FAQs

This is a 3-day, in-person experience designed to help you deepen your compassion practice, learn from leading voices in the field, engage with current compassion research, and build meaningful connections with others who care about this work. The immersion experience centers on four interconnected pillars — compassion practice, featured speakers, compassion research discovery, and community building and connection. Learn more about the Immersion experience here.

The CCARE Immersion takes place October 9-11, 2026.

The CCARE Immersion takes place entirely in person at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, giving you the opportunity to fully engage with the experience, the campus setting, and the community around you. There will be no remote option for this event.

Yes, some meals will be provided during the event days. Please refer to the schedule to review the meal offerings and times.

The event fee is $1,500, with a limited number of early-bird registrations available for $995, a savings of $500. Your registration gives you access to the full 3-day CCARE Immersion experience. Accommodations are not included.

Yes! CCARE graduates have successfully requested funding from their employer, organization, or institution to subsidize all or part of their compassion training costs. We suggest you work with you employer/organization early in the process to gain approval and finalize if they will pay your registration directly or reimburse your expenses afterwards.

You can pay by credit card or wire transfer. All fees must be paid in full to reserve your spot.

Our cancellation policy reflects the intentional nature of the CCARE Immersion. Because enrollment is limited and we thoughtfully design the participant experience, our cancellation policy helps us protect the quality of the Immersion for everyone involved.

Full refunds, minus a $225 processing fee, are available within 14 days of registration. After that period, registrations are final and non-refundable.

Before registering, please make sure you are available for the full 3-day event and that attending fits your current personal and professional commitments. We understand that unexpected, serious circumstances can arise. In the event of force majeure or other situations beyond your control (such as illness or family emergency), we will make every reasonable effort to work with you. We may, at our discretion, offer a transfer to a future program.

Because this event takes place entirely in person at Stanford University, sessions cannot be attended remotely, and recordings will not be available if you are unable to attend after the cancellation deadline.

If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to us at compassioneducation@stanford.edu before registering.

A limited number of partial scholarships are available to support access for participants who would otherwise be unable to attend. We expect and welcome people from different financial realities. Learn more about and apply for a scholarship here.

If you are in a position to donate funds towards a grant or scholarship, please contact compassioneducation@stanford.edu. 100% of your support will go towards helping someone who doesn’t have the financial resources to participate in the CCARE Immersion. We appreciate your generosity!

You can find the event schedule here. Reviewing the schedule can help you understand the overall flow of the experience and plan your travel. The schedule is subject to change, and registered participants will receive a more detailed version.

The CCARE Immersion is built around four interconnected pillars so that you can learn, practice, and connect in multiple ways throughout the event: compassion practice to help you engage the work personally, featured speakers to broaden your perspective, compassion research discovery to deepen your understanding of the field, and community building and connection to strengthen your relationships with others in this space. Learn more about what you’ll experience here.

The Immersion is open to anyone interested in cultivating compassion, resilience, and well-being in their personal or professional life. While the program is especially valuable for alums of CCARE trainings who wish to deepen and integrate their learning, prior participation is not required.

You may find this experience particularly meaningful if you are looking for practical tools, a supportive community, and dedicated time to reflect, reset, and reconnect with your intention for greater compassion.

Please note that the Immersion will be conducted in English. If you have questions about accessibility or whether this program is a good fit for your goals, we welcome you to contact us at compassioneducation@stanford.edu

You don’t need any special preparation to participate. We invite you to arrive with a beginner’s mind—a sense of openness, curiosity, and willingness to engage with the experience as it unfolds.

To support your learning, you may find it helpful to set aside this time with minimal distractions, reflect on your intentions for attending, and come ready to engage both individually and in community. Most importantly, this is an opportunity to slow down, reconnect, and meet yourself where you are.

No. The CCARE Immersion is not a training program, so participants will not earn academic credit or a certificate. Instead, the value comes from the experience itself — what you learn, practice, and take with you after the event.

The Immersion offers several ways to engage, share your work, and connect with others. Each format is designed to foster learning, reflection, and meaningful connection within a supportive community.

The Compassion Showcase takes place on Sunday morning and will be an opportunity for registered participants to share their compassion work with the community in an open exhibition format. The showcase is a unique opportunity to highlight your compassion initiatives, spark conversation, and connect with others who have shared interests. Spaces for the Compassion Showcase are limited and subject to review. Full application details will be provided during registration.

• Poster Presentations (open to all): Submit a scientific abstract or practice-based project related to compassion for display during the open exhibition. Open to any registered participant.
• CCARE Showcase Table (open to CCARE alums only): Host a table in the center of the exhibition to share a compassion-based initiative with the broader community. Reserved for CCARE alums.
• Featured Talk (open to ACT graduates only): Deliver a 10-minute talk related to a compassion initiative or project you developed at CCARE, reserved for Applied Compassion Training (ACT) graduates.

Across all formats, the emphasis is on connection, curiosity, and collective learning. You are encouraged to participate in ways that feel aligned with your interests and goals for the Immersion.

Applications for all Compassion Showcase opportunities open during registration. The deadline to apply is August 1, and notifications will be sent by August 15, so you can plan ahead.

The Immersion will be held on the Stanford University campus. We will provide detailed location information, including specific buildings and a campus map, before the event to help you plan your arrival with ease.

For those driving, parking options and instructions will also be shared in advance. If you are traveling from out of town or using public transportation, we will include guidance to help you navigate to campus smoothly.

Our goal is to make your arrival as seamless as possible so you can focus on settling in and making the most of your experience.

The CCARE Immersion takes place in person at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. If you are traveling to the event, CCARE has secured room blocks at the following locations to make planning your stay easier:
Stanford Guest House
Sheraton Palo Alto Hotel

Accommodation costs are not included in registration fees–you’re responsible for booking and purchasing your own accommodations.

More information about booking accommodations will be provided after registration. Please wait to book your room until you have completed your registration.

We recommend packing for comfort and ease so you can fully engage in the experience.

Please bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the day, as well as any favorite snacks you may want between sessions (meals will be provided during the event). Comfortable walking shoes are also encouraged—Stanford’s campus is beautiful and expansive, with opportunities for group walks or quiet reflection on your own.

We will share additional guidance on weather and attire closer to the event to help you plan accordingly.

If you are feeling unwell before the event, we encourage you to take care of yourself and others by staying home. Your consideration helps protect the health and well-being of the entire community, and we appreciate your partnership in creating a safe, supportive environment for all participants.

Please note that we are unable to provide refunds for last-minute cancellations due to illness or other unforeseen circumstances. In certain exceptional situations beyond your control, we may, at our discretion, offer a transfer to a future program.