The Art and Science of Compassion, a Primer

Download or read book The Art and Science of Compassion, a Primer written by Agnes M. F. Wong and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2020-12-23 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Art And Science Of Compassion. A Primer is designed as a short, "all-in-one", introductory text that covers the full gamut of compassion, from the evolutional, biological, behavioural, and psychological, to the social, philosophical, and spiritual. Written with busy trainees, clinicians, and educators in mind, it aims to address the following questions: What is compassion? Is it innate or a trainable skill? What do different scientific disciplines, including neuroscience, tell us about compassion? Why is "compassion fatigue" a misnomer? What are the obstacles to compassion? Why are burnout, moral suffering, and bullying so rampant in healthcare? And finally, what does it take to cultivate compassion? Drawing on her diverse background as a clinician, scientist, educator, and chaplain, Dr. Wong presents a wealth of scientific evidence supporting that compassion is both innate and trainable. By interleaving personal experiences and reflections, she shares her insights on what it takes to cultivate compassion to support the art of medicine and caregiving. The training described draws on both contemplative and scientific disciplines to help clinicians develop cognitive, attentional, affective, and somatic skills that are critical for the cultivation of compassion. Compassion not only benefits the recipients, produces better patient care, and improves the healthcare system, it is also a boundless source of energy, resilience, and wellness for the givers. With striking illustrations for key concepts and a concise summary for each chapter, this book provides a solid conceptual framework and practical approaches to cultivate compassion. It serves to complement the experiential component of compassion that the readers are strongly encouraged to develop and practise in their daily lives"--