, Australia. This included nurses, recovery nurses, day-of-surgery admission nurses, theatre technicians, and staff who comprise of both senior and junior doctors. The final audience became broader because there was a keen interest amongst the staff.
The foundational aim was to reduce both home-based personal stress and work-based stress in the health care professionals by providing education, insight and practical tools to achieve enhanced self-compassion practices as well as active compassion for family friends and colleagues.
My project has been exceptionally timely considering the enormous pressure the COVID pandemic has placed on hospital staff. I wanted to raise awareness and provide practical tools for staff to improve their sense of gratitude, equanimity and overall wellbeing thus promoting resilience in the face of an ongoing crisis. Long term, my aim is to extend the project to all departments in our hospital, as well as other private and public hospitals in Melbourne.
13 people from 29 years to 65 years participated in my HEAL workshop. The group was comprised of doctors and specialty nurses of varying degrees of seniority.
My project was delivered over Zoom as an interactive experiential workshop series. I also created a brand-new website with a personal statement, information, explanation, resources, links and podcasts, as well as a registration page.
My survey results indicated a mild to moderate stress reduction at work, at home or both, for almost all participants (83 %). Additionally, high degrees of satisfaction with the different elements of the course were reported such as quality of presentation, quality of educational material, and the usefulness of the tools for future application.
The ACT compassion principles that assisted me the most were Common Humanity, Self-Compassion and Equanimity. ACT encouraged me to be courageous and keep moving forward with my project. I would never have done this without the clear steps and timeline which ACT provided. As a result, I can see clear pathways which I have the option to pursue in the future to make an ongoing impact in my profession.
My advice to those considering joining ACT 2022 is to take a deep breath and throw yourself into the process. The course will be a catalyst to delve deep into yourself and re-emerge transformed with enhanced positive traits that surprisingly allow you to achieve things that earlier you may have considered impossible.
by
Psychologist
USA
"Through our compassion principles of empathy, humility, and common humanity, my Capstone Project followed a beautifully illuminated pathway from what seemed like a way-too-ambitious idea to completion. The ACT framework trained us to support one another in ways that highlighted the goodness of our projects."
My Capstone Project served mental health clinicians addressing the mental health impacts of the climate and ecological crisis.
I guided clinicians through direct experiences of their own relationship to climate change emotions and self-compassion for climate distress. The confusion, shame, and dissonance for our complicity in the climate crisis can be overwhelming and it keeps us from accessing a deeper well of empowerment and empathy that fuels positive action.
Licensed mental health clinicians and RN’s (as well as anyone interested in the psychological impact of the climate crisis) participated in workshops.
One participant shared: “It was an excellent workshop! I’m feeling inspired and hopeful — and I have new skills to bring to my clients’ climate emotions.”
The ACT Program was incredibly helpful as a safe incubation space for me to develop my idea of providing professional training to clinicians who are seeing more climate change related distress in their consultation rooms. The compassion practices I learned through ACT were integrated at every level of my project, but it was my mentor group who were so very supportive as well as my small group and mentor that gave me the courage to “go big.”
This program works very well whether you have a barely-formed intuition of what you’d like to bring forward or a fully-developed idea. It’s a wonderful home base that encourages compassion in action.
by
PA-C, MPH
USA
"My Capstone Project prepared me to recognize, describe, and promote the health benefits of compassionate thinking, attitudes, and actions. I am ready to show caregivers how to use compassionate techniques to transform the stressors of caregiving into flexibility, strength, and insightful awareness."
My capstone project involves the CARE approach to self-care that I have developed for caregivers. It includes a book I am writing and a course I am designing to inform and support family caregivers managing a loved one with memory loss and dementia.
My project addressed uncertainty, ambiguity, compounding grief of dementia caregiving. Dementia care remains poorly understood by caregivers, and by their doctors. Many are isolated and at high risk for developing depression, and other chronic diseases
My studies indicate that compassion, mindful awareness, and self-care practices have a positive impact on stress reduction and wellbeing. The CARE approach to self-care, resources caregivers’ capacity for becoming Compassionate, Aware, Resilient and Engaged.
