Compassion in a T-Shirt

About Compassion in a T-Shirt

A podcast exploring the science and practice of compassion. Offers clear and practical advice on how to cultivate compassion and self-compassion from experts in the field. Life can be difficult, and this podcast is designed to help. Compassion in a T-Shirt has featured guests including Professor Paul Gilbert, Professor Terri Moyers, Professor James Doty, Deirdre Fay, Dr Chris Germer, Dr Kristin Neff, Dr Marcela Matos, Dr James Kirby, and more.

Publisher

Dr Stan Steindl

Category

health & fitness · health & fitness · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

30 Jul 2024

Latest episode

14 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

146 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   14 Aug 2026

   Happiness at Work Is a Human Right | Daniela Jinés

   What if happiness at work isn’t a perk, but something much more fundamental? In this episode of Compassion in a T-Shirt, I speak with organisational happiness and wellbeing strategist Daniela Jinés about what it really means to be happy at work — and why happiness, compassion and human performance may be much more closely connected than we realise. Daniela shares her remarkable journey from law and human rights into humanitarian work and organisational happiness, including the personal health crisis that forced her to reconsider how she was working and leading. We explore happiness not simply as pleasure or positivity, but as something connected to self-awareness, purpose, relationships, safety and the way we treat ourselves and others. We also explore the pressures built into modern working life — threat, drive, burnout and our relentless focus on productivity — and ask whether responsibility for wellbeing sits with individual workers or with the organisations around them. Daniela makes the provocative case for happiness at work as a human right, while also acknowledging how difficult systemic change can be. Along the way, we discuss the hedonic treadmill, the neuroscience of happiness, compassionate leadership, Daniela’s HAND Model, self-compassion and the inner critic, and the small everyday actions that can help us create happier and more compassionate workplaces. Again and again, the conversation comes back to one deceptively simple starting point: self-awareness. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Compassion in a T-Shirt 01:20 How did happiness become your life’s work? 05:25 What do we actually mean by happiness? 11:40 What role do self-awareness and self-empathy play? 15:20 What gets in the way of happiness at work? 18:15 Are our workplaces built around threat and drive? 27:40 Is burnout an individual or organisational problem? 30:40 Have we become too focused on productivity? 36:35 What is the HAND Model? 45:15 How can we make work happier and more compassionate? Links: Find Daniela Jinés at her website: https://happyorganizations.org/ If you would like to learn more about compassion focused therapy, you can find Dr Stan Steindl's book The Gifts of Compassion here: https://www.ausapress.com/p/the-gifts-of-compassion-how-to-understand-and-overcome-suffering/ Say hi on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drstansteindl Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/StanSteindl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_stan_steindl/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stan-steindl-150a5264/ Website: https://www.stansteindl.com/ YouTube Video URL: https://youtu.be/KIOQrynBTeY *Affiliate Disclaimer: Note this description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. While this channel may earn minimal sums when the viewer uses the links, the viewer is in no way obligated to use these links. Thank you for your support! Video hashtags: Compassion, HappinessAtWork, WorkplaceWellbeing, SelfCompassion, OrganizationalHappiness, CompassionateLeadership

2. 

   6 Aug 2026

   Chris Irons Discussing the "Third Arrow" of Shame

   Why do painful experiences sometimes spiral into shame and harsh self-criticism? In this excerpt from my conversation with clinical psychologist Dr Chris Irons, we explore a powerful idea in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT): the Third Arrow. Building on the traditional Buddhist teaching of the Two Arrows, Chris explains how Paul Gilbert recognised an additional layer of suffering that many of us experience—shame and self-criticism about our pain. Together we explore how shame can trap us in a "bubble" of threat, why reconnection often takes courage, the qualities of the compassionate self, the difference between internal and external shame, and how compassionate inquiry can help us respond to suffering with greater wisdom, strength and care. This is one of my favourite moments from our full conversation and beautifully captures the heart of Compassion Focused Therapy. If you enjoy this excerpt, be sure to watch the complete interview with Chris Irons on the channel. https://youtu.be/mfK3XBCWQWg (https://youtu.be/mfK3XBCWQWg) And I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Which idea resonated most with you? Timestamps: 00:00 The Third Arrow 00:18 The Buddhist Two Arrows 01:08 Paul Gilbert's Third Arrow 01:45 Shame, Self-Criticism and the Bubble 02:40 Why CFT Attends to All Three Arrows 03:40 Reconnection Takes Courage 04:45 The Compassionate Self 05:50 Who's Walking the Dog? 06:50 Internal and External Shame 07:55 Compassionate Inquiry Links: If you would like to learn more about compassion focused therapy, you can find Dr Stan Steindl's book The Gifts of Compassion here: https://www.ausapress.com/p/the-gifts-of-compassion-how-to-understand-and-overcome-suffering/ Say hi on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drstansteindl Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/StanSteindl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_stan_steindl/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stan-steindl-150a5264/ Website: https://www.stansteindl.com/ YouTube Video URL: https://youtu.be/WaRylOh4nFY *Affiliate Disclaimer: Note this description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. While this channel may earn minimal sums when the viewer uses the links, the viewer is in no way obligated to use these links. Thank you for your support! Video hashtags: compassionfocusedtherapy, compassion, selfcriticism, shame, paulgilbert, chrisirons

