Fostering Well-being Through CBCT: Coming Soon to Grady

In the healthcare field, our passion for helping others often meets the ever-evolving demands of our profession, which can lead to burnout. What begins as a deeply rooted commitment to care can quickly spiral into feelings of overwhelm, fatigue, and emotional depletion. I’ve personally experienced this, especially during the height of the pandemic, when the challenges seemed insurmountable. Since then, I’ve been on a journey to discover tools and strategies not only to combat burnout but also to prevent it entirely. One program that stands out in this endeavor is Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT), a transformative set of contemplative practices designed to foster resilience, compassion, and well-being. These practices help “establish and cultivate safety, mindfulness, self-compassion, and compassion for others. CBCT was created with the goal of contributing to greater human flourishing.”

Prof. Lobsang Tenzin Negi, combined his work in Tibetan Buddhism and his PhD at Emory University to develop this compassion training program that could be practiced by any person, regardless of religious faith. To learn more about his work, please visit Emory’s Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at https://compassion.emory.edu/.

Having recently completed my training as a facilitator for this transformative program, I am excited to incorporate Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) into the wellbeing resources available to us at Grady. The goal of this program is to equip participants with practical, accessible skills that can be applied in their daily lives while fostering a deeper embodiment of compassion and resilience. CBCT isn’t just another training that fades from memory—it’s a program designed to create lasting, meaningful change, enhancing both personal well-being and professional effectiveness.

At its core, CBCT focuses on cultivating compassion—not just as a concept, but as a deeply integrated practice. The program goes beyond teaching compassion by exploring the neuroscience that underpins its effectiveness. It provides cognitive strategies to help regulate both emotions and the central nervous system. Personally, understanding the neuroscience behind our responses has been incredibly liberating. It reaffirmed that there’s nothing inherently “wrong” with me; many of our reactions stem from biological processes. Most importantly, CBCT has taught me to recognize when these processes occur, empowering me to choose my response rather than being overwhelmed by an automatic, biological reaction.

Let’s take a quick look at the modules:

Module 1: Connecting to a Moment of Nurturance

                In this module, we work to elicit feelings of safety and security. The aim is to be able to do this again in our moments of need.

Module 2: Developing Stable and Clear Attention

                In this module, we train to improve our ability to focus, improve our mental clarity, and improve our overall resilience.

Module 3: Enhancing Self-Awareness

                In this module, we learn to build our self-awareness and to do so without harsh self-criticism or self-judgement.

Module 4: Cultivating Self-Compassion Part 1: Accepting our Vulnerabilities with Kindness

                In this module, we learn what self-compassion is and how to deepen it within ourselves. We also learn about the shared human condition which assists us with developing our self-compassion.

Module 5: Cultivating Self-Compassion Part 2: Finding Meaning in Our Vulnerabilities

                In this module, we learn to see our challenges in life as opportunities for growth and development as opposed to something negative. As such, we begin to cultivate self-empowerment and self-agency.

Module 6: Expanding our Circle of Concern

                In this module, we work to expand our compassion outward to include others.

Module 7: Deepening Gratitude and Tenderness

                In this module, we work to see the benefits we receive from others to cultivate more compassion for others. This draws from seeing how we are all interconnected and interdependent on each other.

Module 8: Harnessing the Power of Compassion

                In this final module, we learn to see what others are up against in order to elicit more tenderness and compassion towards them. At the same time, learning the skill of discernment guides us towards actions that are effective.

We are in the process of finalizing the details to bring CBCT to Grady as part of our growing suite of well-being resources. Soon, this transformative program will be available at Grady, where staff can easily sign up to begin their journey toward greater resilience, emotional regulation, and compassion. This is more than just a training—it’s an opportunity to invest in yourself, to build skills that not only enhance your professional life but also your personal well-being. Imagine the impact of cultivating a deeper sense of compassion for yourself and others, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth. Together, we can create a culture of care that begins with caring for ourselves. I encourage you to stay tuned for updates and take this incredible step toward a healthier, more balanced you.