Applied Compassion Training

Mindfulness and Compassion Are Fundamental for Leadership

My journey as a leader has been profoundly influenced by my applied compassion training through CCARE Stanford. Almost two decades of working with several organizations has made me understand that true change needs to be ‘inside-out’ and that it begins with each individual.

Witnessing the challenges and suffering people face in organizations, my vision became clear: to facilitate the meaningful change that people, teams, and organizations aspire to, mindfulness, compassion, and neuroscience need to be integrated into organizational leadership.

In today’s complex and uncertain world, leaders are entrusted with navigating challenges, inspiring teams, and fostering a positive organizational culture. To achieve these goals, compassion and mindfulness are not merely desirable qualities but essential ones.

Compassion, often defined as empathy with action, goes beyond understanding others’ suffering. It involves taking concrete actions to alleviate the suffering of any kind and to promote well-being. We need to consider the word “suffering” in a broader sense: it could mean a challenge, an unpleasantness or even unsatisfactoriness. This requires a deeper understanding of those around us and a willingness to go beyond empathy and take action.

Mindfulness is the foundation for compassion: without noticing and recognizing suffering, can we practice compassion? Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of the present moment. By cultivating mindfulness, leaders can better notice and recognize suffering, both within themselves and in others. This awareness enables them to respond to suffering with action, which is compassion.

Why is Compassion Essential for Leadership?

• Navigating the VUCA world: The acronym VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) aptly describes the modern business landscape. Effective leaders must be able to manage uncertainty, navigate change, inspire their teams, and achieve results. Compassion plays a vital role in this context.
• Self-awareness and self-compassion: Before leading others, leaders must first lead themselves. This means to understand and accept themselves. Self-compassion is essential not only for acceptance, but for managing one’s own emotions, habits, and actions. It helps us to embrace our humanity and bounce back from setbacks or failures, which is an integral part of the leadership journey.
• Fostering trust and relationships: When employees/teams feel valued, understood, and supported, they are more likely to be engaged, productive, and loyal, and that’s why for leaders, compassion is crucial. Compassion fosters trust, nurtures relationships and builds a supportive environment.

My participation in the applied compassion training program at CCARE led to significant personal and professional growth. I developed a deeper sense of self-belief and confidence, gained valuable insights into action-oriented leadership, and recognized the immense responsibility that comes with leadership.

Compassionate Leadership Development in Organizations

As part of my capstone project for the ACT program at CCARE, I created an intervention called Compassionate Leadership Development in Organizations, which includes:

• A model of Employee Thriving, which focuses on creating a positive and supportive work environment.
• Compassionate Leadership Assessment tools for senior leaders, and
•  A 2-day in-person immersive leadership workshop called CALM (Compassionate Actions in Leadership with Mindfulness).

This intervention prepares and trains leaders to enhance compassionate leadership for creating a better employee experience and competitive advantage for their organization.

Apart from Compassionate Leadership at the organization, I have also created a highly-rated 5-day immersive mindfulness retreat in the Himalayas called SMILE (Shine with Mindfulness Inspired Leadership and Emotional Intelligence). This retreat aims to equip leaders with the tools and skills to cultivate mindfulness, compassion, emotional intelligence, and overall well-being, to drive personal growth and fulfilment at work life.

In an era marked by uncertainty and complexity, compassionate leadership is more essential than ever. By cultivating mindfulness and compassion, leaders can create a positive organizational culture, foster employee well-being, and drive meaningful change. My journey through the ACT program at CCARE has reinforced the power of compassion to transform individuals and organizations. As an Ambassador of Applied Compassion, I am dedicated to sharing these insights and inspiring others to embrace a more compassionate and mindful approach to leadership and life at large.

My ACT capstone project, entitled: Befriend, a global movement of connection through compassion, combined a theoretical and an experiential platform to explore the question, “Can a simple, compassionate connection be life-changing?” With the invaluable guidance and support of my ACT teachers, along with my colleagues and testimonials from people directly touched by Befriend, the answer was a definite, YES!

