What do you say to yourself when you mess up with your kids? If you are like many of us, you berate yourself. My guest, Kristin Neff, has done the research that shows that our harsh self-criticism does NOT work. It doesn't help us grow and become better parents. In fact, it does the opposite. So what does work? Self-compassion.  Kristin Neff is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, conducting the first empirical studies on self-compassion over a decade ago. In conjunction with her colleague Dr. Chris Germer, she has developed an empirically supported eight-week training program called Mindful Self-Compassion, and offers workshops on self-compassion worldwide.   Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> on iTunes or on Stitcher (or wherever you listen!) Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindfulness mama mentor. She coaches overstressed moms on how to cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives. Hunter is a certified Parent Effectiveness Training teacher and has over 20 years of experience in yoga & mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Hunter is the creator of the Mindful Parenting course. Are you frustrated with parenting? Do you want to practice conscious, compassionate parenting, but you don’t know how? Join us for a FREE LIVE MINDFUL PARENTING TRAINING from October 9-13,  at mindfulparentingcourse.com/freetraining.