Finding My Professional Heart is a short e-book by the author of the highly regarded Developing Reflective Practice. It provides a guide to compassion and mindfulness for health and social care students and practitioners and a roadmap for developing compassionate practice. Drawing on both neuroscientific research and the contemplative traditions, the book argues that compassion is not a competency that can be trained, but a way of practising care that can be cultivated and nurtured. It attempts to inspire the reader to become a compassionate practitioner by:
- Giving an overview of the concept of compassion that encompasses modern as well as ancient perspectives.
- Considering some ideas on how to become compassionate and discussing the enemies of compassion.
- Providing a small sample of scientific research into compassion and presenting an overview of a neuroscience-based model of compassion.
- Exploring the links between mindfulness and compassion.
- Providing some guidelines and a roadmap for cultivating a compassionate outlook and approach.
- Offering a set of meditations and practices that can be used along the way.
At the heart of health and social care is a healing encounter between people, and this book aims to put compassion and humanity back at the centre of care.
Autorentext
Natius Oelofsen is a consultant clinical psychologist trained in South Africa and the UK. He has worked in the UK's NHS for 18 years in a variety of settings, including children's services, adult mental health and learning disabilities. Currently, he is in full time private practice, specialising in mental health and neurodiversity across the life span. He runs the Psychology Consultancy (https://helpwithmentalhealth.net) which is a specialist provider of psychological help, consultancy and training to individuals, teams, and organisations in the public and private sectors.
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Contents
Preface
Chapter 1 Compassion
Chapter 2 How to become compassionate
Interlude: The four pillars of compassion
Chapter 3 The science of compassion
Chapter 4 Mindfulness and compassion
Chapter 5 A roadmap for compassionate practice
Interlude: The flow of compassion
Chapter 6 Developing compassionate teams, services and organisations
Appendix Meditations to develop your compassion
References