“When you look for the friend, the friend is looking for you.”  ~ Rumi

Befriend inspires a lifestyle of curiosity, connection, and compassion for all. We offer experiences for people to connect with others different from themselves, foster understanding and create friendships that empower people and communities to thrive. When people show up with a curious mind and an open heart, a magical energy is created that allows people to feel welcome and safe.  At Befriend people are seen, heard, understood and loved.  Everyone belongs. We find that when people from different backgrounds meet and have conversations, we realize that at our core we are more alike than different. Our amour dissolves and true connection and change happens.

Our community-based, organic approach meets people where they are and offers many opportunities for human connection. We believe everyone is on a continuum of compassion each with a unique starting point.  Befriend offers ways for people to move along this continuum to create a more compassionate world for all. 

A ripple effect is created, and new friendships form that would not have otherwise been possible.  It’s about being friends with others from a different background first, then sharing our resources and networks with others as the relationship develops.  Both sides of the friendship are changed forever. This example of social capital is a potential pathway out of poverty.  These friendships create change that empower people and communities to thrive.  In addition, with the epidemic of loneliness in our country, Befriend is an answer by offering a simple, positive way for human connection. 

As an ACT at CCARE Stanford 2021 graduate, I remain in touch with my mentors through individual meetings, CCARE Compassion Alumni Community sessions, and even meeting Dr. James Doty in person! Recently, I was introduced to the psychological term, moral elevation by social psychologist, Dr. Jonathan Haidt.  Moral elevation is “a positive emotion experienced when witnessing a virtuous act, one that improves the welfare of others” (Algoe & Haidt, 2009). For example, moral elevation is created during a Befriend Walk of Kindness.  We walk together and share flowers with messages of hope with people we meet along the way.  The ripple effects include the person giving the flower feels good, the person receiving the flower feels a little happier, and people noticing this at a distance, smile.  When photos are taken and the moment is shared more widely, the beautiful ripples of moral elevation are endless.

With roots in Richmond, VA Befriend translates all over our country and the world.  We’ve had Befriend moments take place across the US and as far away as Morocco.  The movement continues to grow. As an Ambassador of Compassion through CCARE Stanford, when we connect and listen to each other’s stories, we discover the truths permeating our society.  From this understanding we can create bridges, instead of divisions, that lift each other up through compassionate action. My compassion training gave me confidence and credibility to grow this movement.  The teachings of science-based research validated the importance of compassion and that everyone has the capacity to cultivate their own compassion. An atmosphere of trust and mutual respect was skillfully created. Through thought-provoking lectures, life-changing conversations, and fascinating self-exploration, I now have many new friends from around the globe.  This unique, shared experience created a global community of like-minded friends and continues to grow.

Let’s all celebrate our common humanity and lift each other up to bring our community, our country, and the world closer together.  Heartfelt thanks to my mentors and my friends from ACT at CCARE Stanford for being my guiding lights.  This has truly been a life-changing experience for me. Through the inspiration of compassion, we are collectively making the world a better place for all!

To find out more about Befriend, check out Befriend’s IG @befriend.movement and website www.befriendmovement.org.

Can you imagine receiving medical care without compassion? I’m certain that you can because we have all experienced this. In my 23 years of practicing medicine, I am guilty of giving medical care without compassion. In those times, the feeling of being overwhelmed by the suffering in front of me impeded my desire and capacity to express compassion.

I’ve come to learn what I thought was expressing compassion wasn’t truly compassion. What my patients and I were experiencing was an empathetic connection. But empathy without compassion can often lead to distress and burnout. So my search began to find a more sustainable way of practicing medicine while also giving my patients the compassion they both deserved and desperately needed.

The ACT Program at CCARE

My journey started with a simple observation that we need more compassion in medicine. The moment I came across Applied Compassion Training at CCARE, I knew this program could be of help. I could see the difference compassion could make with my patients, but I didn’t know how to go about doing this in an actionable way. I trusted that what I learned in ACT would help me bring true compassion into my interactions with patients in real and tangible ways.

Surprisingly, one of my first discoveries during the ACT program was that what I needed most was compassion for myself! I practiced extending compassion to myself for not always being able to access compassion with my patients. The program helped me recognize my barriers to compassion and remove them.

Redefining compassion as I knew it was foundational to the understanding of how to apply compassion throughout my day. Through this re-definition that I learned from my mentors in ACT, I was able to accomplish things that had eluded me before.

