Self-Compassion: A Four-Week Trauma-Informed Yoga Series
Saturday Mornings
10:00-11:00am CT
December 2, 9, 16 and 23
In Person and Virtual
Classes will be one hour long. In-person participants will be invited to stay after class
and connect over tea for 15-30 minutes.
Led by Deidra O’Loughlin, M.A., LPC, RYT-200 | she/her/hers
The word “compassion” has its roots in the Latin com "with, together" and pati "to suffer.” Self-compassion is a phrase that you may be familiar with, but it can feel like a strange (and challenging) notion to be compassionate toward oneself. Is it possible to “suffer with” ourselves? Is it beneficial?
Yes, it is possible, and the benefits are plentiful, but it can take some practice.
In this series, which will combine guided meditations, yoga asana practice, and opportunities for reflection, we will explore and practice ways of engaging in self-compassion. We will look at work done by meditation teachers as well as modern psychologists who study the topic.
Our physical yoga practice will be slow and gentle, but we will practice building our strength each week. We will focus on applying self-compassion during our physical practice by being non-judgmental of our body and how it moves. We will practice opening the lines of communication between the body and mind so we can identify and honor what we need.
The series will be offered virtually and in person. The classes will be one hour long. Participants who attend in person will be invited to stay after class to connect with the group over tea for 15-30 minutes.
It is not indulgent to carve out some time to tend to our relationship with ourselves, especially during times when we are affected by collective suffering. Our ability to direct compassion inward enhances our ability to direct it outward in a sustainable way.
Series Details
Week One: What is a self compassion practice?
In our first week, we will become more familiar with the concept of self compassion and how we can “practice” it. I will introduce some definitions of self-compassion from psychologists and meditation teachers and talk about the distinction between self compassion and self esteem.
Week Two: Why is it difficult to be compassionate with ourselves?
In our second week, we will explore the reasons why it feels much easier for many of us to offer kindness to others than to ourselves. We’ll also explore the crucial connection between mindfulness and self compassion.
Week Three: Does self compassion encompass more than just being gentle with ourselves?
Telling yourself something kind during a difficult time is one way to show compassion to yourself, but is that the only way? In our third week, we’ll look at all of the potential ways of practicing self compassion. They might look differently than you think.
Week Four: How does self-compassion help us in our relationships with others?
Many people have been taught that it’s best to care for others first and worry about yourself after. In our fourth week, we will discuss and challenge the idea that self compassion is indulgent and gets in our way of caring for others. We’ll also touch upon ways of engaging in self compassion in times when we are especially affected by the pain and suffering of others.
Registration
Click here to register.
Send Payment through
Venmo: @Deidra-Oloughlin
Cash/Check payable to Deidra O’LoughlinEmail Deidra with any questions at deidra@deidraoloughlin.com
After you complete the registration form, the instructor will be in touch with you to confirm your registration and to answer any questions you may have. The class will be limited to 10 in-person participants. To reserve your spot, register and submit payment via Venmo. Please let Deidra know via email if you will be paying in-person with cash or check instead so she reserves a spot for you.
EQUITY PRICING:
Empowered Spaces and Deidra O’Loughlin value community care. Given the systemic injustice in this world which affects each of us differently, this equity pricing scale acknowledges that our ability to pay for services, and access those services, varies. We offer a self-determined sliding scale based on the ways that your identity grants you access to privilege and to social capital, e.g. race, gender & sexual identity, socio-economic status, educational background, able-bodied-ness, etc.
Sustainer Rate - "I can pay my way" - $80 / $20 per class
Supporter Rate - "I can help support my community" - $100 / $25 per class
Community Rate - "I can use support from my community" - $60 / $15 per class
*Full and Partial Scholarships available
(realize, too, that you can pay between these rates, as well)
**Full & Partial scholarships: Empowered Spaces is committed to doing everything possible to make offerings accessible to everyone. To inquire about the Empowered Spaces Equity Scholarship please contact Kelly at kkcaul@yahoo.com
COVID-19 PROCEDURES
We will follow CDC guidelines when it comes to masking. Currently: Masks are optional. If cases go up in St. Louis County and guidelines change, masks will be required throughout the practice. Please stay home if you have symptoms, test positive, or were exposed to someone with COVID-19.
ACCESSIBILITY:
The Empowered Spaces yoga studio is located on the ground floor. There is a 10-car parking lot adjacent to the studio & additional free parking on neighborhood streets. Restroom is wheelchair-accessible and ramp-accessible in the main building. Please reach out to Kelly kkcaul@yahoo.com if there is anything more we can do to make our offerings more accessible. Empowered Spaces is committed to accessibility, and strives to be accessible and inclusive of all abilities and all individuals.
Meet Deidra
Deidra completed a 200-hour teacher yoga training at Urban Breath Yoga in St. Louis in 2021 after maintaining her own regular practice for 15 years. Her current favorite styles to teach include slow flow, vinyasa-yin, and strong vinyasa classes. She also enjoys teaching people who are brand new to the practice, as she strives to create a non-judgmental and encouraging space for beginners to dip their toe in. Deidra came to love the practice of yoga while she worked a series of high-stress jobs in NYC while completing her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. The first studio that felt like “home” to her was on a busy Brooklyn avenue: she remembers feeling in awe of the moments of serenity she was able to experience in the studio despite the sirens screaming and car horns blaring just outside of the window. In addition to teaching yoga, Deidra works as a psychotherapist in private practice in Clayton. Her work as a therapist enriches her work as a yoga instructor as she is trauma-aware, attuned to her students’ needs and she makes the yoga space feel containing and supportive. Deidra recognizes the power of a yoga practice to help people with histories of trauma, those with anxiety or depression, and people who experience oppression in any way; as a result, she is passionate about facilitating classes specifically aimed at helping folks with these struggles (re)connect with their bodies in a safe way. Deidra is a self-identified nerd who loves book clubs, appreciating art and nature, and just generally being silly (which you will likely get to experience if you attend her classes). She hopes that if you practice with her, you leave class feeling more grounded, calmer, and stronger.