When we witness the struggles or pain of others, the pain centers in our brain light up as if we were experiencing that same pain. This can be very depleting. When we convert empathy (the witnessing and taking on of another’s pain) into compassion, we trigger a physiological response that actually helps us to feel more resilient and resourced. Join Darien Library’s Caregiver Cafe, where Community Mindfulness Project will share simple techniques that can be used to resource ourselves as we care for others. We’ll also explore offering ourselves some self-compassion. As they say on an airplane, it’s important to put your own oxygen mask on before helping others. For more information and to register, visit DarienLibrary.org.