Applied Compassion Capstone Project

ACT enabled me to finish my PhD, dovetailing what I learned about compassion at CCARE with my Applied Psychophysiology doctoral dissertation. I also completed a book about the psychophysiological effects of compassion. The ACT program helped me discover the vulnerability and self-compassion I needed to write the book with an open heart so that I could reach the hearts of others.

I have been able to adjust my Capstone Project to serve different populations and apply compassion to various types of suffering. Since graduating from ACT, I’ve worked with ICU nurses to help them process the trauma they suffered during the pandemic and taught cardiology residents in hospitals to access their innate compassion and apply it to patients. I’ve also been able to work with battered and abused women and with sex workers to help them achieve greater levels of self-compassion. I’m currently in contract with the veteran’s administration to work with the inspired individuals who help our veterans.

The impact of this program on my life has been transformational. This program has opened doors for me that I never imagined possible. Through my transformation during the ACT program, I’ve discovered how to take the full-body experience of compassion and turn it into actions that serve individuals across various settings. What started as me wanting to bring more compassion into medicine, has grown into so much more. I’m forever grateful for my fellow ACT Ambassador classmates and the exceptional leaders of this program.

Be the Change

Every person was born to bring forth something unique and beautiful. There is a calling within each of us. There is no calling too small or too big. Now is the time, the world needs what you have to offer. What makes this program unique is that you are guided every step of the way. You are provided with all the tools you need to create your compassion project in a setting where you want to make a difference!

You may have a spark of an idea, but it hasn’t caught fire yet. The ACT program will help you take the energy of uncertainty, fear, or doubt about how you can make a difference in our world and transform it into the energy to act!

I can tell you with 100% certainty that if you bring that spark to the Applied Compassion Training program this small bit of light will grow and flourish, lighting up the world with a desire to serve your fellow human beings in a way that is unique to you. The time is now, the person is you, the world needs more Compassion Ambassadors, and you’ve got this!

Stanford employees learn the answer to the question: What does compassion at work even look like?

On a recent afternoon in September, Dominique Del Chiaro taught a workshop to 74 employees throughout Stanford about the profound impact of using compassion-based skills to enhance their work environment. The topic was timely given the widely reported challenges facing today’s post-pandemic workplace: increased burnout, lack of employee engagement, and higher rates of attrition.

Stanford has long been known for its culture of health and wellness, but Del Chiaro says the events of the past few years have created a surge in demand for tools to address emotional wellbeing–and that includes compassion. Through the course, she gave the participants an opportunity to experience firsthand what research has shown: that the benefits of compassion are undeniable, both personally and professionally.

Del Chiaro is a member of Stanford’s BeWell team of health educators and coaches – a crew that continually seeks new approaches to enhancing the health and well-being of university staff and faculty. Currently training as an Ambassador of Compassion, Del Chiaro believes that a more compassionate workplace can have significant effects not only on the health and well-being of employees but also on their performance.

Del Chiaro’s course for employees is part of her Capstone Project for the Applied Compassion Training (ACT) program offered by the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford. Each eleven-month ACT program runs from January to November; the current session includes 92 participants from 18 different countries. During the program, each ACT participant is tasked with designing a project that applies compassion in a setting of their choice; for DelChiaro, that setting was Stanford.

But what does compassion at work even look like? Perhaps the answer isn’t as obvious as people think.

According to Neelama Eyres, a Co-Founder and Director of ACT and one of the program’s lead instructors, a better question to ask oneself is, “What’s the specific problem in the environment that I’m trying to solve and how do I apply compassion as part of the solution?”

Del Chiaro heard the same themes over and over as she designed and then implemented her ACT Capstone Project. Some employees said they struggle with burnout or the stress of having difficult conversations with those reporting to them. For others, it’s the challenge of being micromanaged themselves. One participant described “feeling more like a human service than a human being,” Del Chiaro said.

“Although I had a concept of what compassion was, I had not thought of it as a skill I could use to improve employee morale and strengthen my communication skills,” said one Stanford employee who participated in Del Chiaro’s course. “I plan to incorporate the 4 stages of compassion – noticing, willingness, connection, and action – into our team recognition program.”

