From Self-Care to We-Care: The New Science of Mindful Boundaries and Caring from an Undivided Heart

Learn to harmonize self-care with caring for others through we-care, a science-based approach designed to enhance personal and social well-being, promote healthy boundaries, and offer a path of healing and transformation.

Too many of us are familiar with the burnout that can come from overextending ourselves for others. Self-care is often promoted as the solution to this imbalance, but there are growing concerns that an overemphasis on self-care is exacerbating interpersonal challenges, fraying the fabric of our communities, and diminishing our responsiveness to broader social issues. In a world where time can feel increasingly scarce, we find ourselves in a dilemma: should we prioritize ourselves or others? Yet as psychologist and compassion scientist Jordan Quaglia demonstrates, this choice is based on a false dichotomy. The emerging science and practice of we-care reframes the very concept of care as a social force that includes both self and other.

Through personal stories, guided inquiries, practical social exercises, and insights from cutting-edge neuroscience, Quaglia offers a framework and toolset designed to help you find a more balanced way to express your innate sense of compassion. This holistic approach sparks transformative changes across your health, relationships, and work--uplifting yourself and others while supporting a stronger, more connected society for us all.

Author: Jordan Quaglia
Publisher: Shambhala
Published: 05/06/2025
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.50w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9781645473473


Review Citation(s):
Foreword 04/21/2025

About the Author
JORDAN QUAGLIA has spent over a decade researching and teaching on topics such as mindfulness, compassion, and lucidity. He is an associate professor of psychology at Naropa University, where he directs the Cognitive and Affective Science Laboratory and is research director for its Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education. A recognized expert in the science of compassion, he has been designated as a research fellow by the Mind & Life Institute, a Contemplative Social Justice Scholar for Contemplative Mind in Society, and a panelist for multiple United Nations Day of Vesak conferences. In addition to his research, Jordan co-developed and regularly teaches an eight-week compassion training curriculum for hundreds of individuals. He lives with his wife in Boulder, Colorado.