Three years ago, Karuna-Shechen launched the first Resilience program in collaboration with Mindfulness Solidaire. The initial project aimed to reduce empathic distress among healthcare and social workers. We were able to support over 400 professionals in the healthcare and humanitarian sectors with mindfulness and emotional intelligence tools.
Through this experience, we became aware of new challenges and difficulties. Therefore, a new program is being implemented from 2024 on, supported by the New World Fund, prioritizing caregivers but open to any organization of general interest. Our vision is that humanity’s resilience will come through altruistic actions.
Our vision is that humanity’s resilience will come through altruistic actions. By considering how to bring about systemic changes within organizations and sustain commitment beyond the program, Karuna’s proposal goes beyond the balance between self-care and caring for others. It required rethinking the transmission of work tools to address the limited training time issue.
Based on action, commitment, and altruism, this program aims to resonate beyond training time and bring about systemic change in organizations through concrete actions, made with precision.
Balancing Self-Care and Caring for Others
It is essential to cultivate an other-oriented approach, where empathy and kindness guide our actions, without forgetting the empathic distress that certain situations can cause. The goal is to focus on developing everyone’s altruistic potential and the ability to strike a delicate balance between self-care and caring for others.
Two fundamental aspects structure this program :
- Cultivating Altruistic Potential : Trainers offer pragmatic tools and strategies to develop individual capacity to act with precision while preserving personal well-being.
- Strengthening Organizational Resilience : It relies on the collective strength of organization members. The Resilience program offers tools, including through discussion circles, to strengthen cohesion and mutual aid within your organization. These mechanisms can continue to be used in structures as needed to preserve the initiated movement.
Pedagogical Innovation
Carefully designed, the new Resilience program draws on behavioral and contemplative sciences, including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction methods (MBSR), circle practices, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Structured in six weekly sessions of two hours each, the sessions take the form of discussion circles, creating a caring and safe space where participants can reconnect with their bodies, welcome their emotions, communicate authentically, and engage with precision.
The 6 sessions :
- Back to the body
To be altruistic is to be present to others. To do this, you need to be present to yourself and your body.
The session’s tool is Presence. - Taking care of yourself
Being altruistic means above all being kind to yourself.
The tool is Self-Compassion. - Daring to say things
Being altruistic means being honest with yourself and authentic with others.
The tool is Courage. - Connecting with our common humanity
To be altruistic is to develop compassion and act on behalf of all beings.
The tool is Openness of Heart. - Taking action in our daily life
To be altruistic is to engage with creativity and joy.
The tool is the Power to Act. - Finding allies
To be altruistic is to be inspired, trained and committed.
The tool is the “Altruist Anonymous” Talking Circle.
Opportunity to Train Internal Staff
Taking into account the organizational complexity of certain companies and associations, Karuna’s program proposes training a portion of the staff to become instructors and deliver the developed tools internally. By training instructors within teams, each organization has the opportunity to customize the program to address the specific challenges and dynamics of the organization.
Our goal is to provide teams with essential tools to promote personal growth while fostering an organizational culture based on authenticity, empathy, and constructive communication
Program Launch
During the weekend of December 16th and 17th, 2023, we trained about fifteen instructors based in France, Germany, and Luxembourg. They are educators, therapists, coaches, trainers, engineers, and leaders, fully aligned with Karuna-Shechen’s values and committed to spreading this program.
This program is already expanding through scheduled training sessions in three organizations in France and Luxembourg :
- CSAPA Victor Segalen, centers for care, support, and prevention in addiction;
- Trajet Association, which welcomes and supports individuals in situations of extreme precariousness facing difficulties in accessing housing and employment rights;
- The Red Cross in Luxembourg.
Many people depend on associations and companies in the medical, social, or humanitarian field. These professions are of immeasurable human richness but often involve a heavy psychological burden. Our program provides tools to preserve our caregivers and strengthen the resilience of the organizations they constitute.