Creating a compassionate environment can start with consistent, small actions. “It’s as simple as asking someone, ‘How are you doing?’ when they seem frustrated,” said Del Chiaro, “or acknowledging them for a great idea they came up with.” Perhaps offering extra help to a colleague who is overwhelmed. But the most impactful action is to practice “compassionate listening,” that is, listening to someone intently, without judgement, or not asking any questions besides, “Can you tell me a bit more?” The point is to refrain from offering critique or advice, and allowing the individual the dignity to figure it out on their own. “It shouldn’t be a therapy session,” she said. “Taking the time to listen attentively itself is an act of compassion.”

It doesn’t take much time to have a big impact.“ Just five minutes of compassionate listening and you can walk away feeling like you’ve been heard and seen,” said Eyres. “It’s our premise – and we’ve got empirical data to back this up – that you can help someone take an idea of compassion and turn it into a project that gets delivered in a real-world setting. And you can do this not by critique or a lot of “should-ing” but by the opposite – through compassionate listening and appreciative feedback.”

For some participants in Del Chiaro’s Capstone Project, which took place over two group training sessions, their first response to some of the self-compassion exercises was awkwardness. As high performers, Stanford employees tend to “show up at work ready to power through the day and get things done, and to count on the people working for them to do the same,” she said. Yet through the training, they experienced they can get more done when they start with high-quality listening, self-compassion breaks, and other new skills infused with compassion.

“They learn to navigate hard stuff, like how to have difficult conversations, such as how to help an employee see they may need to make improvements, and at the same time having compassion that constructive feedback can often be painful to hear,” Del Chiaro said. The impact on the manager and employee can be profound. “People come in with a passion to help others, but they don’t come in anticipating their own transformational journey.”

Del Chiaro experienced her own transformative moment when she came to understand the profound importance of practicing self-compassion. For Del Chiaro, this experience caused a remarkable shift. “When I experienced it authentically for myself during an exercise, I realized that people need to acknowledge the challenge in the moment that they’re feeling overwhelmed or burned out, and by practicing self-compassion we can recharge our own batteries and restore balance,” Del Chiaro said. “Only then can we perform at our best, including showing up with compassion, at work. And the best part is we always have access to it.”

By sharing what’s she’s learned in her training to become an Ambassador of Compassion, Del Chiaro is creating a “ripple effect” with her training, inspiring more employees and managers to create meaningful, compassionate workplace cultures. “We want people to enjoy  being at work, and to flourish. I wholeheartedly believe that using compassionate skills fosters this vision.”

Imagine a solemn courtroom, a space often associated with strict judgments and legal rigidity, suddenly transformed into a sanctuary of compassion. This remarkable shift occurred when a group of judges came together to share deeply personal stories, each illustrating moments of empathy and humanity within their courtrooms.

One judge recounted the heartwarming tale of an imprisoned father who got to lay eyes on his newborn son for the first time. This was made possible by a brave attorney who, against correctional officers’ wishes, carried the infant into the gallery of the courtroom. Another judge shared an equally touching narrative of a mother who, upon seeing her child’s deep connection with a prospective adoptive mother, chose to finalize an adoption right before the trial commenced. A third story showcased the emotions of foster parents who, after a judge’s ruling to send a child home, embraced the child’s parents and offered to support them in any way possible.

These emotional stories didn’t just elicit tears and smiles but were poignant reminders of why these legal professionals chose to dedicate their careers to the foster care system. The conversation began with a simple yet profound question: “When have you witnessed compassion in your courtroom?” And thus, the floodgates opened.

I experienced this transformative moment as part of delivering my Capstone Project during my inaugural training as a Compassion Ambassador through the Applied Compassion Training (ACT) at CCARE Stanford.

Judges rarely get the chance to talk about the emotional toll of their work in the foster care system. Given the chance, however, they seized the opportunity wholeheartedly. It was a signal that I was tapping into a long-overdue dialogue that could revolutionize our interaction with families entangled in the foster care system.

Last year, I was inspired to join the ACT program because I came to a sobering realization: the persistent challenges plaguing the foster care system won’t dissipate unless we fundamentally alter how professionals within the system perceive themselves, their colleagues, and the families they serve. Stories of professional burnout and emotional exhaustion are rampant. Too often, overwhelmed professionals project their own struggles onto their colleagues, creating a toxic environment of incivility and needless confrontation.

