Fierce Self-Compassion

Kristin Neff, the researcher who helped define self-compassion as a field, returns with a sequel to her bestselling Self-Compassion. Her central argument is that women need to face the suffering they carry, trust their own inner voice, and question a social order still organized around men.

Neff blends her own life story with the experiences of other women to show how self-compassion can produce the resilience, clarity and nerve needed to stand up for oneself. The book looks at gender differences, the reasons so many people struggle to be kind to themselves, and what women often give up in the name of love.

Backed by research, the book offers practical tools and guided mindfulness exercises for loosening harsh self-criticism, setting firm boundaries, and stepping into a bolder, more forthright way of living.