In addition to being a trained Mindful Self-Compassion teacher, Michael is also a certified teacher of the Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) through CCARE (The Center for Compassion, Altruism, Research and Education) at Stanford University. He has had an ongoing meditation practice for the past 35 years, and for the past 11 years has taken a month each year out of his active life to be in silent retreat. He has personally experienced the impact of mindfulness and compassion practices in his own life, and this forms the foundation of his teaching.