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The Role of Self-Compassion in Health and Well-Being

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Humanism and Resilience in Residency Training

Abstract

This chapter will introduce foundational knowledge about the construct and practice of self-compassion. Common misconceptions and barriers in relation to self-compassion will be addressed. Evidence supporting the benefits of self-compassion will be reviewed, including the association of self-compassion with less anxiety, depression, and burnout as well as increased measures of well-being which include happiness, life satisfaction, and physical health. This chapter will highlight why self-compassion is particularly relevant for resident physicians and how it can be used as an effective tool to help build resilience in the face of challenges inherent in the practice of medicine. Self-compassion interventions and exercises will be introduced in Chap. 15, which is a practical and experiential complement to the current foundational chapter.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. McMaster University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Joanna Jarecki

  2. Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Satyam Choudhuri

  3. Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Tara Riddell

Authors
  1. Joanna Jarecki
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  2. Satyam Choudhuri
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  3. Tara Riddell
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joanna Jarecki .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Ana Hategan

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Karen Saperson

  3. McMaster Children’s Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Sheila Harms

  4. Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Department of Family Medicine, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Heather Waters

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Jarecki, J., Choudhuri, S., Riddell, T. (2020). The Role of Self-Compassion in Health and Well-Being. In: Hategan, A., Saperson, K., Harms, S., Waters, H. (eds) Humanism and Resilience in Residency Training. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45627-6_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45627-6_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-45626-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-45627-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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