Spirituality Studies 11-2 Fall 2025 23 Petra Kacafírková in reducing distress in participants with chronic emotional difficulties (Gilbert and Procter 2006, 368). Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), developed by Neff and Germer (2013), is another widely used eight-week, group-based programme specifically designed to build self-compassion. It includes meditations, such as loving-kindness and affectionate breathing, reflective exercises, for example writing a self-compassionate letter, and daily informal practices. While MSC is grounded in Neff’s three-component model of self-compassion, it also shares important principles with Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT). However, unlike CFT, which was originally designed for clinical populations, MSC is intended primarily for the general public and select clinical groups, and follows a non-therapeutic, skills-based format. For adolescents, an adapted version called Making Friends with Yourself (Bluth et al. 2016) has been designed and has proved helpful in improving emotional resilience and self-kindness in youth populations. Elements of mindfulness and self-compassion are also embedded in other therapeutic modalities such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). These approaches blend mindfulness principles with behavioural interventions and emphasize both acceptance and change (Linehan 2014; Hayes et al. 2003). Intervention studies based on mindfulness and self-compassion have shown a wide range of psychological benefits across both clinical and non-clinical populations. Systematic reviews and experimental trials have demonstrated that such interventions are effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety (Egan et al. 2022, 401; Hughes et al. 2021, 1605; Takahashi et al. 2019, 8). In addition to symptom reduction, mindfulness and self-compassion interventions have been linked to enhanced emotion regulation, enabling individuals to respond to difficult emotions with greater flexibility and self-awareness (Inwood and Ferrari 2018, 15; Dundas et al. 2017, 449). Furthermore, growing evidence points to their role in fostering psychological resilience, both directly and as a mediating factor in overall well-being (Pérez-Aranda et al. 2021, 6–7). These findings support the view that cultivating mindfulness and self-compassion not only alleviates psychological distress but also strengthens internal resources for longterm emotional balance, which is something that teachers and students of education could strongly benefit from. The next section reviews how these practices have been applied in educational settings. 2.2 Mindfulness and Self-Compassion in Educational Settings Mindfulness and self-compassion interventions have shown considerable promise in educational settings, both for students and teachers. For instance, Bluth et al. (2016, 16) demonstrated that an adolescent self-compassion programme led to significant reductions in depression, stress, and anxiety, as well as increases in life satisfaction, suggesting that mindfulness and self-compassion are modifiable skills that can enhance emotional health in young people. In higher education, Neff et al. (2005, 282–283) found that undergraduate students with higher levels of self-compassion reported greater intrinsic motivation, stronger goal orientation, and less fear of failure. A study by Smeets et al. (2014, 802–803) involving female psychology students in their first or second year of college showed that self-compassion training significantly improved self-compassion, mindfulness, optimism, and self-efficacy, while reducing rumination. Egan et al. (2022, 400) further highlighted the importance of adapting self-compassion programmes to the needs of young people, noting that interventions are more effective when they address self-criticism and are responsive to diversity and individual differences. Binder et al. (2019, 9) provided qualitative evidence that self-compassion programmes in university settings may enhance emotional awareness, reduce self-criticism, and foster a greater sense of common humanity. Participants reported feeling more emotionally stable, better able to cope with daily pressures, and more accepting of difficult emotions. Similarly, another qualitative study by Naidoo and Oosthuizen (2024, 357) explored self-compassion among first-year university students, revealing that students’ experiences can be complex and sometimes even contradictory. The authors suggest promoting both the yin and yang aspects of self-compassion, fostering acceptance of challenges while encouraging active coping. However, a recent meta-analysis by Póka et al. (2024, 6487–6488) suggests that the overall effectiveness of
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