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Support Your Well-Being with Evidence-Based Compassion Cultivation Training
Welcome to a Transformative Journey
Are you seeking more peace, balance, and fulfillment in your life or work? Do you want to serve others while caring for your own well-being? The Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) program offers a proven, research-backed pathway to greater resilience, self-acceptance, and joy—even in the midst of stress or health challenges.
Each of us has to be our true self: fresh, solid, at ease, loving, and compassionate. When we are our true selves, not only do we benefit, but everyone around us profits from our presence. ~Thich Nhat Hanh
Next scheduled cohort: Tuesdays, November 11, 2025 – December 30, 2025, 4:00 – 6:00 PM EST.
What Is Compassion Cultivation Training?
An Evidence-Based 8-Week Program for Greater Well-Being and Resilience
CCT is an 8-week, highly interactive course developed at Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) and taught worldwide by certified facilitators. This program draws from psychology, neuroscience, and contemplative practice to help you:
- Cultivate compassion for yourself and others
- Build resilience to stress and burnout
- Develop practical tools for well-being and emotional balance
- Strengthen your ability to respond to life’s challenges with clarity and kindness
The CCT Journey Includes:
- Weekly 2-hour live sessions (via Zoom)
- Guided meditations and experiential exercises
- Real-world “homework” practices
- Small group discussions and breakout rooms
- Supportive, safe, and inclusive environment
Why Compassion? Why Now?
In a world that often feels overwhelming, compassion is not just a luxury—it’s a necessity. Research shows that cultivating compassion can:
- Increase happiness and resilience
- Improve emotional and mental health
- Enhance relationships and social connection
- Reduce anxiety, stress, and depression
- Support better pain management and immune function
CCT is especially timely for achievers, caregivers, leaders, and anyone navigating life challenges, compassion fatigue or burnout. The program is trauma-informed, inclusive, and designed for both beginners and experienced meditators.
What You’ll Experience
- Practical Skills: Learn meditation, self-reflection, and communication tools you can use daily.
- Real-World Integration: Practice compassion in everyday life—at work, at home, and in challenging situations.
- Supportive Community: Experience the power of shared learning, vulnerability, and mutual support.
- Personal Growth: Shift from self-criticism to self-kindness, and from empathy fatigue to empowered, sustainable compassion.
Next scheduled cohort: Tuesdays, November 11, 2025 – December 30, 2025, 4:00 – 6:00 PM EST.
About Your Facilitator: Simone Giangiordano, MBA
Certified CCT Instructor | BalanceUP® Lifestyle & Business Coach
Simone G brings a unique blend of expertise, warmth, and lived experience to her teaching. Having navigated her own journey with chronic illness through nearly two decades in the corporate world and more than 15 years in entrepreneurship, Simone understands the real-world challenges of balancing ambition, service, and well-being. She is one of only a select group of certified CCT instructors globally, trained directly by The Compassion Institute and Stanford’s CCARE faculty.
What sets Simone apart?
- Deeply supportive, non-judgmental presence
- Expertise in working with achievers, caregivers, and those facing health challenges
- Commitment to creating safe, interactive, and transformative group experiences
- Passion for helping others build sustainable, compassionate lives and businesses
Who Can Benefit?
CCT is for anyone seeking to:
- Reduce stress, anxiety, or burnout
- Build resilience in the face of health or life challenges
- Enhance relationships and leadership skills
- Serve others without losing yourself
- Create more peace, joy, and purpose in your life
Especially relevant for:
- Achievers and entrepreneurs
- Caregivers and healthcare professionals
- Nonprofit and community leaders
- Individuals with chronic illness or stress
- Anyone longing for greater well-being and balance
Testimonials: Voices from Our CCT Community
Below, CCT participants offer their personal testimonials—sharing how this journey has shaped their well-being, deepened relationships, and renewed their sense of possibility. May these stories inspire reflection and encourage your own path toward greater compassion and balance.
“I highly recommend Compassion Cultivation Training with Simone G. The course gave me a lot of tools to ground myself in stressful situations. Simone ‘meets you where you’re at.’ She gently steered us to expand and to free our thinking through compassion. The sessions were thought-provoking, grounding, and interactive.”
— Valerie Mrak, Speaker/Coach
“If you are the sort of person who is deeply affected by what you see in the world, and who suffers as a result of your own feelings of empathy and helplessness in the face of the suffering of others, then this course is for you. It will give you a method by which you can engage with suffering without being consumed by it. Through this course, your relationship with your fellow human beings will be irrevocably changed for the better.” — CCT Participant
“The cultivation of compassion has such huge potential benefits for our daily lives, teaching us how to transform suffering into an opportunity for growth, and how to protect ourselves from the sorrow and difficulty we see around us each day. If you are your own harshest critic, this course opens your eyes to the enormous power and wisdom that can be found when we turn our compassion inwards.”
— Deborah Bircham, Live Well with Chronic Illness
“I am more calm and loving around my family—which benefits both of us. Somehow both the tech reps and I leave calls wishing each other well! Simone is a welcoming, generous, and safe presence.”
