Compassion in Action Showcase | Register Now

Presented by Marc Schaefer, Chief Management Advisor/ Managing Director in a FinTech Startup (Germany)
Friday and Saturday

Setting the foundation of a human-centered leadership and corporate culture with awareness, kindness and compassion requires a change in our working culture and the management of corporate organizations. In this session you will learn how to initiate this change and how to find a balance between human-centered leadership and business-driven orientation. How this way of working affects the members of an organization, e.g. impact-oriented employees, and why it will lead to more loyalty and performance of the team.

Presented by Alex Nunn
Friday and Saturday

This session is an opportunity to explore how the macro suffering of the world – from climate change to social and political violence – also resides in us as individuals, and to touch the change that is possible when compassion arises to meet it. Expect grounding meditations and a safe container for group sharing as we dive in together.

Presented by Amaris Vicari, CEO
Friday only

This project was centered around being able to deliver curated compassion programming for a variety of audiences. Included programming for C-suite executives, customer service managers, 11-year-old girls’ camp, tax professionals, and parents.

Presented by Katie Huey – Writer & Facilitator
Friday only

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? In this workshop you’ll explore how self-compassion can help us live more fully after loss.

Presented by Mollie Reinhart, Ed. M. Founder, Befriend
Friday and Saturday

Befriend is a global movement of connecting through compassion. From our organic beginning in Richmond, VA Befriend has sparked curiosity in many people from around the world to meet one another, hear each other’s stories and unite through compassion. Our goal is to create friendships so that every person can embrace empathy, foster understanding and bring our world closer together. Everyone belongs. Befriend is a lifestyle. Curious? Come join us to discover how we reveal our common humanity to create bridges that lift each other up through compassionate action. For a preview, follow us @befriend.movement.

Presented by Maribel Ramirez, Health and Wellness Coach
Friday and Saturday

Cultivating friendly response to anxiety through awareness & self-compassion

Presented by Laurie Flasko, CSP, CEC
Friday and Saturday

BREATH – Building Resilience | Can you relate…Are the effects of COVID-19 getting you down? Are you stuck in a rut? Have you been busy taking care of everyone else but YOU?Are you just plain tuckered out? | If you are feeling any of these and are ready for a change, this virtual course will help you breathe. Reignite your spark. Revitalize your purpose. Refresh and stand in the belief of your own greatness! This four-week virtual self-compassion and resilience program is grounded in neuroscience and the understanding of the body’s response to stress and growth. We know our body needs to breathe in and breathe out to survive. Yet in life, we continuously breathe out – giving to everyone else, and we either don’t take the time or we forget the importance of taking a breath in – of caring for ourselves. As a participant you will learn and practice skills, behaviours and actions to build resilience. These practices are aimed to enhance overall well-being especially during stressful times such as COVID. Through experiential learning exercises, self-reflection, group discussion and ongoing practice you will learn the foundations of self-compassion and start to develop lifelong habits which will help strengthen your resilience.

Presented by Susan Johnson, PhD, RN
Friday and Saturday

While my capstone project was targeted towards nurses, this session will have content for all caregivers, both formal and informal. While caregivers are naturally compassionate, no one teaches them how to mindfully and intentionally activate compassion when it does not arise spontaneously. In this presentation I will discuss a workbook I created to help nurses build a compassionate nursing practice, to develop mindful awareness and self-compassion. The presentation will include an exercise from the book.

Presented by Archana Vahalia
Friday and Saturday

When we share stories with each other, we realize that Just Like Me others have suffering and We Are Not Alone in Feeling the way we feel. In this session, we will learn to practice mindfulness techniques that can help us in our daily lives.

Presented by Barbara Easterlin, PhD
Saturday only

My Capstone Project was a full day continuing education workshop for mental health clinicians and others interested in the topic of Climate Psychology. This an emerging field in behavioral health that is developing in response to the distress therapy clients and therapists are expressing about the climate crisis (e.g.: worries about the future as well as existential issues such as whether to relocate geographically or to have children). California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) hosted the workshop. The course covered three major areas: 1) the neuropsychology and socio-political reasons we are at this stage of climate and ecological crisis, 2) its the mental health implications, 3) what clinicians can do to help clients develop resilience and find their own forms of activism. Compassion was woven into all parts of the workshop — compassion for the human condition, the planet and all of its inhabitants, as well as for how difficult this problem is to solve. Between the didactic sections of the presentation, I developed meditations, and short interpersonal processes, and role plays to help the audience learn strategies for calming their own climate anxiety and for compassionate listening to others. For the CCARE Showcase, I’ll summarize the main points of the presentation as well as lead a short experiential exercise.

