Be Kind to Yourself: The Power of Self-Compassion

Host:  Mindy McCulley, MS Extension Specialist for Instructional Support, University of Kentucky  

Guests: Natese Dockery, PhD Assistant Clinical Professor for Mental Health and Well-being and Amy Rodquist-Kodet, Health Coach, UK Health and Wellness

Season 8, Episode 34

Welcome to Talking FACS with host Mindy McCauley from the University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension. In this episode Mindy speaks with Dr. Natese Dockery, Assistant Clinical Professor for Mental Health and Well-Being, and Amy Rodquist-Kodet, a health coach with UK Health and Wellness, about what self-compassion really means and why it matters for overall well-being.

The conversation covers personal stories and research-backed benefits such as reduced anxiety and depression, and how self-kindness fosters resilience and healthier coping.

Guests share practical strategies listeners can try right away: positive affirmations, loving-kindness meditation, journaling, noticing and naming the inner critic, and simple self-soothing gestures to calm the nervous system.

Key takeaways: self-compassion isn’t selfish, it’s about being present with pain rather than erasing it, and regular practice helps cultivate greater peace and emotional growth. 

Connect with FCS Extension through any of the links below for more information about any of the topics discussed on Talking FACS.

Kentucky Extension Offices

UK FCS Extension

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