For the first phase of my Capstone Project, I implemented self-compassion practices from the mindfulness support group I facilitate on a monthly basis for the Alzheimer’s Association.
I facilitated two zoom courses for the Northern California Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. The first is a one-hour course on compassion-based practices for their regional support group–facilitators. The second one is a 45-min experiential presentation on mindful awareness for caregivers. The final part of my project involves writing the CARE approach into my book.
The group I facilitate reported increased connection and greater understanding of their experience as caregivers. Caregivers benefit from telling their stories and inquiry provides an insightful technique for deepening conversations.
ACT helped me synthesize my experiences as the family caregiver the year following my mother’s death. Today I feel confident in sharing my accumulated learnings with today’s caregivers and knowing that science supports my direct experience, and theirs.
If you are going to jump—jump with both feet. Fully engage and you will get a lot out of it. ACT will inform and influence your project’s design, but the concept will come from you. You will meet a network of inspiring people from all backgrounds and many countries. If you jump, I’m sure you will enjoy the journey. I did.
by
Doctor
USA
"As a physician and leader in the hospital, I noted that our resources on well-being were difficult to access. For my Capstone Project, I built an organizational center to connect these activities, which made these resources more accessible to our entire community and amplified their impact."
My project served employees and staff at a large academic medical center. Although they are drawn to their profession with a sense of purpose and service, there are many factors contributing to compassion fatigue in health care. This manifests through burnout, frustration, loneliness, and worse patient outcomes.
The intended impact of my capstone project is to enhance compassion in health care workers through creating more ready access to compassion-building activities. By creating a space and activities to inspire applied compassion among our team, we’ve improved wellness among caregivers as well as those receiving care.
All employees and medical staff at our hospital are potential participants. So far, approximately 150 participated through receiving a “compassion card.” Additional participants are the 11 members of our compassion team who meet monthly. Patients and visitors also may have received them, although they are not the direct audience.
My Capstone Project was the creation and distribution of “compassion cards” — 3” by 5” cards describing the details for a single compassion-enhancing activity. We have 13 different cards with activities ranging from links to brief guided meditations and reflection activities to cards focused on team building. Our “compassion team” will meet monthly to assemble the cards and plan distributions in a variety of venues.
Many participants really appreciated the cards and enjoy the practice of revisiting a feeling throughout the day. Others have said the exercises are “soothing and helpful.” Additional feedback will inform the project and the activities on the cards.
By reflecting on the principles of common humanity and humility taught through ACT, I have enhanced my ability to appreciate that fear, loss of connection and grief are part of our shared suffering. I’ve been inspired to meet a community of individuals from around the world who are committed to contributing to a more compassionate world.
Go for it! No matter where you are, you will benefit from the community that’s built with your cohort and capstone mentoring groups. The tools that are taught are practical and immediately applicable and can be shared with those around you. Regarding the project, my advice is to be patient and flexible while also dreaming big. This team is inspiring in their shared vision to notice the suffering among us and our colleagues and to take action. It started from the spark of ACT and now is on fire!
by
Faculty, Liberal Arts
USA
"The implementation of the Capstone Project enriched and enlivened my vocation as a teacher. ACT gave me the opportunity to do research, formulate and design teaching and learning strategies. Ultimately, compassion as a subject of inquiry and study presented me with curricular opportunities for enriching my mission of education."
My Capstone Project served students and community participants, and it addressed the need for curricular programs in colleges, universities and communities focused on compassion education.
The project provided various resources and practical tools for understanding and practicing compassion towards others and oneself.
A collection of people from different areas of the community brought such dynamic perspectives that I considered myself lucky to be a part of the group. Our discussion was heartfelt, thoughtful and focused. Through the conversation, we were able to identify roadblocks that might be encountered when infusing compassion into policy.
The ACT Program has opened so many possibilities in my vocation as a teacher.
