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$325.00 Compassion Cultivation Training© - Fall 2024
What exactly is compassion? How does it differ from empathy? And how can
compassion prevent burnout, build resilience, and increase happiness?
All questions you can find answers to in this course!
Each of us is born
with the capacity for compassion. It’s the seed within that has allowed
the human species to evolve and flourish. Most scientists now agree
that Darwin’s theories support “survival of the kindest,” not survival
of the fittest! Our instinct to care is what has allowed us to adapt to
changing, even challenging circumstances, and thrive. However, the seed
of compassion, like any seed, needs tending. We have to cultivate
compassion because there are many forces in society that mitigate
against it taking root and growing tall. Meditation can help us nourish
the soil and water the seedling. Similarly, learning to practice
compassion in our day-to-day life is an exercise we can do that’s good
for those we interact with, but also good for ourselves—like training at
the gym. And just as there is sports science, there is compassion
science!
Compassion Cultivation Training© or CCT™ is an 8-week course
developed at Stanford University by a team of contemplative scientists,
psychologists and researchers. Its impact on participants has been
extensively researched and the results published in peer-reviewed
journals. People who’ve taken CCT™ report less anxiety, anger, and
mind-wandering, and greater self-acceptance, calm and happiness. The
course meets on Zoom for 2 hours every week over 8 weeks, and each
week’s theme and practices build on the previous week’s (this is why
it’s important to miss no more than 2 of the 8 classes). Engaging and
highly participatory, classes are comprised of two guided meditations, a
brief lecture, group discussion, and small group exercises.
Participants have pre-recorded audio meditations for use at home that
change each week according to the theme. Many optional learning
resources are provided after each week’s class, including “real world”
assignments for putting learning into practice. You choose the resources
that match your interest and learning style! I hope you’ll join me!
Here’s a personal story about my own compassion journey to perhaps
inspire you. And check out these testimonials!
"I found the CCT class to be a transformative experience. The concept of
compassion is simple but profound, and Brandel France de Bravo was a
thoughtful, inspiring guide to this meditative practice.” —Kathleen
Wheaton, writer, Bethesda, MD
“It was well worth my time, and my
experience from the training is something I can incorporate in my
professional and personal life. Brandel France de Bravo is a kind and
wise facilitator who is dedicated to this work. She provides a safe
space for growth, learning, and for exploring challenges around
compassion for self and others. I highly recommend the training!” —
Kiersten Gallagher, Program Director, Smith Center for Healing and the
Arts, Washington, DC
"I realize that the few short weeks I spent in your
class was one of the best investments in 'self' that I have made. I
desperately want to invest more!" — VP, Marketing and Communications
Strategy for a Nonprofit, Washington, DC
“Brandel teaches with great
care and a passion for the material that lets you know early on that
this course is not about performative generosity, or theoretical
kindness. I'm glad I took the course. I have grown on a spiritual and
human level thanks to it.” — Emmanuel Minko, musician/producer, DC
Scholarships are available! Please reach out to Brandel directly with inquiries! info@brandelfrancedebravo.com
Brandel France De Bravo
Brandel France de Bravo (she/her) studied Compassion Cultivation
Training© with founding faculty while a fellow at Stanford University
and is honored to be a CCT™ teacher jointly certified by Stanford’s
Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) and
the Compassion Institute. She holds a Master’s in Public Health from
Columbia University and a Master’s in poetry from Warren Wilson’s MFA
Program for Writers. She is the author of two poetry books, co-author of
a parenting book influenced by the RIE philosophy of infant-toddler
care, and the editor of bilingual anthology of Mexican poetry. In her
career as a public health professional, she has run an HIV prevention
program in Africa, designed harm reduction strategies for intravenous
drug users in Central Asia, and developed materials to help cancer
patients in the U.S. make informed decisions about their treatment.
Brandel loves sharing mindfulness and meditation practices with people
from all walks of life!