This guided meditation can be helpful when you're feeling isolated or experiencing difficulty. Connecting with self-compassion reminds us that even though the struggle is a part of life, we can still experience kindness and acceptance.

Show notes: Adapted from The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff and Chris Germer.

Kristin Neff, Ph.D., is an associate professor in Human Development and Culture in the Educational Psychology Department, at the University of Texas at Austin.

Christopher Germer, Ph.D., has a private practice in mindfulness and compassion-based psychotherapy and is a psychiatry lecturer at the Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Health Alliance.