I highly encourage future participants to consider the program. Compassion is an essential element of our professions, personal lives and civic lives.
by
Macy Institute Fellow at Harvard University
USA
"For my Capstone Project, I created a psychologically safe haven in museum galleries, which enabled participants to slow down, open up, and discuss matters that might not otherwise have come up. I'm grateful for this transformative opportunity and the scope of international participation that highlighted our common humanity."
by
Teaching Professional
India
"My capstone project helped me to bring compassion to the participant teachers in my school. My hope is that through these teachers, the children in our early-years cohort will be raised as compassionate human beings capable of benefiting the lives of others. The ACT training has been such a deep learning journey and an inside-out experience for me."
My project served teachers and eventually students in the early-years cohort of my school. I intended to address the stress among teachers by equipping them to be more skilled at handling students with behavioral issues and special needs.
The project addressed this suffering by equipping the teachers to access compassion for themselves and for the students. An integral part of the project was also the role of emotion education (understanding, regulating and co-regulating emotions) in ensuring everyone’s wellbeing.
The participation was, on average, 10 participants per workshop session.
The reported feedback conveyed that the sessions helped the participants to understand the importance of awareness, self-compassion and taking a pause in order to ensure their own wellbeing and take a better perspective on an existing challenge.
The ACT Program has helped me to face things that I perceived as unpleasant or challenging. I am more open to recognizing suffering and willing to sit with it. Through my Capstone Project, I was able to hear the stories of so many people’s daily struggles, and each story helped me connect with our common humanity.
Come with an open heart and a beginner’s mind. Bring your whole self, your vulnerabilities, your fears and limitations with humility. And when you start your journey to discover the superpower of compassion, believe that any step taken with the clear intention of reducing the suffering of our fellow beings has the potential to transform you and many things around you for the better. Trust yourself and trust the process.
by
Mindfulness Instructor, Certified Hypnotherapist
USA
"My Capstone Project enabled me to serve those in need by incorporating all the skills, knowledge, and wisdom gained through the valuable lessons of ACT."
by
Psychologist Coach, Meditation Teacher, Author
Australia
"The capstone project helped me develop a compassion workshop specifically focused on self care for doctors who feel burned out, anxious or under pressure. ACT has encouraged me to keep generating experiments that apply compassion and notice the impact."
My Capstone Project served doctors, healthcare workers and healthcare executives. It cultivated care of self, colleagues and patients amidst complexity, trauma and pain experienced by front line healthcare workers
I designed a 90-minute online workshop to initiate the idea that 1) compassion is sustaining and different than empathy, 2) it can be cultivated to bring self-care in the moment and 3) it has practical benefit as a response to the suffering of others.
We had so much interest from non-doctors in healthcare that we ran the online workshop twice. Participants included doctors, executives, allied health, and healthcare academics.
One participant shared: “I’ve been feeling that compassion is undervalued but I’ve also felt indecisive and concerned that I don’t know enough in caring for my patients. I was able to separate these issues better after the workshop. I took the time to connect differently with others today and it was well-received.”
The ACT process over these months gave me confidence and clarity, and it increased my capacity, commitment and courage to amplify the work we are doing in supporting healthcare workers.
Make the time for it and commit to a deeper understanding of compassion so you can activate it in your life. You will be supported by an extraordinary global community who are making a difference and by truly amazing heart-centered teachers.
by
Teacher & Coach: Mindfulness and Applied Compassion
USA
"For my Capstone Project, I conducted classes through our local Rotary Club on healing anguish in relationships and addressed seniors on using mindfulness and compassion to face challenges in aging. Next, I will work with high-tech audiences Silicon Valley, to promote compassionate design principles and help minimize suffering caused by user exploitation through social engineering."
My capstone had a two-step approach to cultivate and share the practice of compassion. The first was embodying compassion with my family because extending compassion to loved ones is often the hardest due to the short emotional distance, preconceived expectations, and challenges in setting boundaries. Second, I shared my experience and knowledge with the public through courses focused on addressing suffering caused by strained relationships.
I addressed the dynamics of contrasting communication styles. I classified them as ‘Engineering Minded’ (EM) and ‘Viscerally Intelligent’ (VI). EM persons tend to be logical, analytical, objective, impersonal, linear, brief, and lead with their heads. VI persons tend to be intuitive, relational, subjective, non-linear, elaborate, and lead with their hearts. I requested that participants identify a strained relationship in their lives for them to practice the principles of compassion and alleviate suffering.