Presented by Deborah Kasman MD , MA. Faculty at Professional Boundaries Education
Friday only

Healthcare providers are exhausted at this time more than ever. As a family doctor and bioethicist Dr Kasman has a lifetime focus on Healthcare provider well being. This session will review the steps taken, and project delivered, to first line healthcare providers where she was the Bioethics Director at a hospital , as well as an in-service for staff who promote required professionalism, boundaries, and civility classes to healthcare professionals who are doing remediation from a professional violation or transgression. In the session you will have a chance to experience a grounding self compassion exercise to help you in your daily lives.

Presented by Lacey Morris: LMFT Therapist
Friday and Saturday

When life happens to us, pain, struggle, heartache it is our compassion practices and core values that we can turn to to strengthen our connection to more joy and fulfillment within. In this session I will discuss a format series I have created to lead individuals through a process of deeper connection with their selves and the world at large.

Presented by Jeff Jacobs, Director, Organizational Effectiveness at Adobe
Saturday only

The word “compassionate” has come up a great deal as something we strive to be as individuals and as an important descriptor for organizations. In an independent research study, 10,000 employees identified “compassionate” as one of the top four qualities they look for in a leader. A separate study of CEOs found 92% identifying compassion as “important” or “extremely important” to their success, but the majority said they weren’t sure how to be more compassionate. Jeff Jacobs developed and shared a fast-paced and interactive workshop with over 1,000 participants to raise awareness of compassion as a true “Superpower” – what it looks like in practice, how we manage our triggers and mental models, our reaction to conflict, and the positive impact of mindfulness. He will provide an overview of his workshop and some of the lessons learned. Bring your questions about receptivity and application in the Corporate environment.

Presented by Dhruti Chakravarthi
Friday and Saturday

This capstone project focuses on designing resilient democratic systems through a compassionate auditing process. By integrating core tenets of compassion with democratic processes, the project aims to facilitate a conscious way of responding to sustainability challenges. We are at a boiling point of global emergencies and challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, a global health crisis, social inequalities and injustices. How do we facilitate consistent long-term impact in our communities and circles and overcome burnout and fear? How do we integrate compassion and positive intelligence tools into our fragile systems? This session will start with intersectional informative elements of gauging the impact of individual choices, wider systemic political narratives on the crucial developmental challenges of the 21st century. The showcase consists of an experiential element involving a taster into a compassionate auditing process for our communities and systems. The desired outcome of this session is to equip you with the knowledge and tools to foster trust and action in building resilient communities for a more sustainable world.

Presented by Tarja Wiklund, psychotherapist
Friday and Saturday

How to increase compassion in families with a compassionate card game

Presented by Pat Obuchowski, Executive Leadership Coach
Friday and Saturday

Compassionate Conversation Cafes are open virtually to individuals who want to discuss challenges and solutions to bringing compassion and self-compassion into the world. This format is a time for others to reflect on how they bring compassion to their world and to themselves. It offers a safe and confidential space where each participant is seen and heard in a non-judgmental environment. This project addresses the suffering of many during these pandemic times that are missing community, wanting to meet new people, yearning for deep conversation, alleviating the loneliness we are feeling. One participant said, “Last night was like a beautiful meditation. it was great to have a discussion about compassion as it reminds me to be more aware of when I can be compassionate.”

Presented by Jennie Moreau, Executive Speaking and Compassionate Communications Coach, Actor
Friday only

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. I will share some of the ACT techniques I used in these various settings, the impact they had on participants as well as myself, and lead people through an interactive exercise and debrief session.

Presented by Daillen Culver, Co-founder, BeDo
Friday and Saturday

Daillen is a compassion educator, social science researcher, and wellbeing consultant. This session will draw upon her 2021 ACT Capstone project—an original workshop on Compassionate Interviewing for Qualitative Research. Daillen will relate various aspects of her creative process and a synopsis of the method she has developed for practical application of compassion in the interview setting, and in social science methods more broadly. Participants will get an inside look at the Compassionate Interviewing curriculum, now offered to doctoral candidates and seasoned academics worldwide. This session will include a taster mindfulness exercise and ample time for Q&A.

Presented by Dr. Ruth Gottfried
Friday and Saturday

My Capstone Project session is relevant for helping professionals and volunteers, as well as family members and friends, caring for individuals who have experienced trauma. The learning agenda includes the following topics: 1) the definition of Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), 2) the importance of addressing STS, 3) STS exposure pathways, 4) vicarious post traumatic growth, 5) compassion for self and others, and 5) experiential contemplative compassion-based practices for addressing STS.

