Staci Berman, LMFT

Certified Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher

Staci Berman (she/her) is a Certified Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She found her way to MSC after years of mindfulness practice, discovering that self-compassion was the ingredient she didn't know she was missing. Self-Compassion fundamentally changed the way Staci approached her practice, her work, and her self.

Staci has had the privilege of teaching Mindful Self-Compassion courses in the Chicago-land area and online. Additionally, she has supported MSC retreat participants in the US and Canada, and has served as consultation group facilitator for the Self-Compassion in Psychotherapy Program. She has led mindfulness and self-compassion workshops in various settings including jails, hospitals, animal shelters, universities, high schools, corporate settings, and therapy group practices. Staci is also a Certified Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities teacher, offering self-compassion programming to those in the medical and healthcare fields.

She is continuously inspired by and grateful for the unfolding practice of learning and teaching self-compassion.

Colleen O'Brien, LCPC

Certified Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher

Colleen O'Brien (she/her) is a Certified Teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Chicago, IL. 

Colleen's journey with MSC started in 2016 when she completed the Self-Compassion test (https://self-compassion.org/self-compassion-test/) and felt both surprised and intrigued. A couple years later, in March 2018, Colleen was feeling the need for community and support and decided to embark on an intensive Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) retreat in Sedona, AZ, taught by MSC co-developers, Kristin Neff and Chris Germer. She was so glad she did because it changed her life and work.

With the intention to spread this life-changing potential, Colleen completed MSC teacher training in January 2019, ready to bring MSC to Chicago and beyond. Since then, Colleen has been consistently teaching 8-week classes, leading MSC workshops, and most recently, teaching Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities (SCHC) at the University of Chicago. In July 2022, Colleen became a certified MSC teacher with the guidance of her brilliant mentor, Dr. Christine Brähler. 

Colleen appreciates how her personal Mindful Self-Compassion practice regularly unveils itself within her own experience. She is also absolutely thrilled to be sharing MSC with people across the globe, witnessing the diversity of experiences people have with this important work.