In my practice with loved ones, I used the principles of mindfulness to become aware of my unmet desires that led to my suffering. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) gained through mindfulness and curiosity helped identify suffering in others and their unmet desires. Once identified, suffering is alleviated using appropriate principles of compassion.
In addition to my seven adult family members, I invited participants from my mindfulness classes to join a focused course. There were ten participants who shared their experiences and gave feedback on the effectiveness of the techniques.
Mindful Rotarians Affinity Group in the Rotary Club of Cupertino, California, organized four one-hour classes held weekly via Zoom meetings. At the end of these classes, I also had one-on-one meetings with each participant to get direct feedback on their experience and ideas to make the course more effective.
The embodiment of compassion had the most profound impact on me. My family experienced a positive transformation in our family dynamics. Nine out of the ten participants attending my course were able to apply the principles and reported that they had significant improvement in alleviating their suffering.
My experience prepared me to be a better teacher and coach. Applied compassion will be a vital part of my talks, classes, and workshops, and I will continue to tailor them to different audiences. Additionally, with three decades of experience in the high-tech industry, my passion is to encourage those in the industry to adopt compassionate design principles that will help curtail the exploitation of human vulnerabilities that are detrimental to user wellbeing.
The opportunity for camaraderie with like-minded individuals across the globe is auspicious. ACT also prepared me to become a better teacher and coach, and most of all, a happier human being equipped to face life’s challenges. “When you learn to be in touch with yourself, you will be in touch with everyone else.”
by
School Psychologist
Japan/USA
"I was in a work environment at a time when I and others were suffering, and my Capstone Project allowed me to create a space to contemplate our experience and embody the richness that compassion creates. My favorite part of being in ACT was our community — we immediately connected and melded over our shared purpose and intentionality."
My project served the students and staff of Nagoya International School in Nagoya, Japan.
The project addressed the challenges surrounding a loss the school community was facing — more than 100 students were leaving due to a project cancellation at a local company. Teachers were being asked to leave; the staff was facing a reduction in force.
We created a contemplative space within the school campus where staff and students could reflect, both actively and passively. During a time when many were feeling controlled in their actions, the space was a place to exhale, think and feel.
The audience comprised the entire student body (aged 3-18) and the staff. It is hard to know what percentage of the student body participated, but all of the ages were welcomed and participated.
The project was delivered in person in the community room in the school. We papered the walls with pictures, quotes and questions and left them up until the last day of school. We invited people to write on the walls and they shared how they felt during their time at NIS and what they hoped for in the future. They wrote in English, Japanese, Korean, French and Portuguese.
One student reported: “I was struggling with the idea that some of my most beloved teachers and mentors were going to leave soon. I was able to get my emotions out on the walls, and even though I wanted to write more, I was able to register and understand what I was feeling better.”
A staff member said “It provided an opportunity to stop and think. We all get trapped into moving forward and we simply forget important things. This allowed me to realize how worn down I was, how much I missed my children, and that it was ok to feel bad because if these feelings are not addressed it is impossible to truly move forward.”
The project showed me the power of action, that compassion is there for us at all times. Suffering is frequently invisible and unspoken, yet moving into compassion creates a release where we can move from our individual pain to a collective, shared space.
Do it! Do it, do it, do it. I am so sad this is over, and it’s a good sad. It’s the sadness of a great vacation coming to an end, a great epic journey’s last couple of pages. The world needs you, and most importantly you and your community need you.
by
LCSW, Community Corrections and Wellness Consultant
USA
"My Capstone Project allowed me to apply compassion to my former workplace by implementing a staff wellness training program. Now, I have a product I can bring to agencies, designed to meet their needs. ACT deepened my mindfulness, applied compassion, and self-compassion practices so I embody what I am teaching."
My project served the staff at U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, Central District of California. My project addressed the suffering that staff experience from their work, as they are in frequent contact with the suffering of those who are harmed by crime, defendants going through the court process, individuals’ families and co-workers.
