• Self-Compassion Step by Step

  • The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
  • By: Kristin Neff
  • Narrated by: Kristin Neff PhD
  • Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (268 ratings)

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Self-Compassion Step by Step  By  cover art

Self-Compassion Step by Step

By: Kristin Neff
Narrated by: Kristin Neff PhD
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Publisher's summary

A six-session training course for transforming your relationship with yourself.

Why does it feel so natural to be compassionate and kind to those we care about - yet so hard to treat ourselves the same way? "Our culture teaches us to use self-criticism for motivation and to build self-esteem by constantly measuring ourselves against everyone else," says Dr. Kristin Neff. "We need to re-learn the essential skill of being genuinely nurturing and supportive toward ourselves." With Self-Compassion Step by Step, this groundbreaking researcher reveals the clinically proven power of self-kindness, with practical training for cultivating an enduring and unshakable sense of your fundamental human worthiness.

Over the past decade, an overwhelming body of research has shown self-compassion to be a master key to good psychological and physical health. Whether you wish to reduce stress, develop healthy habits for exercise or diet, unlock your creativity, or even deal with serious conditions such as depression or addiction, a strong sense of self-compassion is an essential ingredient for success. Best of all, self-compassion is a skill that can be learned. Through six sessions of teaching, Dr. Neff offers guided meditations, experiential practices, and on-the-spot techniques to help you build a strong foundation of self-compassion in your daily life.

"We often become our own worst critic because we believe it's necessary to keep ourselves motivated," says Dr. Neff, "but in fact the research shows that healthy self-compassion increases our inner drive, our resilience to setbacks, and our ability to excel at work and in every aspect of life."

With Self-Compassion Step by Step, she presents a powerful training course that is both accessible and profoundly transformative - a practical approach for creating a life of greater happiness, fulfillment, and love.

©2013 Kristin Neff (P)2013 Kristin Neff

What listeners say about Self-Compassion Step by Step

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent!

My mom is dying of cancer and in her last month she listened to this repeatedly for weeks and then mostly the meditations. she said it was helping her deal with what she was going through. I tried to find other meditation audio for her and she didn't like them and she went back to listening to Kristin's compassionate voice and words. I have listened to it multiple times and often use the compassionate breathing meditation to help me sleep. thank you Kristin!

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41 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Really good "workshop" on self compassion

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, I would, its a really good book, it has very defined sections with exercises and even a "bell" and the space to make all the self reflections. I only think it takes different times to get through it since its a very personal experience. For me the last part of the book, lets say the last hour and a half, was very difficult to do, I had to redo it many times until I was able to do it. Her soft voice makes it easy as a process. The way all the book is structured is very clever and makes a lot sense. It would make a great addition for a young school class. Also, since its like a "workshop" it would work very well for a book club or a therapy group to do it together. Its just my opinion.
I also think it can get intense if you follow the instructions exactly, so I would recommend not to listen to all of it at the same moment on one sit, but take your time and do it at your own pace.

Who was your favorite character and why?

-

Which scene was your favorite?

I like the way she explains the exercises and the compassionate way she talks about different people and their possible situations. This is quality psychology researched work.

What did you learn from Self-Compassion Step by Step that you would use in your daily life?

This is a book that actually works very good as a type of "therapeutical" tool. Obviously is not the same as going to therapy, but its a really good self help book. I really liked it. I will listen to it again in the future and recommend it to friends. I think you can get a lot from it.

Any additional comments?

As this is a self reflecting type of book, it actually needs for you to take the time to do the exercises, some of them can be heavy or difficult if you are not already in therapy or looking for a way to heal. So it cannot be taken instead of therapy obviously. But surely is a great book and I think young people could get a lot from it. Is not necessary that you have "issues" to use this book. I think is kinda healthy to review the self compassion as a great tool to feel better and function better in life in general. Just my opinion doe.

I really like that the author reads it. She has a great voice.

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23 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Misleading Title and Description

Would you try another book from Kristin Neff and/or Kristin Neff?

