Courageous Heart

The Human Behind the Badge

Resilience, Compassion and Leadership Training for Law Enforcement and Public
Safety

Serving Law Enforcement and Public Safety Communities Since 2018

Courageous Heart: The Human Behind the Badge training is designed specifically by Compassion Institute for, and in partnership with, Law Enforcement and Public Service personnel.

This unique, practical, and groundbreaking program develops the strength to be with suffering, the courage to take compassionate action, and the resilience to deal with emotional stress in the face of life’s challenges. It sets individual officer wellness and self-care in the context of the current realities of the job, and introduces upfront the science behind resilience training and the potential benefits of integrating these practices into everyday life.

Our courses offer a combination of practical training, tools, meditation, discussion in small and large groups, as well as optional out-of-classroom assignments.

Courageous Heart Training can make a difference by supporting physical health, happiness, and wellbeing, including increased self-compassion and self-care, reduced stress, anxiety, and enhanced connection with others, even in the face of conflict. It can also support deeper understanding of cultural and racial bias through specific exercises recognizing common humanity.

Existing research shows that mindfulness and compassion trainings can meaningfully reduce the symptoms of stress, burnout, and improve health and wellness outcomes.

Courageous Heart has served more than 100 agencies and cities across the State of California to date. Our 1-Day and 3-Day courses are Certified by the Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) in the State of California.

Courageous Heart Challenge Coin

Participants who complete our 3-Day Immersion course — Resilience, Compassion, and Leadership for Law Enforcement — are awarded a Courageous Heart Challenge Coin.

Challenge Coins are a tradition that began in the U.S. military and subsequently became popular among law enforcement. These coins can be awarded for a specific event or purpose and serve as a symbol of pride, fellowship, and common loyalty shared by the members of a group. Challenge Coins also honor hard work and excellence.

At Compassion Institute, we created the Courageous Heart Challenge Coin as a symbol of belonging to the CH Alumni and as a recognition of the willingness to learn about resilience, mindfulness, and compassion. We’re honored to award these coins upon law enforcement professionals who are also open to engaging in habits and practices that support personal wellness — which in turn — can positively influence their personal life, work life, and interpersonal dynamics.

In 2015, I was introduced to CCT™ (Compassion Cultivation Training) and I immediately saw the value that it could bring to our profession. From that point on, I’ve been all in!

I think that as we offer it to…our population of men and women serving our communities, it is going to help them not only regulate their own suffering and their emotions, but…be better prepared to serve our communities.

Robert Jonsen

Sheriff, Santa Clara County, California

Chief of Police, Palo Alto, California (Ret.)

Post Certified Training

The State of California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) was established by the Legislature in 1959 to set minimum selection and training standards for California law enforcement.

In 2020, Compassion Institute was the recipient of a State Innovation Grant to support officer wellness training throughout California and offers POST-certified courses to sworn officers under this grant.

Since then, Courageous Heart 1-day and 3-day courses have been POST-certified and qualified graduates receive training credits for their participation.

“In my 25 years of active service, I have never attended a course of this nature. I wish I had done so much earlier.

The program truly emphasizes self-compassion and self-care, something I think we often take for granted. I would recommend this program to any public safety professional. Job well done! At the end of the course, students had some new ‘tools’ in their tool belt to promote personal health and well-being.”

Senior Instructor,
POST Training Evaluation

Upcoming Courses

May 2nd 2024,
May 9th 2024,
& May 16th 2024

3-Day Immersion: Resilience, Compassion, and Leadership for Law Enforcement

November 30, 2023,
December 7, 2023,
& December 14, 2023

3-Day Immersion: Resilience, Compassion, and Leadership for Law Enforcement

July 25, 2024

1-Day Introduction: Resilience and Compassion for Law Enforcement

Interested in upcoming Courageous Heart courses?

Portfolio of Courses

We offer training courses throughout the year to both sworn (see POST-Certified Training above), and non-sworn law enforcement and public service personnel.

1-Day Introduction to Resilience and Compassion for Law Enforcement

Sworn Officers

1-Day Introduction to Resilience and Compassion for Law Enforcement

Dispatchers and Professional Staff

1-Day Compassion on Duty: Courageous Heart at the Workplace

LE Execs, Chiefs, & Command Staff

3-Day Immersion: Resilience, Compassion and Leadership for Law Enforcement

8-Week Compassion Cultivation Training for Law Enforcement

This training is necessary for officers of ALL experience levels. We must be mindful of the challenges of the profession and then address them – consistently. I wouldn’t trade this profession for anything, but it does come at a cost. If we understand the risks and challenges, we can defeat them!

This training is not what you think it will be. It will make you a better police officer and a better person.

This program is eye-opening; it is one that every law enforcement professional should consider.

This class was important to me as a human being and an organizational leader with the same challenges most of us have. I have a better understanding of personal wellness and the impacts it has in my personal and professional life. The practices and resources provided to me will make me a better person and a better leader.

Partners

We’re proud to be part of the California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA) Partner Program.

We are looking forward to joining more than 350 law enforcement executives at the CPCA Annual Training Symposium in Riverside, California from March 9th – 12th, 2025.

Compassion Institute is proud to be a member of the California State Sheriff’s Association (CSSA) Corporate 100 Partners Program and to support the work the Association does on behalf of all its members.

Partner With Us

Are you are a leader within a law enforcement agency, first responder organization, or other public service organization with a large number of active personnel?

Are you interested in increasing health and wellness through this training?

We would love to explore the possibility of partnering with you.

Our Team

The Courageous Heart program has been serving law enforcement and public service personnel since 2018, led by our team:

Robert Jonsen

Sheriff

Santa Clara County, CA

Chief of Police

Palo Alto, CA (Ret.)

State of California Law Enforcement Wellness Committee

Monica Hanson

Founding Faculty

Compassion Institute

Julie Learmond-Criqui

Program Director, Law Enforcement & Public Safety

Compassion Institute

Dr. Cherylynn Lee

Behavioral Sciences Manager

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office

Law Enforcement & Public Safety Advisor

Courageous Heart

Dennis Emmitt

Program Associate, Law Enforcement & Public Safety

Compassion Institute

After going through a difficult year professionally, the CCT class came into my life at the perfect time. I realized that I was severely lacking in self-care and compassion for myself. By bringing mindfulness techniques and cultivating compassion for myself, I have found a peace within that I’ve not experienced for many years. In turn, I’m more able to use the techniques I have learned when interacting with loved ones and also with difficult people. The tools I have learned at CCT will stay with me forever, and I can honestly say that CCT changed my life.

Courageous Heart: The Human Behind the Badge is a program of Compassion Institute, Inc. Compassion Institute is a nonprofit global advocate for compassion education and advocacy whose mission is to promote awareness of the importance of compassion to individual human happiness as well as societal and community well-being.

The Institute provides practical compassion-focused programs and offerings based on the latest psychology, neuroscience, and contemplative science, designed to impart the evidence-based power of compassion to support wellness and transformation at the level of the individual, organization, and society.