Teaching Compassion to Children

CULTIVATING COMPASSIONKey Components of Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT)Brooke Dodson-LavelleMind and Life InstituteEmory University

Tim HarrisonEmory-Tibet PartnershipCBCTS APPROACHDrawn from the lojong (training the mind) and lam rim (stages of the path) traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, but rendered into secular form.

Developed as a protocol for research on compassion training at Emory University by Geshe Lobsang Negi

Secular inclusive of religious views; not dependent; idea is that one could incorporate practices into daily life and into ones own spiritual or religious practice, if one has one. More complicated is ue what constitutes secular and religious. Just want to flag this for us to track as we consider the limits, boundaries -- 2What makes it cognitively-based?CBCT recognizes a biologically-given potential for compassion in all of us, but employs deliberate training to expand this capacity beyond the limits of in-group/out-group bias.

Training relies heavily on analytical reflections that alter our view, and in turn our behavior through meditation or contemplation: ethical know how vs. know what

Not just thinking about something in an abstract way; a-ha moment felt sense that you got something; in practice one would sit with, rest in this insight in order to allow it to deepenView, Behavior and Meditation(lta-spyod-sgom-gsum) By fine-tuning our understanding or view to better accord with the reality of our situations, we can alter our affective and behavioral responses.This new understanding must become deeply engrained through immersive meditative training.

3Key components of CBCT1. Attentional Stability2. Self-Compassion3. Impartiality4. Affection and Empathy5. Compassion

4Key components of CBCT1. Attentional Stability2. Self-Compassion3. Impartiality4. Affection 5. Compassion

5Self-compassionComing to an understanding of the relationship between ones own emotions and actions, and ones experience of suffering and happiness

Gaining the insight that the conditions leading to suffering can be transformed

Gaining confidence in ones ability to transform them

Resolving to emerge from the causes of sufferingNot self-soothing or self love; though love is critical and Ill talk aobut this in our next session; this has different orientation; almost empowered stanceWithout a secure base, others suffering may provoke only empathic distress, not empathic concern.

6ImpartialityDismantling biases based on the categories of friend, stranger and enemy

Recognizing the equality of all based on their common aspiration for happiness and to avoid suffering

Recognizing the shortsightedness of basing ones attitude on the categories of friend, stranger and enemy

Expanding kinship with others

Not only happiness, but profound specialness (I would add)-categories change-deep interconnectionNot just reductive thoughts

7AffectionCultivating gratitude by reflecting on the kindness of others

Reflecting on how interdependent we are with others

Reflecting upon the shortcomings of self-centered attitudes and behaviors and the benefits of altruistic attitudes and behaviors

Tuning in to the suffering of others

Learning to love without conditions.

8MAPS FOR CULTIVATING COMPASSION

-Typically delivered in 8-10 weeks, 2 hours per week plus regular at-home practice

-Adapted for use with school children (ages 5-9); adolescents in foster care (ages 13-17) and survivors of trauma

-CBCT intended to provide framework for deepening ones practice over timeKeep in mind dont transform in eight weeks resist medical model..

9Cultivate compassion (its good for you)

-Training reduces stress and inflammatory markers including cortisol and IL-6(Pace et al. 2009)

-Training enhances empathic accuracy(Mascaro et al. 2012)

-Training increases number and strength of friendships (Dodson-Lavelle et al. in preparation)

www.tibet.emory.edu/cbct

**** THIS IS NOT JUST AN ARTIFACT OF THE KIDS HAVING SPENT MORE TIME IN CLASS WITH THEIR PEERS, THUS FEELING CLOSER TO THEM AND MAKING MORE FRIENDSHIPS BY THE END OF THE YEAR. IF THIS WERE THE CASE YOUD EXPECT BOTH GROUPS TO SHOW A SIMILAR INCREASE IN FRIENDSHIPS.

BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, ALTHOUGH BOTH GROUPS START AT ROUGHLY THE SAME LEVEL, THE # OF FRIENDSHIPS IN THE CBCT GROUP SKYROCKETS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MINDFULNESS GROUP.

This dependent measure assesses the number of subjects who mention a classmate in their social network as a function of time (e.g., whether children included more peers in their network between the start and finish of the program).

In general, by T2 children in the treatment (CBCT) group are 2.25 times more likely to name a peer as a friend than were children in the control (mindfulness) group.

10Teacher Training ProgramLEVEL ONEIntroductory Intensive8-day Retreat and WorkshopPracticumTeaching Assistantship

LEVEL TWOCo-Teaching Mentoring and SupervisionCertification

www.tibet.emory.edu/cbctCultivate teachersAttend to teachersscalability11Compassion Training: A systems approachEffective and sustainable training requires community.

Effective trainings should also include support for students, teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, etc.

New models: train the teachers12Thank youCOMPASSION TRAINING AT PAIDEA SCHOOLBarbara DunbarKelly RichardsBrendan Ozawa-de SilvaBrooke Dodson-LavellePhilippe Rochat, PhDErin Robbins, PhDDave SaundersJordan KohnThaddeus W.W. Pace, PhDFOSTER CHILDRENCommissioner B.J. WalkerLamar W. SmithThaddeus W.W. PaceAllison WilliamsPrimos CobbBrooke Dodson-LavelleBrendan Ozawa-de Silva, PhDLinda Craighead, PhDSheethal Reddy, PhDJose MorelliDave SaundersTimothy HarrisonAmanda Pema BrownJordan KohnMultiple Other DHS StaffCALM STUDYChuck Raison, MDThaddeus W.W. Pace, PhDTeresa I. SivilliErica LipizziKisha FrankBrendan Ozawa-de Silva, PhDBrooke Dodson-LavelleThomas W. Comstock, MDBryan Price, MDGaelle Desbordes, PhDJenny Mascaro, PhDMatthias Mehl, PhDAndrea BurdettSherri LawalNathan PhaneufGRADY COMPASSION AND MEDITATION PROGRAMNadine J. Kaslow, PhDNoelle Santorelli, PhDTelsie David, EdSBarbara A.B. Patterson, PhD13