Mindfulness, compassion, self-compassion, and positive neuroplasticity provided staff with tools for improved mental clarity, emotional balance, resilience, and a growth mindset. Skills were taught to address empathic distress, secondary trauma, and burnout. Workshops provided tools that can be used at specific times and throughout the day, and resources for continued learning were provided.
The audience consisted of seven staff members from U.S. Probation, Central District of California. Participants included administrators and staff from the newly created Wellness Committee.
The project consisted of three workshops delivered live online every other week. Topics included mindfulness, compassion for self and others, resilience, and increasing happiness. Additionally, optional drop-in meditation sessions were provided during the intervening weeks.
Overall, participants stated they have a better understanding of mindfulness and compassion and that they would bring this understanding into their lives. Participants appreciated the flow of the presentation from slides to meditations to break-out sessions. I learned how much I enjoy facilitating this type of program and how comfortable I now am with the material.
By participating in the ACT Program, I have created a product, that I can bring to organizations to help improve resiliency and alleviate staff suffering. Also, I am able to be more fully compassionate with myself and others with equanimity.
Through this program, I became more confident, mindful, compassionate, and self-compassionate. I am able to model for others and more able to present my authentic self. Being in a community of like-minded peers from all over the world from a multitude of settings creating positive change is awesome, inspiring, and hopeful.
by
Founder of Befriend
USA
"My Capstone Project combined a theoretical and an experiential platform to reveal that simple, compassionate connections be life-changing. We learned that by making connections and listening to each other’s stories, we learn about truths permeating our society. ACT offered me the ideal framework for cultivating compassion."
My project’s initial intention was to serve people in the city of Richmond, VA. Befriend has now expanded across the United States and around the globe, most recently to Africa.
Initially, the suffering we addressed was the division in our city, and our hope was to create friendships so that every person can embrace empathy, foster understanding and build one Richmond for all. Now, we also consider any division in our country and the world and create various opportunities to bring people together.
Befriend addresses this suffering by meeting people in our city by offering many paths to connect with others through compassion. Then, we measured the outcomes. Some participants connected via in-person gatherings at parks, libraries, basketball gyms for youth, exercise classes, coffee shops for the homeless, yoga studios, and cooking classes at a local market. There were also virtual gatherings on topics such as mindfulness, resilience, self care, and more. Another example is our texting circles: we created new groups of friends who text each other for support and friendship.
We estimate that we have reached nearly 2,000 people to date. We have seen a couple of newspaper articles about the project and Richmond Magazine did an online feature on Befriend. Additionally, we convened 2-3 events per month with a range of 7-25 participants, depending on the type of event.
One participant shared: “In my experience of helping Mollie to facilitate group meetings at Jefferson Park, I have found that sharing honestly from one’s own experiences with the intention to get to know one another, share common ground and experiences, and learn from our differences is a beautiful way to create a sense of community and to foster a caring for one another. When we get to know one another and see each other’s common humanity, we cannot help but begin to care for one another and to see that we are all interconnected.”
The beautiful encouragement I have received from the mentors and my colleagues has been so impactful. ACT’s principles of compassion provided me a science-based framework, confidence and credibility for delivering my project. I’m so grateful I was able to be a part of this important, transformative training.
If you are curious to learn more about applied compassion, this is the right program at the right time for you. One concept I particularly found useful is that ACT promotes a deliberate approach of learning by doing. In this safe space, I’d recommend that you open your heart and jump in with two feet to fully embrace all ACT has to offer. You will be so glad you did!
by
Founder, Leading with Empathy / Senior Director, AMER GTM Enablement, UiPath
USA
"My Capstone Project enabled me to take what I learned back into my day-to-day life in a large tech company. I had the privilege to lead experiential workshops on how to embed compassion into leadership with hundreds of senior leaders. My hope is that those participants become more skillful at compassionate leadership and spread compassion to their reports, peers and beyond."
My project served leaders (from first-line people managers to VPs) working in a “big tech” corporate environment and their reports.