No. I was not interested in a book of meditations. I was looking for something with much more substance. I looked for this book after I noticed that counselors/therapists are offered 6 CEUs for listening to it. Based on this I expected it would be full of good stuff, it wasn't. It contains about an hour of actual substance, the remaining 5 hours are meditations. It should have been titled something like "Self-Compassion Meditations." Extremely disappointed. It wasn't even original.

Would you ever listen to anything by Kristin Neff again?

Absolutely not.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I had to listen at 3x because she narrated so slow. I couldn't complete any of the meditations because I listen as I drive. It wasn't set up in a way that I could easily find the meditations for future use. From the description I surmised that I was getting much more than just meditations, however I was greatly disappointed.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Yes, there was about a half hour of "good stuff" stuck here and there between the meditations.

Any additional comments?

Please, please re-label your audio book. It is a book of self-compassion meditations, not a step by step guide. Not worth your money or your time. I know how to meditate, I don't need another book telling me how to meditate.

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22 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

The concept is great but I lost heart

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Once again it would be better if this was divided up into chapters, (surely this is easy to do?) I think this has ruined yet another potential book for me and I am beginning to lose heart in purchasing from audible because of it. (If I buy on CD for example it is laid out in chapters).

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

At the heart of this book is a great message, the reader comes across as really knowing her stuff and she carries it well. I like the meditations, (which is why I chose the audible version rather than the book).

Would you listen to another book narrated by Kristin Neff?

She has a nice soft voice but after a while I found her voice seemed to go up and down in a irritating way.

Any additional comments?

Please audible give us chapters!

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22 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book, great performance.

This book is very similar to Neff's other book titled simply 'self compassion'. There is a lot of overlap between the two. Both books are fantastic and will change your life for the better if you put her suggestions into practice. I actually prefer this recording in Neff's own voice to the other title read by a professional. She is wonderful at reading her own work. She has done humankind a great service by writing this.

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14 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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LOST MY MONEY!

I bought this book because I liked the concept of self compassion when I did an online course about happiness. She spends toooooo much time being silent. Yes, completely silence in an audiobook. For minutes! I do not need to buy a book to meditate in silence.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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The Perfect Guided Tutorial for Self-Compassion

Would you listen to Self-Compassion Step by Step again? Why?

Loved this Guided Tutorial for developing Self Compassion because it was the perfect balance between succinct teaching through story telling & lecture, then exercises & meditations to do self-work.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Self-Compassion Step by Step?

For me, it was the exercises that supported me through practicing my own self-compassion & beliefs about what I deserve & where they came from.

Which character – as performed by Kristin Neff – was your favorite?

Herself; I love that she goes slow enough for me to process as I listen. Normally, in a story book, a slower pace would drive me nuts, but in this case I was always thinking about how what she was saying related to me and my life so I didn't have to keep rewinding because my mind went off on a tangent & missed something.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. I wanted to take each segment, or lesson, and focus on that for the day or a couple of days, then move on once I felt I really connected to the material. I didn't want to rush through it.

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend this book to you. Seriously, who doesn't need a more compassionate approach to living this sometimes challenging life?

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Kirsten Neff provides as great program for self compassion

Self compassion step by step is well written and well spoken. The exercises are good and they are the core of the audiobook. There are minor point in the book that I disliked, but overall the book is well worth listening to.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Great content - poor delivery

There is very useful content in this book.
Unfortunately the author’s voice distracts.
Not for easy absorption.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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B-O-R-I-N-G

Would you try another book from Kristin Neff and/or Kristin Neff?

NO

What could Kristin Neff have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Not speak as if she was taking to a kindergarten class. And, take a drink of water every now and then. Nothing is worse than listening to someone speak into a mic that has a dry mouth. Ewww.

What didn’t you like about Kristin Neff’s performance?

See above.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Self-Compassion Step by Step?

The repetitive stories of her autistic kid.

Any additional comments?

I can't buy into the "self-compassion" movement. It does make sense that the self-esteem BS we are immersed in now is ruining our future generations. But I do not think that self-pity is the answer.
Yes, you can feel that you are not alone in your misery, but beyond that, it seems like it is all one big pity party.
And I listened to the book TWICE to try and get SOMETHING from it.
As the song says, "my give a damn's busted...Nope, nothing."

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