The Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher Training Practicum follows the successful completion of the residential teacher training. This ten-week online course will deepen your understanding, familiarity and confidence with the structure, tone, and pacing of Mindful Self-Compassion classes. After the successful completion of this step, you can teach the Mindful Self-Compassion course to the general public.

What’s involved

This is where theory becomes practice. The Teacher Training Practicum (TTP) has been developed and designed by a group of senior Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) teachers with the specific intention of providing opportunities for teachers-in-training to begin to practice their new-found teaching skills with each other in a safe, structured, online environment. It acts as a “laboratory” to find your own voices and to continue to practice what you learned in teacher training, with time between each session to review, prepare and reflect on the process of teaching MSC.

Each session will give opportunities to practice teaching core components of MSC and receive feedback from the trainers. The cohort model allows the unique opportunity to build an environment of support among colleagues that we hope will continue to be a reminder of common humanity and a source of encouragement and assistance long after the practicum ends.

Further, it provides time to familiarise yourself with an essential learning tool, the Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher Assessment Criteria. And it helps you to get to grips at depth with the detail of the whole eight-week programme before taking the course out into the wider world. 

It is recommended you complete the Practicum within 12 months of the residential teacher training, and certainly no more than two years after.

Essential information

• The practicum comprises 10 x three-hour online weekly sessions – full attendance is mandatory.
• The dates for the next practicum are Thursday 29 April to 8 July 2027 at 4pm to 7pm, with a break for half-term on 3 June.
• The practicum ncludes one individual learning support session with a teacher trainer. 
• All the materials and support for ongoing teaching are made available via an online platform.

Please note: It is recommended you complete the Teacher Training Practicum (Step 4 on the teacher training pathway) within 12 months of the residential teacher training, and certainly no more than two years after. Most spaces on the TTP are for trainees who have completed the residential teacher training with the Sussex Mindfulness Centre. However, occasionally there may be spaces open to trainees who have completed Step 3 elsewhere.

How to apply

There is a limit of 16 places for the TTP. You can apply for the TTP at the same time as the residential teacher training course.

Cost of Teacher Training Practicum 

• The early bird rate if you pay your non-refundable deposit before 1 Aug 2026 is £750.
• The standard rate if you pay your non-refundable deposit after 1 Aug and up to 14 Nov 2026 is £850.

To reserve a place, please contact spft.smc@nhs.net and pay a non-refundable and non-transferable deposit of £300. Final confirmation of a place on the TTP is dependent on successful completion of the residential teacher training. In the event that you are not successful in completing the residential teacher training, your deposit can be carried over to a subsequent TTP.

If you are unable to attend the 2027 TTP with us, details of other TTPs are available via the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion website.

Cancellation policy 

• Should your application for the Teacher Training Practicum not be accepted, or if this course is cancelled by the organisers, you will be refunded your deposit. Under any other circumstances, your deposit is non-refundable. 

• If the course is cancelled by the organisers, the Sussex Mindfulness Centre is responsible for a full refund of the course fee paid but not for any other expenses incurred. 

• Please see our Terms and Conditions which also outlines what payments are refundable. See section 6a.