The suffering I addressed occurs in even the most forward-thinking corporate spaces in the form of burnout, very high stress levels, staff attrition (especially among under-represented groups), low inclusion sentiment and low well-being sentiment.
The project collected then shared survey data from 500 employees, bringing to life what behaviors from leaders amplify suffering, and then what tactical efforts can be made to reduce it.
My audience included 500 individual contributors. Employees answered an anonymous survey, 50 participated in focus groups and 100 leaders took part in virtual workshops.
Survey responses from 61 attended showed 52 responders considered responded it was a ‘great’ use of their time, and 9 selected ‘good’ use of their time. One participant shared: “Even with a pretty compassionate team, I think all of us learned a tremendous amount in that one short hour and it was clear the team wanted to continue the conversation afterward.”
I began this journey considering myself knowledgeable about compassion, but my learning has increased exponentially. I am so much more aware of suffering in all its forms and I recognize acts of compassion more frequently. In my workplace, I am helping employees navigate the complex challenges of economic uncertainty, geopolitical issues and racial injustice.
Don’t hesitate! I have relished the opportunity to learn from such accomplished teachers. I have enjoyed meeting my fellow Ambassadors, even as an introvert who doesn’t typically enjoy making new acquaintances, especially in situations where people are being vulnerable. I discovered that when those people are equally as interested in the topic of compassion, building relationships with them is fast and easy!
by
Founder Entrepreneur, Consultant, Podcaster
United Kingdom
"My Capstone Project inspired me to start a conversation about compassion business leaders in the UK. Creating a podcast and a website psychologically and technically challenged my humility and patience. Now, I'm excited about increasing awareness of workplace compassion amongst business leaders and their colleagues."
My Capstone project served leaders of businesses and organizations and the employees working in them. It addressed low levels of employee engagement and productivity, increasing burnout, workplace stress, anxiety and loneliness.
I created a website and podcast to inspire conversations about workplace compassion, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness to improve employee wellbeing, deliver competitive advantage and strategic success for organizations.
My audience included the guests I interviewed, the listeners of the podcast and visitors to my website. I have recorded 12 podcasts to date and attracted hundreds of listeners. Working4Compassion is a Podcast and Website.
One participant shared: “I appreciated learning how someone could perform at such a high level, do so much but yet maintain a compassionate approach to their staff and prioritize the lower-level people in their company.”
ACT helped me represent compassion and talk with businesses and organizations about the enormous opportunity compassion could have in their workplace to improve employees’ wellbeing and business productivity.
We are entering a new age of compassion. Make sure you are prepared to help the future of humanity by representing the principles and techniques of compassion to the world.
by
Writer and Facilitator
USA
"At a time when so many are hurting, the writing workshops I developed created space for people to feel less alone. When we’re given permission to be face our pain, we can soften and expand, despite our greatest losses. It is an honor to hold space while others discover the many words grief gives us."
I created a writing workshop for individuals who identify as bereaved, as experiencing grief, or as having a loss story. I never turned anyone away, and people could define what grief meant to them.
After experiencing loss, we’re told to master five steps, move through milestones, and muscle through to the other side. What if we don’t have to arrive buttoned up and whole? I designed this writing workshop to help individuals explore how self-compassion can help us live more fully after loss.
My intent was to create a space where people could explore their suffering with compassion, grace, and community. The workshop is designed with three movements — each was paired with a reading from a grief author, prompts for free writing, a compassion mantra and time for sharing.
Over 90 participants from around the world joined my virtual workshops. While I hosted two workshops of my own, I also partnered with Feely Humans, Northern Colorado Writers, and Creative Mornings to deliver the workshop to their audiences.
The 90-minute workshops were delivered online via Zoom. Participants embarked on exercises of free-writing, list-making, and the creation of poetry to explore new ways to honor pain, healing, and themselves as they carry on. After the workshops, participants could submit their writing to be included in a gallery of public submissions on my website and shared on social media.
This experience boosted my confidence in my professional skills and it ignited in me a passion for holding space for those who are hurting. I was able to listen with boundaries and turn towards compassion, rather than empathic distress. On participant shared: “Grief and loss are universal, but holding space for our grief and that of those around us is an active choice of healing – of grounding ourselves and releasing ourselves.”
