By Giselle Gonzalez-Zapata
This resource is made for a client to self-reflect on their self-compassion and provides a structured Action Plan for them to use with or without a counselor. This resource aims to be an introduction to the client's understanding of how their culture, identity, and backgrounds contribute to their issue.
To create this resource I modified a section of a Building Self-Compassion workbook from the Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI). This workbook consists of 7 modules, each on a separate component of understanding and challenging one's self-compassion. I modified a worksheet from the 7th module called the My Self-Compassion Action Plan, and added a general multicultural aspect to the questions.
These modifications incorporate ideas and understandings from other sources such as academic journals, articles, and blogs.
The first page consists of the triggers, warning signs, and additional reflection questions to encourage the client to think more about possibly where and why they might say, feel or think certain things. This page aims to explore the clients backgrounds by asking questions that encourage the client to think of possible origins of their triggers. It also reflects on the clients identity, culture, any background like childhood experiences that may have impacted the clients self image.
The second page is the Action Plan, this page consists of possible exercises and activities for the client to do to release any stress they're having and self-soothe in times where they're struggling. The action plan is created in a very structured way for the client to do step by step, though the intention is for the client to use pieces of the plan that they feel best works. For example it provides different self-soothing activities like meditating, reading a book, taking a long shower, or simply taking a break. The aim is for the client to choose or include an activity that works best for them, in order to feel at ease. The action plan also encourages the client to think about how they can reframe their thoughts to be less self-critical and more self-compassionate.
The third page is the last part of the action plan. It includes additional questions for the client to reflect on. These questions explore more on what particular things the client may criticism themself for, what specific thoughts occur, and how they would respond to someone else having thinking that way. It also introduces a question to the client reaching out to their support system and an extra notes section.