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T. Denny Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion Empathy and Compassion

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Explore Our On-Demand Webinar Library

Browse our growing collection of recordings covering empathy, compassion, clinician well-being, medical education, research, and more -- available whenever it fits your schedule.

Spring 2026

Can Conflict Be Compassionate?

About this Webinar:

  • How can you show you care– even when you deeply disagree?
  • What if conflict wasn’t something to avoid, but an opportunity to connect more deeply, to get closer to the truth?
  • What would have to be true for you to genuinely consider another perspective?
Join ICF-certified coach Kelsey Brennan in this interactive webinar as we reflect on our own patterns of listening, explore ways to thoughtfully prepare for conflict-heavy conversations, and apply a coaching mindset to balance acceptance with advocacy.

Navigating Moral Distress in Healthcare Leadership & Education

About this Webinar:

The burden of moral distress is too often placed solely on individual healthcare providers, accompanied by calls for resilience, self-care, and the proverbial "stiff upper lip." However, a paradigm shift is underway that urges healthcare leaders to move beyond individual coping strategies and instead foster institutional culture change. This session introduces a concrete, five-step moral distress debriefing tool that integrates elements from several existing frameworks. By shifting the burden from individuals to systems, the tool fosters shared responsibility, reduces provider isolation, and promotes sustainable, values-driven practice in today’s complex and evolving healthcare environment.

Free Download: Moral Distress Debriefing Tool

When Leaders Listen: How Clinician Insight Shapes Departmental and Systemwide Action

About this Webinar:

This webinar explores how the University of Kentucky College of Medicine Office for Organizational Well-Being (OWB) listens deeply to frontline clinicians and transforms that feedback into meaningful, multi-level culture change. Through its Department Enhancement Project (DEP) framework and the Organizational Well-Being Executive Leadership Team (OWBELT) Action Plan, OWB has created intentional structures that surface root issues, elevate frontline perspectives, and translate insights into coordinated department- and system-level improvements. Participants will learn how these interconnected frameworks foster transparency, collaboration, and accountability, and how to adapt similar ground-up approaches to create strategic interventions and accelerate culture change within their own organizations.

From Overwhelmed to Empowered: Thriving in a Challenging Scientific Climate

About this Webinar:

In today’s fast-shifting socio-political landscape, where science and medicine intersect with public debate, it’s natural to feel weighed down by waves of misinformation, by skepticism that challenges evidence, and even by the intensity of our own emotional responses. Yet within this turbulence lies an opportunity: to transform overwhelm into empowerment, and to cultivate resilience that allows us not only to endure but to thrive. This webinar is designed to help you shift from a place of stress and fatigue to one of strength, clarity, and purpose.

In this on-demand webinar, you will learn to:

  • Recognize and manage our own emotional responses to the current climate
  • Protect our emotional and physical well-being while navigating anti-science narratives
  • Remain open to new or uncomfortable ideas without compromising our values
  • Stay grounded and positive to prevent burnout
  • Draw strength from a supportive, like-minded community— a collective anchor of resilience, rooted in evidence-based understanding.
This session is not just about strategies—it’s about solidarity, self-awareness, and sustaining the energy to keep doing meaningful work. Whether you're a scientist, educator, health professional, or advocate, you’ll leave with tools to stay empowered and connected in the face of challenge.

Fall 2025

Master the Art of Communicating Research

About this Webinar:

This 90-minute session helps you structure a clear, audience-specific elevator pitch to relay your ideas, needs, research, or complicated information to the lay public. The session introduces a simple tool and repeatable method to craft your message for students, funders, the media, as an introduction to a longer talk – or even a path to communicate more effectively with your own family. One of our recent physician participants shared, “If I had this process sooner I would re-work every talk I’ve given over the last decade!”

By the end of this session, you can expect to:

  • Understand the importance of message structure
  • Describe the main point you need to relay
  • Identify and build on the common ground between you and your audience
  • Practice using a tool to craft your audience-specific message effectively

Practice communicating your research and/or clinical message with our Big Idea Form, as referenced in at the 42-minute mark in the video -- download it for free: https://tinyurl.com/DownloadBigIdeaForm

Understanding the Value of Mediation

About this Webinar:

This session introduces the fundamental principles of mediation, offering an overview of key concepts. While it does not certify participants as mediators, it serves as a practical guide for effective communication and conflict resolution. Participants will gain a clear understanding of the mediation process, enhance their communication and listening skills, learn strategies for resolving conflicts, and recognize when mediation is an appropriate tool for managing difficult conversations.

Let's Talk: Media Interviews

About this Webinar:

  • Do the words “media interview” send you running for cover?
  • Have you ever been interviewed by a reporter and afterward said, “Never again”?
  • Do you wish you understood more about the skills necessary to perform well in an on-camera interview?
Media interviews do not have to be this difficult. ​In this webinar, led by Marcy McGinnis, veteran CBS News broadcast executive, you will learn how to prepare for media interviews with various audiences and get camera-ready in an inclusive, supportive environment.

Raise Your Voice: How to Write Op-Eds & Letters to the Editor

About this Webinar:

Op-ed columns and letters to the editor offer an easy way to make yourself heard by the wider world. In these short pieces of writing, you can use your expertise and your credentials to provide accurate information, correct errors (or lies), and advocate for policies you support. It’s a public service — and it can be fun to do!

Hearing Myself Think: In the Belly of the Whale

About this Webinar:

Hearing Myself Think is an interactive workshop that provides perspective, healing, and community building. Run by poet Thomas Dooley, participants will understand the value of analogy and reflection to help communicate across differences. We will engage as a cohort in writing and discussion, so we urge you to find a quiet and private space for the session. This is a moving experience that we hope will provide you with both insight and wellness. Physicians and nurses at various medical centers and hospitals have been impressed with the value of Thomas’ facilitation and the impact of his sessions.