More self-kindness. More self-trust.
Coaching and workshops for thoughtful, sensitive people.
You’re thoughtful and sensitive. You notice a lot and put real care into what you do.
But the world doesn’t always make room for your way of being. Maybe you’ve been told to toughen up, stop overthinking, move faster, or let things go. Or the same sensitivity that helps you attune to others can make it hard to stay anchored in yourself, and to give yourself the care you so freely give to others.
Most of us haven’t had much support learning how to move through real life with all that we notice and feel.
How do you keep showing up for what matters, while honoring who you are? That’s where working with me can help.
My approach: Mindfulness and self-compassion
These two practices are at the heart of my work. They’re especially helpful when you’re thoughtful and sensitive.
Mindfulness is noticing what’s happening, inside you and around you, with curiosity instead of judgment. When you take in a lot, it helps you stay anchored in yourself. You can pause, notice what you feel, sort out what’s yours, and be intentional about how to respond.
Self-compassion is treating yourself like a good friend. It means turning the care you give so freely to others toward yourself, too. It helps you meet yourself with more understanding and strengthens motivation. When stress brings self-judgment along, it makes it easier to think clearly and choose well.
Both are skills you can learn. Working together, I help you build a practice that fits your life, so you can:
- Soften self-criticism
- Recognize and meet your own needs
- Set clearer, kinder boundaries
- Build routines that reliably support you
- Feel steadier when things are hard
Working Together
COACHING
Coaching is a series of conversations with a trusted thought partner. It starts with a simple question: What do you want to be different?
Along the way, we make room for other questions, such as: What do I need? What would it mean to include myself more fully?
We look at where you are now and what’s in the way, and we bridge the gap, one practical step at a time.
I listen closely, reflect back what I hear, and ask questions that help you see your situation more clearly.
Between sessions, you try things out in your own life, and we learn from what happens.
What we might work on
- Navigating change and uncertainty
- Self-criticism and self-doubt
- Goals and getting unstuck
- Stress and overwhelm
- Relationships and boundaries
- Caring for yourself while caring for others
WORKSHOPS and CLASSES
Practice with others, and get a feel for how I work.
- Midday Pause: a free monthly self-care session, online
- For organizations: workshops on self-compassion and mindfulness for teams and groups
- Candlelight Restorative Yoga: at Sundara Yoga, Brunswick
About me
I’m Heather Shaughnessy-Cato — a coach with a foundation in self-compassion.
I’m a National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach and Certified Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher, with a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
For more than a decade, my work has centered on helping people care for themselves while navigating change and difficulty — through counseling, coaching, teaching, and facilitation.
I believe meaningful change doesn’t always require pushing harder or becoming someone different. Sometimes it begins with slowing down, understanding ourselves more fully, and learning to work with who we are rather than against ourselves.
What my clients are saying:
“With your gentle and insightful guidance, I was able to shift some long-ingrained patterns of harsh self-judgment — and got so much more out of it than I could have possibly imagined.”
— Chris“At the end of every call I felt seen and heard, and always walked away with some type of valuable ‘aha.’”
— Sam“I was able to overcome a feeling of frustration and helplessness, which resulted in me feeling more creative again — writing more, building a newsletter and community, and getting a clearer sense of what actually matters to me.”
— Max
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Guided Meditations
Free audio meditations in mindfulness and self-compassion.
Blog posts
Reflections on self-compassion.
© 2026 Heather Shaughnessy-Cato. All rights reserved.