— CCT Participant
“I have become more aware of others’ suffering and the ability to hold space, not to fix, but to share compassion from the heart. Simone kept the class positive and was able to connect equally with all participants.”
— CCT Participant
Next scheduled cohort: Tuesdays, November 11, 2025 – December 30, 2025, 4:00 – 6:00 PM EST.
What Makes This Compassion Cultivation Training Program Unique?
While everyone will have their own unique experience, research has shown CCT can lead to support for your health, happiness, and well-being, reduction of stress, depression, and anxiety, and Improvements in relating to others and the world.
- Developed at Stanford University by leading compassion researchers and clinicians
- Evidence-based: Draws on psychology, neuroscience, and contemplative science
- Certified, experienced facilitator: Simone G is recognized for her expertise and supportive approach
- Interactive and practical: Not just theory—real skills for real life
- Safe, inclusive, and trauma-informed: Every participant’s journey is honored
Program Details & Registration
- Format: 8-week live, interactive online course (Zoom)
- Session Length: meets once weekly for 2 hours
- Cost: $425 per person
If you are experiencing financial hardship, you are welcome to apply for a partial scholarship here after pre-registering below. - Upcoming Cohorts:
- Tuesdays, November 11, 2025 – December 30, 2025, 4:00 – 6:00 PM EST.
- Another cohort may be offered in November during the day, 12:00 – 2:00 PM EDT, based on demand. Interested? Complete the waitlist form and select your preferred time.
Real Results: What Past Participants Gained
Below, participants share in their own words how CCT has impacted their well-being, relationships, and outlook—honest reflections that can guide your own journey.
- “A method by which you can engage with suffering without being consumed by it.”
- “Being able to work through compassion fatigue is a great benefit personally.”
- “I am calmer and more accepting of myself and others on the days I meditate.”
- “I have tools to better manage relationships, stress, and my well-being.”
- “The environment Simone creates fosters honest sharing and deep connection.”
- “Integrating compassion practice into my life has enabled me to cope much better with pain and physical and emotional suffering in my own life, and also cope better with pain and suffering in those around me.”
- “I learned to pause, to wish myself and others well—even in difficult moments.”
- “I am better able to speak up to individuals who have historically suffocated me with their negativity and instead use the tools to SEE THEIR SUFFERING vs being pulled into it.”
- “I can now identify when I’m not acting compassionately and adjust my interactions quickly for a positive outcome.”
Ready to Begin Your Compassion Cultivation Training Journey?
You are warmly invited. Join us to discover how compassion can transform your relationship with yourself, your work, and the world around you.
Reserve your spot now in the next Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) cohort.
Upcoming Cohorts:
- Tuesdays, November 11, 2025 – December 30, 2025, 4:00 – 6:00 PM EST.
- Potential cohort: beginning on November 11 from 12:00 – 2:00 PM EST, based on demand. Interested? Complete the waitlist form and select your preferred time.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You do not require prior experience. The course is designed for both beginners and experienced meditators.
Yes! Expect discussions, breakout rooms, and experiential exercises. Simone will also share poems, songs and videos. Many participants say the sense of community and shared learning is one of the most meaningful aspects of the program.
We believe that compassion should be accessible to everyone. If the program fee presents a challenge—especially due to health-related hardships or caregiving responsibilities, or other life circumstances —we warmly invite you to apply for a partial scholarship. While we strive to support as many participants as possible, scholarships are limited and awarded based on available resources. As a small business without external funding, we may not be able to grant every request, but each application will be thoughtfully reviewed with care and confidentiality. We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to share your situation with us.
Have questions or want to discuss if CCT is right for you? Contact Simone.
For Teams & Organizations
Absolutely! Organizations and teams are warmly invited to participate in the Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) program.
This program is an excellent way to:
* Support employee well-being and resilience
* Foster greater empathy, compassion, and emotional intelligence
* Enhance collaboration, leadership, and communication across teams
* Build a culture of trust, engagement, and mutual support
Whether you represent a nonprofit, a caregiving or healthcare organization, or a business team, CCT can be tailored to meet your group’s unique needs. Custom offerings are available to help your team cultivate practical compassion skills that lead to healthier, more connected, and more effective workplaces.
If you’re interested in exploring a cohort or custom training for your organization or team, please submit this CCT for Organizations and Teams form. Simone or another team member will reach out to you for a conversation.
“We cannot wait for our society to change—we must take the initiative to make change. A more compassionate world starts with individuals, people, just like you and me.”
— Thupten Jinpa, PhD
Compassion Cultivation Training is a program of The Compassion Institute, developed in conjunction with Stanford University and CCARE (Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford Medicine). Thupten Jinpa, Ph.D, is the principal founder, the English translator for the Dalai Lama, and author of the acclaimed book A Fearless Heart: Why compassion is the key to greater wellbeing.
Simone’s own journey with compassion, self-acceptance, and resilience is at the heart of her work. To read more about how compassion has shaped her approach to well-being and business, visit Compassion for Greater Well-Being.