Mindfulness and Self-Compassion

“When you look at the brains of meditators, the areas related to attention, learning, and compassion grow bidder and stronger. It’s called cortical thickening: the growth of new neurons in response to repeated practice. What we practice grows strong stronger.” Daniel Goleman

I offer individual sessions, as well as classes. If you are interested in cultivating mindfulness, presence, and self-compassion, please contact me for more information.

Free Introduction to Self-Compassion

The two classes are January 11th, 6:30 pm – 7:30pm PST. A Zoom link will be sent before each introduction. Registration is essential! The online form will be up before or by November 23rd, or you can call in your information at 360-316-6544

UPCOMING SELF-COMPASSION COURSE ~ 2027

Self-Compassion: A six-week online course!  Tuesday evenings, February 16th – March 23rd, 2027 on Zoom 6:30pm – 8:00pm PST .  Fee: $330

                                                                                                                                                                  How might your life change if you offered yourself the tenderness, understanding, and compassion you so readily offer others?

This course offers guidance in cultivating self-compassion and self-kindness. Through mindfulness, guided self-compassion and loving-kindness meditations, reflection, and discussion, we will gently explore our feelings, needs, self-criticism, and pain—learning to meet ourselves with greater warmth and understanding.  Together, we will explore the differences between self-esteem, self-compassion, loving-kindness, and mindfulness, and how these can support us in everyday life. We will practice recognizing our inner critic, responding compassionately to difficult emotions, and remembering that struggle and imperfection are part of our shared humanity. 

Self-compassion also includes honoring our needs, setting boundaries, and discerning when caring for ourselves calls for action. It can help us take responsibility for our lives, to develop a more compassionate relationship with ourselves—one that supports well-being, resilience, and a greater capacity to be present with life as it unfolds ‍

This course will be offered by Meika Hamisch and Ellen Falconer with https://olympicpeninsulamindfulness.com

Registration will open 12/26. For quesrions, feel free to email me at Meika.hamisch@gmail.com

Introduction to Embodied Meditation TBA

Awareness of Body, Emotions, and Mind 

Do you know that when we ground in our own body by presencing our sensations and emotions, we calm the mind?  When we have a calmer mind, we become more aware of ourselves and more aware of others.  As Rick Hansen states, "when we are grounded in our own body, it makes room for the "we"."  This allows us to have more presence, empathy, and compassion in the relational field.

Do you know that doing 1-3 minutes of this practice throughout the day can actually be more beneficial than 30-60 minutes of daily meditation?  Learn how that can be effective for you and any relational field.

Do you know that anxiety and stress is mostly located in your upper body?  Your thoughts are stuck in rumination, while your head, neck, shoulders, and chest can feel tight.  This practice of grounding in your body, helps to ease the body, emotions, and mind.

What will happen in the workshop? 

 We will learn how to "3 Sync" your body, emotions and mind, as well as how to specifically ground in your body.

 We will go into Break Out Rooms where you can practice presencing in the relational field, learning to talk "from" vs "about".

 Learn different applications where this practice can beneficial for you, your relationships, and work settings.

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This practice of embodied presence is especially beneficial for anyone who is in the medical field, coaches, psychotherapists, supervisors, teachers, parents, friends, partners or simply anyone who wants to gain more ease, acceptance and peace in their life!  Feel free to share this information with anyone who might be interested.

WHEN: TBA

WHERE:  ZOOM ~ Please have an updated version and a private space to participate.

COST:  $40

Please email Meika if you are interested in future workshops or if you have any questions.

If you would like to be put on a mailing list specific to this training and practice, please contact Meika.

“A good friend of mine said, "You are married to sorrow." And I looked at him and said, "I am not married to sorrow. I just choose not to look away." And I think there is deep beauty in not averting our gaze. No matter how hard it is, no matter how heartbreaking it can be. It is about presence. It is about bearing witness. I used to think bearing witness was a passive act. I don't believe that anymore. I think that when we are present, when we bear witness, when we do not divert our gaze, something is revealed—the very marrow of life. We change. A transformation occurs. Our consciousness shifts.”
—Terry Tempest Williams

The time will come
when, with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other's welcome, 
and say, sit here. Eat. 
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you 
all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart. 
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf, 
the photographs, the desperate notes, 
peel your own image from the mirror. 
Sit. Feast on your life. 

Love After Love - Derek Walcott