Fierce Self-Compassion Course

Stop abandoning yourself to keep the peace.
This 8-week course teaches you the strength-based side of self-compassion: how to protect what matters, set real boundaries, speak to yourself without harsh self-criticism or guilt, and speak your truth.

Learn to address your own needs Action-oriented Small groups

Fierce Self-Compassion Course

Stop abandoning yourself to keep the peace.
This 8-week course teaches you the strength-based side of self-compassion: how to protect what matters, set real boundaries, speak to yourself without harsh self-criticism or guilt, and speak your truth.

Learn to address your own needs Action-oriented Small groups

800+ people have found more mental strength through our programs
Official partner of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion
15+ years of experience in mindfulness and self-compassion

Why join this course?

Tender self-compassion helps you soothe, accept, and steady yourself when life is hard. But there are moments when it’s not enough—when you need to act. 

The Fierce Self-Compassion Course, created by Dr. Kristin Neff and based on her book, teaches the strength-based, action-oriented side of self-compassion. It’s the ability to care for yourself by tuning into your own innate strength and worthiness. This allows you to protect what matters, provide for your real needs, physical, emotional, and practical, without guilt, self-abandonment, or aggression, and motivating yourself to make a change, without harshness, guilt, or aggression.

This course trains you to meet life with both warmth and strength. You’ll learn how to stand up for yourself from compassion, not anger, so you can set clear boundaries, speak your truth, and take action without tearing yourself down.

If you’re tired of abandoning yourself to keep the peace, this course offers another way: courage with care, and strength with kindness. 

What you'll learn

This course helps you integrate tender and fierce self-compassion so you can live with clarity, courage and connection. You’ll learn how to:

For whom?

This course is for you if you sometimes say yes when you mean no. If you take on too much because it feels easier than disappointing someone. If you push through when you’re exhausted, put your own needs last, or hold back what you really think to keep the peace.

Fierce self-compassion is the missing piece, the inner strength that lets you protect what matters, speak your truth, and actually provide for your own needs, without guilt or harshness.

It is really helpful if you’ve already explored self-compassion basics for example through the MSC Course, MSC Intensive, or MSC Core Skills Workshop.

What others say

The practical details

What is included in each session?

Each session includes:

  • A guided reflective meditation
  • Theory and group discussion
  • Experiential exercises
  • Small group sharing
  • Home practice materials

Your teachers for this course

Mila de Koning is senior certified MSC teacher & teacher trainer. She is also supervisor and founding director of the Self-Compassion Academy. 

Natalie Bell is senior certified MSC teacher. Together with Kristin Neff Natalie co-developed this Fierce Self-Compassion course.

More about our team.

Our upcoming workshops

16
Sep

Fierce Compassion Course

7:00 pm
- 9:30 pm

 | 

Live Online via Zoom
Mila de Koning & Natalie Bell
Coursefee € 625  Dates and time: Live Online via Zoom | Wednesdays 7.00 pm CET - 9.30 pm CET Sept 16, 23, 30 | Oct 7, 14, 21 28 | Nov 4

Frequently asked questions

What is fierce self-compassion?

Fierce self-compassion is a form of inner strength that helps you speak up, set boundaries, and stand up for yourself when it matters. Not from anger, but from care. It is the energy that says: “My needs matter, my voice matters, my well-being matters.” Read more about fierce self-compassion.

Most people are familiar with the gentle side of self-compassion: comforting ourselves, offering understanding, learning to be kinder inside. This is essential, but it’s not the whole story.

If we focus only on tenderness, we risk becoming passive or compliant, staying in unhealthy situations or silencing our needs. If we focus only on fierceness, we risk becoming harsh or defensive, pushing others away, or losing touch with our empathy. We need both.

This course is for you if you find it difficult to say no or ask for what you need, you tend to put others first (even at your own expense), you want to care about the world without becoming numb, cynical or burnt out, you long for inner steadiness and clarity in a world that often feels too much, you sense there is a stronger, kinder way to stand in your truth.

While exact structure and format may vary, you can expect a safe, supportive group environment, guided meditations and experiential exercises, short talks on the principles of fierce self-compassion, reflection, journalling and sharing (always by invitation, never pressure), practical tools you can integrate into daily life. If you have any questions about the workshop, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Yes, to deepen your practice alongside the course, we recommend: Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive
by Kristin Neff. This book complements the course, especially for women and those socialised to be “nice” at the expense of their own needs.

In this workshop, you will explore how to bring self-compassion into action in everyday life. Core learning themes include:

  • Turning self-compassion into wise action
  • Setting boundaries without guilt
  • Working with anger as a messenger
  • Honouring your real needs
  • Supportive self-motivation
  • From inner work to outer change

The Self-Compassion Academy is a non-profit organization committed to spreading compassion all over the world. We’re a team of teachers, psychologists, and practitioners brought together by one shared mission: to help you cultivate self-compassion. The Self-Compassion Academy is founded by Mila de Koning. Mila has been delivering mindfulness and self-compassion courses, workshops and coaching to different audiences since 2006.

Build a healthier, more compassionate relationship with yourself