3. 

   31 Jul 2026

   How Self-Compassion Can Change Your Life | Clarissa Rayward

   I think this interview speaks to anyone who has ever wondered whether success has come at too great a cost. After building a successful legal career, Clarissa Rayward reached a point where she dreaded driving to work. Rather than walking away from the profession she loved, she chose a different path—one that led her to rethink success, embrace self-compassion, and ultimately create Happy Lawyer Happy Life. In this conversation, Clarissa shares the deeply personal story behind that turning point, the lessons she learned from burnout and grief, and how those experiences transformed the way she practises family law, leads her team, and lives her life. Together, we explore self-compassion, perfectionism, courage, receiving help, redefining success, and why genuine wellbeing isn't about lowering our standards but creating a life that's sustainable. We also dive into some fascinating questions about compassion in the legal profession. Can compassion exist within an adversarial system? What happens when we shift from asking, "Who's right?" to "What really matters?" Clarissa explains how collaborative practice, curiosity and deep listening are changing the way she helps families navigate separation and conflict. Towards the end of our conversation, we also explore the rise of artificial intelligence and why, despite extraordinary technological change, genuinely listening to another person may become even more valuable. It was particularly meaningful when Clarissa reflected on what it felt like to simply be listened to—a timely reminder that compassion often begins not with advice, but with understanding. Whether you're a lawyer, psychologist, healthcare professional, leader, parent, or simply someone trying to build a meaningful life, I think you'll find something valuable in Clarissa's wisdom. If you enjoy conversations exploring compassion, wellbeing and human flourishing, I'd love you to subscribe to the channel and join us for future interviews and video essays. Connect with Clarissa Rayward Happy Lawyer Happy Life https://www.happylawyerhappylife.com/ (https://www.happylawyerhappylife.com/) Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/6Swqki7ooLQ8fDV1AlhXsY (https://open.spotify.com/show/6Swqki7ooLQ8fDV1AlhXsY) Book https://www.happylawyerhappylife.com/thebook/ (https://www.happylawyerhappylife.com/thebook/) Brisbane Family Law Centre https://www.bflc.com.au/ (https://www.bflc.com.au/) Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:05 The burnout that changed everything 08:30 Early warning signs and perfectionism 13:20 Self-compassion and asking for help 20:00 Redefining success 27:45 The three flows of compassion 34:15 Compassion in family law 41:30 Changing the legal profession 44:45 AI, listening and staying human 47:30 What really matters in life 50:10 Closing reflections 23:47 Final Takeaways Links: If you would like to learn more about compassion focused therapy, you can find Dr Stan Steindl's book The Gifts of Compassion here: https://www.ausapress.com/p/the-gifts-of-compassion-how-to-understand-and-overcome-suffering/ Say hi on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drstansteindl Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/StanSteindl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_stan_steindl/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stan-steindl-150a5264/ Website: https://www.stansteindl.com/ YouTube Video URL: https://youtu.be/MLwwJ-NYfYo *Affiliate Disclaimer: Note this description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. While this channel may earn minimal sums when the viewer uses the links, the viewer is in no way obligated to use these links. Thank you for your support! Video hashtags: compassion, selfcompassion, burnout, wellbeing, happiness, familylaw

Who has been a guest on Compassion in a T-Shirt

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Kate Lucre
• Emma Seppälä
• Lisa McLean
• Chris Winson
• Darcy L Harris

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 57 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

83

Social presence

94

YouTube

0

Engagement

32