Ep 297 Chris Germer
Episode Description
For episode 297 Sharon sits down with Chris Germer to discuss his new book, Self Compassion for Shame. Chris Germer, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and lecturer on Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is the author of several books including Self-Compassion for Burnout, co-authored with Dr. Kristin Neff. His new book, Self-Compassion for Shame: A Step-by-Step Guide to Inner Freedom was just released in September of 2026 from The Guilford Press. Chris lectures and leads workshops internationally and has a small psychotherapy practice in Massachusetts. This is his first appearance on the Metta Hour Podcast.
In this conversation, Sharon and Chris speak about:
• Chris’s early interest in psychology
• Learning meditation in the seventies
• Contemplative practice with psychology
• How Chris came to self-compassion
• Sharon’s influence in Chris’s path
• How lovingkindness changed Chris’s life
• Chris’s public speaking anxiety
• Sharon’s experience with public speaking
• How Chris became aware of his own shame
• Shame is an attack on the sense of self
• Shame compared to similar emotions and traits
• How we can learn to recognize shame
• How the new book is organized
• When shame can be helpful
• Dr Kristin Neff’s model of self-compassion
• Welcoming all parts of ourselves
• Taking responsibility for our shame
• Lean in, lean back, or let go
• Non-striving and non-fixing in self-compassion
• Self-compassion is the end of the struggle
• How Chris approaches his therapy practice
Additional Resources
The episode closes with Chris leading a guided meditation on self-compassion for shame. You can learn more about Chris’s work right here.
Related Metta Hour Episodes
Episode 252 Dr. Kristin Neff’s most recent appearance on the Metta Hour, released in 2024.
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