Mental Health Week: Healing through Compassion

May 6-12 is Mental Health Week! This year the Canadian Mental Health Association is encouraging us to explore how compassion connects us all.

"We all have the capacity to be compassionate, and we know that doing so can make an enormous difference... In a world plagued by suffering, we emphasize that kindness is equally intrinsic to our humanity."

-Canadian Mental Health Association

What is Compassion?

Researchers today define compassion as an emotional response to the struggles of others combined with a real, authentic desire to help lessen their suffering.

Read more about compassion in this resource from the Canadian Mental Health Association.

What are the mental health impacts of Compassion?

Showing compassion to others is particularly powerful for our mental health and well-being. It can:

• ease depression

• provide a spike in happiness

• cause a "cascade of kindness"

• be a catalyst for optimism

• provide "selfless satisfaction"

Read more about the mental health impacts of compassion in this resource from the Canadian Mental Health Association.

What is "self-compassion"?

Practicing self-compassion means approaching ourselves with the same kindness we extend to others such as our family and friends.

The three key elements to self-compassion are:

1. Self-kindness versus self-judgement

2. Common humanity versus isolation

3. Mindfulness versus over-identification

Read more about self-compassion and how to practice it in this resource from the Canadian Mental Health Association.

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This blog post was created with resources shared by the Canadian Mental Health Association. Find out more about the organization on their website cmha.ca