From Self-Care to We-Care The New Science of Mindful Boundaries and Caring from an Undivided Heart

by Quaglia, Jordan

• ISBN13: 9781645473473
• ISBN10: 1645473473
• eBook ISBN(s): 9780834846050
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2025-05-06
• Publisher: Shambhala
• More Book Details

Summary

Learn to balance and blend self-care and care for others through we-care, a science-backed compassion training that enhances personal and social well-being, promotes healthy boundaries, and offers a path of healing and growth.

Helping professionals and empaths commonly find themselves burning out, overextended in their care for others. Yet few people feel there’s too much compassion in our society, and an overly strong focus on self-care can lead to unskillfulness when faced with interpersonal challenges and a lack of responsiveness to systemic social issues. 

The emerging science and practice of we-care embraces and transcends the principles of self-care in order to emphasize the inherently social nature of care. From this perspective, care is not a zero-sum game that will inevitably lead to self-indulgence for some and burnout for others, but rather an inherently social force that drives mutually beneficial outcomes. Yet we-care is more than a concept—it is a practical framework and set of tools to offer a more expansive view of care. Compassion researcher and teacher Jordan Quaglia guides you through questions such as, “Do you ever feel the urge to take away other people’s pain and discomfort, no matter the potential personal costs?” and “Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the pain and suffering of the world or by specific challenging situations?” to discover your care tendencies, explore their strengths and weaknesses, and find a more balanced way to express your innate sense of compassion for yourself, others, and the world. As you're exposed to cutting-edge scientific research, practical insights, and personal stories, you’ll discover your own unique balance of self-care and care for others across diverse situations. On this meaningful journey, you can positively transform your health, relationships, work, and every facet of your life.

Author Biography

JORDAN QUAGLIA has spent over a decade researching and teaching on topics such as mindfulness, compassion, and lucidity. He is an associate professor of psychology at Naropa University, where he directs the Cognitive and Affective Science Laboratory and is research director for its Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education. A recognized expert in the science of compassion, he has been designated as a research fellow by the Mind & Life Institute, a Contemplative Social Justice Scholar for Contemplative Mind in Society, and a panelist for multiple United Nations Day of Vesak conferences. In addition to his research, Jordan co-developed and regularly teaches an eight-week compassion training curriculum for hundreds of individuals. He lives with his wife in Boulder, Colorado.