ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights the psychological and ethical benefits of self-compassion in order to recommend it as a practice for people who provide higher education in prisons. It explores the benefits of self-compassion in part to recommend it as a practice. “Self-compassion” refers to a mindful, compassionate awareness of the difficult realities of one’s experience. Practices of self-compassion often involve reflecting on painful experiences while adopting a kind and soothing attitude, avoiding critical self-talk. Practices of self-compassion have been shown to contribute positively to an other-directed focus and concern for the well-being of others. Self-compassion consequently represents a humanizing disposition in dehumanizing spaces. Practices of self-compassion provide important resources for teachers in prisons to resist harms and sustain ethical engagement. Self-compassion involves mindful acknowledgement of our limits and inadequacies. Self-compassion involves recognizing the fact that, as human beings, we are likely to err in thought, speech, and action.