This truly was an experience in meaning-making out of my own loss experience. Working with participants jolted me out of my own narrative and helped me to realize how much growth has transpired in me since then. I want to be more gentle in the world, and this has lit a spark in me that this type of work is possible.
This program will equip you to be in the world with gentleness and kindness. As we embark on change and challenge as humans, you’ll learn how to recognize suffering, witness pain, and transform others with profound impact. We need your ideas and heart to continue this work. You will not be disappointed.
by
Manager and Regulator, European Commission
Belgium
"I wanted to address the suffering of young women who have built a promising career in competitive settings in Europe and have to juggle family, work and other responsibilities. I designed my Capstone Project to bring compassion and self-compassion to their hearts, thus enhancing their life purpose. Growing compassion is now the light that connects the dots in my life."
I developed my Capstone Project as a new module for the Women Talent Pool Leadership Program. This program is offered every year by WIL, the European Network for Women in Leadership, to a cohort of around 50 young female leaders.
I wished to alleviate the suffering of young women working in competitive settings in Europe and striving to find a difficult balance between career advancement and family life. This often results in feelings of guilt and shame of not being enough and not doing the right thing.
My Capstone project addressed that suffering by offering the participants a deep dive into common humanity, humility, loving-kindness and compassion. By sharing this journey with them through meditation, reflection in small groups and discussion, I aimed to help them feel connected with their whole self, curious about the path of compassion, more attuned to their life purpose.
My audience was comprised of 49 female talents identified by WIL to take part in the 6th Women Talent Pool Leadership Programme (2021/2022). There were thirty talents, based in several European countries and holding key positions either in the private or public sector.
I delivered the two sessions of the project online. I made use of music to introduce each session, breakout rooms for the participants to share their experiences in small groups, and meditation practices. Word clouds, chat falls and discussion in plenary were also part of the format.
The feedback from participants was overall very positive. Just after the second session one of the participants published the following post on LinkedIn: “Today I attended the Wholeness and Purpose workshop arranged by the European Network for Women in Leadership for the 6th Talent Program which I participate in 2021 – 2022. And what a workshop it was! From Monday stress to a peaceful state of mind, with insights about myself, self-kindness and my true goals, as a personal reward. All weeks should start like this. Thank you, Pinuccia Contino and WIL Team.”
I now feel part of a wonderful community embracing the entire world. ACT unlocked my capacity to connect with the wonderful part of everybody — this is something I certainly needed to become an Ambassador of Compassion.
Go for it, and don’t be scared by the ambition of the program: you will learn what you need and give back what you can, which is what you are meant for.
by
Team Dynamics Consultant and Executive Coach
USA
"Leaders in healthcare and related industries are on a whirlwind ride of change and disruption, which is challenging their ability to stay present, aware, and responsive. My Capstone Project gives healthcare leaders proven methods and tools to remain responsive and agile as they navigate adversity."
My Capstone Project served leaders in health care and related industries who are on a whirlwind ride of change and disruption. It addressed their challenges of staying present, aware, and responsive in the face of adversity.
My 5-week program provided healthcare leaders with proven methods and tools to remain responsive and agile when confronting difficult circumstances. The bedrock of our work together is self-compassion, which allows us to greatly increase our capacity to remain open and creative in the face of challenges.
Each cohort of senior health care professionals consisted of 9 leaders participating in a 5-week virtual workshop.
On participant shared: “Based on science and proven techniques, Victoria’s program delivered practical skills and approaches to achieving goals essential to being a good, compassionate leader, as well as being ready to take on the challenges we face today in business, at home, and with the people on our teams.”
One of my main goals in being part of ACT was to tease apart the difference between empathy and compassion. I have loved our nuanced discussions about how empathy can sometimes be an incomplete and less nurturing response than compassion. This program has given me practical tools and the mindset to try to approach every interaction, both professionally and personally, with compassion. This has created a profound and enduring shift in my own well-being and in my relationships.
Do it! Join ready to learn, grow and connect!