Worse still, this emotional burden is often transferred onto the vulnerable families in the system, manifesting in judgment, blame, and humiliation. I committed myself to ACT with the conviction that true partnership with these families can only emerge when professionals confront and address their own emotional pain. Through the ACT program, I’ve learned compassion-based approaches to help address the suffering that is present within the system, along with skills and practices that can help professionals apply compassion to the challenges they’re facing.

Though I am merely at the beginning of this exciting journey—with my initial training with the Judges in New Mexico serving as the first of many steps—I’ve come to realize that the opportunity to sow the seeds of compassion exists everywhere. Since my inaugural training with ACT, I’ve been able to apply the principles and practices of applied compassion to the work I’m doing with judges, attorneys, and law school students. I’ve written articles, hosted webinars for fellow attorneys, integrated compassion-focused exercises into my law school curriculum, and even outlined plans for judicial retreats centered around compassion.

The world is not just ready but eager for this conversation about compassion, and I am grateful to ACT for giving me the skills to contribute to this vital dialogue! I would encourage anyone thinking about how to bring more compassion into your personal or professional life to become an Ambassador of Compassion through the Applied Compassion Training at CCARE Stanford.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ACT

Do you feel an urgency to make a positive difference in this complex, challenging world?

Applied Compassion Training (ACT), CCARE’s 11-month global live online program, is designed to address this need by preparing you to be an agent of change and compassion within your workplace, organization, community, profession, and personal life. The ACT program will equip you with the skills, knowledge, resources, global community, and expertise needed to apply compassion in all areas of your life, personally and professionally.

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ACT participants worldwide consistently identify these five elements as the key factors defining ACT’s distinct and influential training approach:

1. Action
2. Experiential Learning
3. Mentorship
4. Global Connections
5. Credibility of CCARE at Stanford University

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ACTION

In the ACT program, the action component of compassion takes center stage!

Throughout the program, each participant is guided through a carefully designed process that empowers them to develop and deliver an Applied Compassion Capstone Project they choose in the real world. These projects stand as tangible illustrations of action and influence as participants apply compassion to address specific areas of suffering, creating genuine and lasting change.

Applied Compassion Capstone Projects in ACT come in various sizes, forms, and applications, such as: 

• Compassion Toolkits for healthcare practitioners to reduce burnout and increase wellness
• Compassionate Leadership Programs to increase trust, collaboration, employee engagement, and business success
• Art Installations that cultivate awareness of and compassion toward marginalized groups
• Compassion Games and apps for students to reduce anxiety, depression and increase self-compassion
• Community Hubs for Mental Health to tackle the stigma and provide comprehensive services 

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

ACT integrates Stanford’s renowned Design School experiential approach to learning by engaging participants in evidence-based practices, processes, and experiences that foster direct and embodied learning. Throughout the program, participants are immersed in a deliberately designed environment that encourages the application of compassion, nurturing deep engagement and growth within themselves and with others. This comprehensive approach ensures a truly transformative learning experience.

MENTORSHIP

A cornerstone of ACT is the individualized and group mentorship provided to each participant throughout the program. Every ACT participant is paired with an expert mentor who guides them through their ACT journey, assisting in developing their Applied Compassion Capstone Project. Regular one-to-one mentorship sessions offer guidance and skillful advice as participants design and ultimately implement their compassion projects in real-world contexts. Additionally, participants are part of smaller mentoring groups and mini Capstone Teams, engaging in an evidence-based collaborative and feedback-driven process that supports the growth of each individual and their Applied Compassion Capstone Project.

GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

ACT participants share a profound desire for personal and professional growth, intending to leverage it to inspire and impact the people, communities, and organizations they are connected with. Through this ripple effect, ACT graduates become Ambassadors of Compassion, uniting with a growing, diverse, and influential community making a difference worldwide. Since its inception, over 500 individuals from 40+ countries have successfully graduated from the ACT program at CCARE Stanford University.

CREDIBILITY OF CCARE AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY

CCARE at Stanford University is a foremost authority in compassion advocacy, education, research, and training, recognized by individuals across diverse disciplines, professions, and industries worldwide. CCARE’s ACT program participants are esteemed leaders contributing to the public understanding of compassion and its advantages for organizations and society. Earning a Certificate of Completion as a Compassion Leader and Ambassador from CCARE Stanford offers an unparalleled opportunity to gain credibility, influence, evidence-based resources, skills, confidence, and connections needed to effect meaningful change and impact in the world.