Presented by Charah Coleman
Friday and Saturday

“Sound for the People” was founded at the intersection of my personal healing journey, my calling to hold transformative space for others, and my quest to balance holding space for others all while not draining my own emotional reserve. There is no denying that the past two years have been an exceptional time on this planet. Many of us are responsible for others, be it at home, work, or elsewhere. We are tired, we are weary, and we need deep compassionate rest. Rooted in science and research, yet honoring traditional healing techniques, acoustic (sound) vibrations can reprogram our neural pathways. Studies have shown that frequencies of quartz crystal singing bowls can activate alpha and theta brain wave frequencies, balance the hemispheres of the brain, and bring our bodies and minds to a state of deep rest. I am proud to have launched “Sound for the People” as a means to cultivate compassionate rest in others. I cannot wait to share it with you! So bring your comfy clothes, grab a good pair of headphones, and enjoy the sound therapy protocol I have prepared based on Dr. James Doty’s “Alphabet of the Heart”. I call it “The Heart of Rest”.

Presented by Helene Creager, LCSW, Applied Compassion Certified Trainer and Coach
Friday and Saturday

The Every Day Wellness Pilot Program was developed for U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services staff to provide them with skills to enhance resiliency, address empathic distress, address secondary trauma, and prevent burnout. Rather than a program that is singularly focused on mindfulness, compassion, self-compassion, or positive neuroplasticity, this Every Day Wellness pilot program used practices from all of these arenas provided within three, 1.5-to-2-hour virtual workshops. These experiential workshops demonstrated what to do and how to do it including practices that can be done in the moment at any time of the day. The Capstone Session will provide information on the structure and design of the program, impact of the program on participants and facilitator, and an update on this program post ACT graduation. The session will also include an experiential practice from the program.

Presented by Karolina Kolasa
Friday only

How to empower your kid by being a patient parent? In this session you will learn a 4 “N” method: 1. NOTICE IT, 2. NAME IT, 3. NEUROINTEGRATE IT, 4. NAIL IT*. These 4 simple steps will lead you to Nirvana in Parenting: a state of being a peaceful, joyful, present and compassionate parent. *During the session we will dive into what “IT” is and neuroprocess it together.

Presented by Misty Huckabey- Neuroscientist, MS-ACN
Friday and Saturday

Learn about the intimate relationship our brains and development share with the natural world and environment around us. This workshop will teach you what fractals are and how they can be used in everyday healing.

Presented by Pinuccia Contino, Manager and Regulator, European Commission
Friday and Saturday

How can we connect with our whole self? And can common humanity, humility, loving-kindness and compassion enhance our life purpose? My ACT 2021 Capstone Project explores these questions through meditation, experience sharing, a bit of theory and more.

Presented by Dr Neha Agrawal
Saturday only

In my Applied Compassion Capstone Project, I focused on the emotional aspect of academic feedback and specifically explored the role of compassion and self-compassion in the act of giving and receiving feedback.

Presented by Dr Robin Amerena
Friday only

The presentation will illustrate the development delivery and assessed impact of a 4 week pilot workshop in self – compassion training for health care professionals in Melbourne during covid lockdown in august September 2021.

Presented by Renda Dionne Madrigal
Friday only

Heart Story Medicine will focus on the Annishinabe story of Skywoman, exploring its indigenous female heart medicine for reclaiming compassion and strength, bringing this powerful archetype to the forefront.

Presented by Sunil Nethisinghe – Teacher & Coach Mindfulness & Compassion
Friday and Saturday

Embodiment is an essential part of Applied Compassion for impactful behavior change. Whether professional, social, or personal, challenging human relationships are golden opportunities to build such skills. The speaker will discuss guidelines for cultivating these skills with a short practice session.

Presented by Ana Contier – CONNECT – compassion for families of people with epilepsy
Saturday only

Engaging your audience is fundamental to create condition to develop compassion. I will share my experience how to do it.

Presented by Virginia Wilcox, Co-Creator of IlluminateWork and Compassionate Facilitator | Kerri Van Kirk: Co-Creator of IlluminateWork, UHP & Human Design Facilitator | Teresa Geoghegan Brown: PSYCH-K Facilitator and Subtle Energy Explorer
Friday and Saturday

What really matters deeply to you? How are you putting that into practice in your work? In your day-to-day life? Though journaling, reflective listening practice and compassionate intention setting you can get more clarity about how you can best integrate your values into your work-life and create a sense of ease, flow, integrity, alignment and compassion in the way you are being in relationship to your work. We will be offering you a guided compassion practice, journal prompts (bring a notebook), as well as sharing the story of how our methodology came into being for our year-long IlluminateWork group program (now in it’s second year of group practice). Come explore with us how you can clarify your deeply held values and apply them (in action!) more consistently in your day-to-day experience. We are here to practice together and help each other to re-pattern our mind/body/hearts in a committed group setting, combining the science of compassion and the strengthening energy of community care.

