Self-Compassion as a Mediator of Mindfulness and Compassion for Others

Abstract

Mindfulness and self-compassion have garnered interest as tools for improving counselor wellness and performance, yet little is known about how they relate to compassion. Compassion—for oneself and others—is considered important to counselor well-being and effective counseling. In Buddhist and current models, mindfulness is theorized to increase self-compassion and, subsequently, compassion for others, but the study of these proposed relationships is limited. Using mediation analysis, the author confirmed self-compassion as a mediator of mindfulness and compassion for others among 152 master's-level counseling interns. Implications and practical application of mindfulness and self-compassion for counselor development are discussed.