Queer Mindful Self-Compassion March 2026

Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is a deeply therapeutic, empirically supported, learning and skills training group designed to cultivate mindfulness and self-compassion skills. Based on groundbreaking research, this 8-week group involves practical mindfulness, nervous system regulation, embodied inquiry, and values based meaning-making skills, enabling participants to respond to difficult moments and motivate themselves with kindness, instead of harsh self-judgement and shame.

Adapted by-and-for the 2SLGBTQ+ community, this program integrates queer thought and lived experience throughout!

  • "I truly loved this course. It has taught me so much about the benefits of being kinder to myself. It's hard for me to even express it in words, but I know it in my heart. My loved ones have also seen the benefits that this course has had on my wellbeing and mental health. I also truly appreciated the fact that this was a group for queers... practicing Mindfulness Self Compassion has allowed me to explore my needs better and believe in myself more than I have ever in my life. I just have so much gratitude for this experience."

    - J

  • "MSC for LGBTQ+ folks was a really dreamy course! It offered a uniquely soft and tender container in which to learn (and unlearn) some challenging, but beautiful practices…. In MSC for 2SLGBTQ+ folks, I felt that I could bring my full messy, hesitant, overwhelmed, stressed, queer and trans self so that I could really show up to grapple with the difficulties and joys of self compassion."

    - D

  • "Beautifully tailored to the unique challenges of being queer and trans, this course gifted me with valuable tools that I can draw on now and as I continue to grow. Mik is a skilled facilitator who is able to connect the MSC curriculum to the queer and trans lived experiences in an impactful way... 10/10 would recommend!"

    - R

Group of people walking along a grassy trail beside tall grasses and trees on a sunny day

The Deets

When:

Wednesdays, March 11-April 29, 2026 5:30-8:00 pm

Half-Day Silent Retreat: April 5 10:00-2:00

(all times PST)

Where:

Virtual over Zoom

Who:

Anyone who identifies as a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ Community

Expect 8 weeks of learning, mindfulness and self-compassion practice, opportunities for small and large group discussion, and multiple tools and practices that you can integrate into your life right away. We will work together to build a compassionate and present queer community space.

Mik Turje is a Trained Teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion, with The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.

Topics include:

  • Integrating mindfulness into daily life to open to the present moment

  • Practicing self-kindness (especially when it doesn't come naturally!)

  • Connecting to our essential interrelatedness so we know we aren't alone

  • Working with internalized queerphobia, racism, and misogyny through compassion instead of self-criticism

  • Living deeply, aligned with your values

  • Meeting difficult emotions like shame, anger, and anxiety

  • Navigating challenging relationships, caregiving fatigue, and conflict

  • Embracing your life!

Past participants describe this course as highly transformative with lasting impacts years later.

FAQ:

Line drawing of three mountain peaks with some shading, labeled 'Mount Everest', 'K2', and 'Kangchenjunga'.

“The curious paradox of life is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”

— Carl Rogers