Presented by Kerri Jacobs, Creator of Leading with Empathy, Google
Friday and Saturday

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 (as part of leadership compassion workshops) 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.

Presented by Claudia Bernard, Mediator, Trainer & Consultant
Friday only

To paraphrase James Baldwin, white people are trapped in a history which we do not understand; and until we understand it, we cannot be released from it. My capstone project is a journey to look beyond this shadow of ignorance to see what white conditioning has not allowed us to see: how white people internalize, maintain and benefit from the system of racism in America. This is a journey of love with my fellow white people: to transform shame into compassion, ignorance into knowledge, fear into courage, and denial into responsibility. In this largely experiential session we will dip our toes into this exploration with an exercise to hold with compassion and self-compassion our multiple identities: those of privilege and power along with those of marginalization and oppression.

Presented by Diana Hull PA, MPH
Friday and Saturday

We all care for something or someone, it’s human nature to CARE. Compassion, Awareness, Resilience, and Engaged presence are qualities every courageous caregiver can develop. When a loved one becomes ill, or someone requires our attention, it’s time to show how we CARE. This capstone session introduces a brief overview for approaching caregiving with CARE.

Presented by Nancy Etchemendy
Friday and Saturday

Music, poetry, and tips about conversing meaningfully with those whose opinions differ from our own.

Presented by Signe Jung Sorensen, Coach & Consultant – International Development and Todd Vogel, Managing Director, Loom Foundation
Friday and Saturday

How do we understand compassion on an individual and systemic level – and use it to effectively reduce suffering on issues such as climate, social justice and global poverty? Accompany two ACT graduates on their journey to answer these questions. One graduate used conversations and workshops to explore, map and anchor how compassion can be sustained and considered in the international development and public policy sector. Another used bottom-up and top-down practices to help a philanthropy cultivate a compassionate culture that forges interconnection and addresses the asymmetrical power that lives between philanthropists and community members. Together, in this session that includes discussion and reflection, they discuss how their lessons from individual and systemic challenges around the world overlap and diverge.

Presented by Kristine Claghorn, Creative Producer & Climate Activist
Friday and Saturday

A compassionate guide to navigating burnout, imposter syndrome, and difficult conversations to further resilience, take action, and create positive change.

Presented by Rev. Paula Sockolich, RN, Energy Medicine & Natural Healing
Friday only

An Energy Medicine and Body Wisdom Summit Series to recognize trauma in our own lives, how it impacts our body, mind and soul and the ways to heal and overcome it. A unique approach that combines Western Medicine and Energy Medicine as one unified field. Featuring specialists in Western and Energy Medicine to bring awareness, education, tools, guidance, healing & shared wisdom with the goal of alleviating suffering to all who are called to take deeper dive within and heal the physical, emotional and spiritual bodies.

Presented by Swati Malaviya, Mindfulness and Compassion Educator/Facilitator
Saturday only

This session will address the need to recognize and integrate the trauma experienced by people during their lifetime. We often don’t realize the impact and duration of trauma in our lives, when trauma is not integrated. Goal of this session is to empower people with trauma education (how stress/trauma affects our brain and body) along with mindfulness and compassion tools to help integrate their trauma.

Presented by Ms. Jenny Canau
Saturday only

During times of difficulty, its important to connect with our pain/ suffering and learn to regulate our nervous system. This act of self-compassion can be supported by connecting to our intrinsic values, to give us the inner-strength to make discerning and sustainable decisions.

Presented by Anupama Khatana
Saturday only

Schools are a community of people of from the youngest to people who are close to retirement. Children complete the most significant time of their lives in schools. Teachers are responsible not only for taking care of children, but also to nurture them, protect them from harmful situations, counsel parents, etc. My project intends to be a well being program for teachers ( and eventually for the students) to equip them with skills to be able to take care of themselves and the students, especially the ones with behavioural issues and special needs.

Robert Tame – Founder Working4Compassion
Friday and Saturday

Working4Compassion (W4C) a website and podcast was created to inspire conversations and share stories about workplace compassion, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness. The world of work is experiencing unprecedented change driven by technology and hybrid working. Employee stress and burnout levels are increasing, while engaging and holding on to quality employees is getting harder. Against this background leading with compassion and emotional intelligence is vital. W4C is designed to raises awareness and discover real-life inspiring stories, tips and techniques about how compassion can deliver competitive advantage and strategic success for organizations.