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See your influence and impact grow! If you’re ready to effect real change, consider becoming an Ambassador of Compassion through Applied Compassion Training at CCARE Stanford. To learn more about this prestigious program, visit ACT at CCARE Stanford. And to explore ACT Alumni’s diverse Capstone Projects and stories showcasing the impact of applied compassion around the world, visit Meet the ACT Alumni and Explore Their Inspiring Capstone Projects.

In a compelling example of the ripple effect of CCARE’s Applied Compassion Training (ACT), Dr. Barbara Easterlin, a passionate participant in the program’s 2021 cohort and distinguished graduate, harnessed her enhanced confidence and skills to effect enduring change in the field of mental health. Easterlin’s Capstone Project, an innovative compassion workshop for clinicians addressing the psychological consequences of the climate emergency, not only altered the course or her career but also yielded remarkable achievements and far-reaching impact.

Under the guidance of ACT, Easterlin successfully integrated the process and principles of applied compassion into her Capstone Project, focusing on the psychological impacts of the climate crisis, an aspect frequently overlooked. With support and feedback from ACT colleagues and mentors, she developed an applied compassion workshop designed to engage clinicians. The workshop emphasized the critical importance of mental health professionals offering empathy and understanding of the emotional toll endured by both clients and clinicians in the face of the climate emergency.

“My journey with ACT instilled in me the confidence to apply compassion and make a real difference in the world,” Easterlin shared. “It empowered me to delve deep into the intersection of mental health and climate change, leading at first to the development of an applied compassion workshop that would spark awareness and drive compassionate action in addressing the climate emergency.” 

The impact of Easterlin’s project extended far beyond her immediate circle. The ripple effect of her applied compassion workshop became evident as clinicians who attended it were inspired to apply their newfound knowledge and compassionate approach in their practices. Their supportive feedback further rippled, leading Easterlin to co-develop the first-ever Climate Psychology Certificate (CPC) program at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco (CIIS CPC Program)—a historic milestone in the dynamic convergence of mental health and environmental crises.

The CIIS Climate Psychology Certificate (CPC) represents a significant breakthrough in providing mental health professionals with essential knowledge and skills to apply compassion in addressing the unique psychological consequences arising from the climate emergency. The ripple effect continues to spread as these professionals, equipped with specialized expertise and deep compassion, bring this knowledge to their clients and communities.

“The ripple effect was remarkable, not only in my own life but also in the lives of many clinicians our program reaches and onward to their clients,” Easterlin noted. The creation of the certificate program has empowered mental health professionals with the confidence and expertise to apply compassion and their existing mental health know-how to this complex problem to understand better and address the climate emergency’s unique psychological consequences.

Easterlin’s experience is a testament to the impact that people, bolstered by the principles and practices of applied compassion and confidence, can have on the world. Her unwavering determination and the support of ACT at CCARE Stanford have contributed to a transformative shift within the field, bringing heightened awareness to the mental health repercussions of our ecological fragility and, most importantly, how to respond effectively and collectively to the climate crisis.

As we grapple with the complex challenges of our time, Easterlin’s story inspires us, reminding us of the power of the ripple effect. Through Applied Compassion Training (ACT), individuals like Easterlin are leading the way to a more compassionate and sustainable society. Their actions have a cascading impact, fostering positive change and addressing pressing global issues with understanding, care, and the application of compassion at their core.

Barbara Easterlin’s experience is just one of the many examples of the ripple effect of ACT capstone projects. Around the world, across various fields and communities, ACT Graduates of CCARE Stanford are leaving their mark and transforming lives by applying compassion. 

This story offers a glimpse into the immense impact that ACT Participants and Graduates are generating, as the ripple effect extends far beyond the initial individual transformations. It touches and enriches countless lives while also fostering a more compassionate society.

Learn more about the California Institute of Integral Studies Climate Psychology Certificate Program at CIIS CPC Program.

Join the global community of ACT Graduates and make a difference in your field and community.

• Learn more about ACT and how you can unleash your own ripple effect.
• Explore ACT Alumni’s diverse Capstone Projects and stories showcasing the far-reaching impact of applied compassion.