Shalom! I’m MaryBeth Heatwole Moore, a Trained Teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) through the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, and I’m honored to share this healing practice with others.

My journey toward self-compassion began in 2021 when I first read Kristin Neff’s book, Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself. I was hooked from the start and knew this practice was something I deeply needed.

At the time, I was burned out from years of serving others as a school nurse at the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind and as a pastor leading a congregation that met in my home. The pandemic only deepened that exhaustion. For much of my life, I focused entirely on caring for others—my patients, my church, my family, including our two Deaf adopted sons—while neglecting to nurture myself.

Reading Neff’s book sparked a deep transformation for me. I immediately enrolled in a Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) course and discovered the profound healing that comes from combining mindfulness with self-compassion. Wanting to go deeper, I spent 8 months immersed in the Community for Deepening Practices course, further integrating these life-changing tools into my own journey.

Now, as a trained teacher, I'm passionate about supporting others in discovering the same softness and strength that self-compassion has brought into my life.  

In addition to teaching MSC, I work part-time as a chaplain at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, serve on the leadership team at Immanuel Mennonite Church,  volunteer weekly as a nurse at the Blue Ridge Free Clinic, and lead a weekly online imaginative scripture contemplation group.

In my free time, I love geocaching, traveling, getting lost in a good book, and spending time with my husband, our now-grown sons, and my aging parents.

I look forward to walking alongside you as you explore the transformative power of self-compassion and begin creating your own ripples of compassion in the world.