My work as a family practice physician has shown me the depth and breadth of human suffering, and I've learned that emotional pain is every bit as agonizing as physical pain. Living with my own diagnosis of major depression for most of my adult life has given me  a deeply felt understanding and empathy for individuals in emotional distress, and has drawn me to the very meaningful work of mental health advocacy and suicide prevention. Along the way I have given a lot of compassion to the people I’ve cared for.  But what I hadn't learned until recently was how to treat myself with the same kindness I would show to a dear friend.

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Compassion for myself? SELF-Compassion?

Honestly, I had never really had thought about it, until Kristin Neff and Chris Germer came into my life on the eve of my retirement from active clinical care almost 4 years ago. Drs. Neff and Germer are the co-creators of the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program. I took their 5 day intensive course in California, came home and hungered for more. This was a fairly new concept for me – I could be kind to MYSELF? I could be a compassionate friend – TO MYSELF?

 

The practices felt good - I needed More Practice!

I searched locally in Milwaukee and participated in Jamie Lynn Tatera's 8 week MSC course (Wholly Mindful http://www.whollymindful.com/). I was able to begin to weave MSC into my life. More and more often I'm including myself in my circle of compassion-when I make a mistake, as we all do, I listen to my kind inner voice rather than my acidic inner critic. When I approach my swirling emotions with a friendliness and curiosity, they don't stick around as long. When things in my life aren't going as they should, I'm frequently able to pause and recognize my struggle, and respond and motivate myself from a place of awareness and self-compassion. 

I feel like I have my own back. 

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So I've arrived in this moment

I’ve had the privilege of becoming a Trained Teacher in Mindful Self-Compassion through the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion (https://centerformsc.org/). Jamie Lynn Tatera is now my dear friend and colleague, as well as  ongoing teacher. Through my collaboration with WISE (WI Initiative for Stigma Elimination -https://wisewisconsin.org/) and Rogers InHealth (https://www.rogersinhealth.org/), I am honored to help individuals and organizations implement the Compassion Resilience Toolkit. And I continue my work in mental health advocacy and suicide prevention. 

Self-compassion practice is suicide prevention.

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I love teaching meaningful life skills. Accompanying individuals on their own  journey of self-compassion is a soulful endeavor for me. I hope to meet you one day so that we may walk this path together.

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Sending you my deepest wish that you may know

your own self-compassion and true belonging,

 

Barbara

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Barbara Moser, MD

Professional Biography (short) 

 

Education 

Formal Education:

• MD awarded in 1984 from Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL

• Family Practice Residency completed in 1987 University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA

       (board-certified in family medicine since 1987)​

 

Mindful Self-Compassion and Related

• Mindful Self-Compassion Program, Trained Teacher since August 2019

       (Trained by the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion https://centerformsc.org/teach-msc-latest/)

• Self-Compassion Training for Healthcare Communities: An Adaptation of Mindful Self-Compassion, Trained Teacher, Center for Mindful Self-Compassion August 2019

• Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: The Practitioner’s Guide to Recognizing Trauma, Responding Skillfully, and Preventing Re-traumatization-Online Course with David Treleaven November 2019

 

Work

Medicine

Outpatient Family Practice 1987-2016 (1993-2016 at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)

Norris Health Center, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1993-2016

• Senior Physician 1993-2016

• Medical Director 1995-2004

• Director of Norris Health Center Office of Health Promotion and Wellness 2005-2015

• Director of Quality Improvement 1993-2016

 

Mindfulness and Compassion

• Mindful Self-Compassion Program Teacher since 2019

• Providing Workshops and Talks about MSC since September 2019

• Compassion Resilience Toolkit Facilitation since 2018

       (Rogers InHealth)​

• Parent and Teen Wellness Circle Facilitator since 2018

       (Aurora Family Service Family Therapy Training Institute)

 

Affiliations

• American Association of Family Practice

• Center for Mindful Self-Compassion

• WISE (Wisconsin Initiative for Stigma Elimination)

• Prevent Suicide Greater Milwaukee

• Prevent Suicide Wisconsin

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Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Advocacy

 

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

2008-2010:         Member, UWM Mental Health Task Force

2011-2016:         Member, Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Mental Health

2012-2016:         Co-Principal Investigator, Project Director, SAMHSA GLS Campus Suicide Prevention                                 Grant, UWM Suicide Prevention Project

 

WISE (Wisconsin Initiative for Stigma Elimination

2010-present:     Member

2018-present:     Executive Committee

2018-present:     Compassion Resilience Toolkit facilitator

2016-present:     WISE Basics and Healthcare Presenter

2016-present:     UPtoMe (Formerly Honest, Open and Proud) Facilitator

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Prevent Suicide Greater Milwaukee 

2010-present:    Prevent Suicide Greater Milwaukee Coalition Member

2012-2019:         Steering Committee member

2016-2019:         Coalition Chair/Co-Chair

 

Suicide Prevention Training/Support

• QPR Instructor since 2011, QPR Master Trainer since 2017

• MHA Wisconsin Survivors Helping Survivors Support Group Facilitator since 2018

• Hope Squad Trained Advisor since September 2019

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