- Self-compassion training changes how veterans respond to trauma related stress and thus, has the potential to minimize the severity of symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder

Self-Compassion Training for War Veterans Suffering from PTSD

Service dogs are commonly used to aid in the treatment of war veterans suffering from PTSD. In addition to providing veterans with feelings of love and companionship, these dogs are specially trained to detect signs of anxiety, detect when their owner is having a nightmare and wake them up, help their owners feel safe in public, and other things specific to PTSD. Studies have shown that veterans with PTSD service dogs often demonstrate a lower number of PTSD symptoms and a higher quality of life. 

Benefit of Service Dogs to Veterans with PTSD

- Approximately 23% of Iraq/Afghanistan veterans develop clinically significant levels of post traumatic stress disorder. Extensive literature documents a strong association between PTSD and functional impairment across multiple domains.


Pitzer College

- Healthcare workers
- Adolescents suffering from minority stress
- War veterans suffering from PTSD
- LGBTQ Individuals
- College Students

Populations that Benefit from Self-Compassion Interventions

Dahm, K. A., Meyer, E. C., Neff, K. D., Kimbrel, N. A., Gulliver, S. B., & Morissette, S. B. (2015). Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, and Functional Disability in U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 28(5), 460–464. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22045

Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, and Functional Disability in U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans

- Healthcare workers are at increased risk for experiencing empathy fatigue/empathic distress which refers to the emotional drain that results from empathizing with patients who are in severe psychological or physical pain

Self-Compassion for Healthcare Workers

- Hypothesis which states that internalized stigma contributes to existing mental health disparities in marginalized communities

Minority Stress Hypothesis

War Veterans Suffering from PTSD

LGBTQIA+ young adults are more likely to experience mental health difficulties and substance abuse. Preliminary findings suggest that LGBTQIA+ individuals with high self-esteem report more happiness, less self-stigma, and lower suicidality. 

Mindful Self-compassion program and its effects on LGBTQIA+ Individuals

Numerous studies have shown that using the program Self Compassion for Healthcare Communities not only increased long-term self-compassion and wellbeing amongst workers, but it also significantly reduced secondary traumatic stress and burnout that many of these workers experience.

 An Adaptation of the Mindful Self Compassion Program for Healthcare Communities

When implementing the 8- week intervention Making Friends With Yourself amongst a group of college students, researchers found that mindfulness and self compassion increased and perceived stress decreased greatly.

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