Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses! None of us knew how hard it was going to be as a parent; we mess up constantly. When we respond to ourselves with harsh criticism and judgment, we leave ourselves feeling helpless and incapable. Even though it can feel strange, the practice of self-compassion is essential to becoming a more mindful parent. My guest today is Dr. Susan M. Pollak, author of Self-Compassion for Parents. Takeaways: We can tolerate failure better and have more resilience with self-compassion. 95% of us grow up with imperfect parents. “If you lose it, you can use it.” Susan M. Pollak, MTS, EdD, is a longtime student of meditation and yoga who has been integrating the practices of meditation into psychotherapy since the 1980s. Dr. Pollak is co-founder and teacher at the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion at Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Health Alliance. She is the author of the new book, Self-Compassion for Parents: Nurture Your Child by Caring for Yourself. Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher (or wherever you listen!) ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Be a part of the tribe! Join the Mindful Parenting membership. Download the audio training, Mindfulness For Moms (The Superpower You Need) for free! It's at mindfulmomguide.com. Find more podcasts, blog posts, free resources, and how to work with Hunter at MindfulMamaMentor.com.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices