ACT With Compassion

Below are links to some audio files that can be useful for working with shame and self-criticism. I'll add more audio files as I create them or come across them. Check back later for more!

Lovingkindness sequence for highly self-critical and shame prone people

We have developed a sequence of lovingkindness meditations specifically tailored to highly shame prone and self-critical people. Instructions on how to use it are here, and the individual meditations are listed below:

• Lovingkindness for a friend (introductory version script in Word format)
• Lovingkindness for a friend (open-ended, higher fidelity version)
• Lovingkindness for a friend and stranger (script in Word format)
• Lovingkindness for a friend and for yourself (script in Word format)
• Lovingkindness for a friend and a difficult person (who may also be yourself!) (script in Word format)

Other audio from from ACTwithcompassion.com

• A meditation to do when feeling upset, to practice self-compassion: Bringing kindness and care to a troubling emotioneditation to help clients build more awareness of automatic reactions to difficult emotions/situations.

• Lovingkindness meditation (10 minutes)
• Brief compassion meditation (10 minutes)
• Longer compassion meditation (22 minutes)
• Wisdom and Love Meditation

From Kristen Neff:

• Affectionate Breathing (21 minutes)
• Compassionate Body Scan (24 minutes)
• Loving-Kindness Meditation (20 minutes)
• Noting Your Emotions (18 minutes)
• Soften, Soothe, Allow: Working with Emotions in the Body (15 minutes)
• Self-Compassion Break (5 minutes). The self-compassion break is a favorite among clients (and us too!) because it is so brief and can be practiced informally anytime, anywhere by placing a hand on one’s heart and offering phrases of kindness. You can download the script here or view it on Dr. Neff's website.
  
  

From Russell Kolts:

• Soothing Rhythm Breathing (11 minutes)

From Christopher Germer:

• A whole range of mindfulness  and compassion exercises: http://www.mindfulselfcompassion.org/meditations_downloads.php
  

From SittingTogether.com:

• Self-compassion, other compassion, and mindfulness meditations: http://sittingtogether.com/meditations.php
  

From Barbara Fredrickson:

• Guided meditations: http://www.positivityresonance.com/meditations.html
  

From Dr. Tara Brach:

• Tonglen or Compassion Practice. Tonglen is a form of practice that involves breathing in difficult emotions, and breathing out kindness and relief. Here is a description of Tonglen by Pema Chodron.
• Meditations to open the heart from Tara Brach
• Wildmind.org has a self-guided course for learning lovingkindess meditation that includes a variety of exercise. It provides a nice overview of how to practice and guides on many aspects of establishing an effective practice.