A steadier relationship with yourself changes everything.
Self-compassion for thoughtful, capable people.
Work with stress, self-criticism, and care fatigue
You may be thoughtful, informed, and insightful—yet under pressure, self-criticism can take over.
Your own needs may get sidelined, or insight alone may not lead to relief or meaningful change.
This is where self-compassion becomes practical. With the right support, you can cultivate a steadier, more supportive relationship with yourself—so life’s demands feel more workable and less depleting.
I’m Heather Shaughnessy-Cato, a wellness coach focused on emotional well-being and self-compassion. I offer personalized coaching and experiential workshops that help you slow down, listen inward, and respond with kindness—supporting balance in everyday life.
A More Sustainable Way to Relate to Yourself
This work supports a shift from:
- Self-criticism → self-kindness
- Judgment → understanding
- Holding it all together → releasing pressure and restoring energy
- Feeling like you’re failing → recognizing your shared humanity
- Feeling stuck or confused → gaining clarity and experimenting with next steps
Instead of pushing harder or trying to think your way out of stress, this work focuses on awareness, skill-building, and small, real-life experiments that support reflective, meaningful change.
What you may notice over time:
- A more supportive inner dialogue
- Less self-criticism and second-guessing
- Reduced stress and physical tension
- Greater self-trust
- Clearer boundaries and decisions
- More consistent energy and replenishment
Practical Support, with a Guide
Self-compassion isn’t just an idea—it’s a skill. And for many people, it’s difficult to build alone, especially when self-criticism has been the default.
In this work, we slow things down to clarify what’s happening and what matters most. From there, we focus on practical next steps you can try, learn from, and build on.
The work is paced, collaborative, and responsive—designed to support meaningful change without pressure or overwhelm.
Ways to Work Together
Coaching
Workshops & Courses
An Integrated, Evidence-Based Approach
My work weaves together three complementary frameworks—each practical on its own, and even more powerful together:
Self-Compassion
Developing a steadier, more supportive relationship with yourself.
Mindfulness
Cultivating awareness so you can respond with intention rather than habit.
Life Design
Clarifying what matters now and aligning your choices through reflection and small, real-life experiments.
Hi, I’m Heather
I’m a Certified Mindful Self-Compassion teacher and National Board–Certified Health and Wellness Coach, with a master’s degree in counseling and additional training in mindfulness, embodiment, yoga, and trauma-informed approaches.
My style is grounded, attentive, and practical. I help people understand their inner experience with compassion—and translate that clarity into skillful, real-life change.
Client reflections
“I can’t express how much I enjoyed interacting with you during our coaching sessions. I got so much more out of it than I could have possibly imagined. With your gentle & insightful guidance, I was able to shift some long-ingrained patterns of harsh self-judgment.“
“The facilitation was superb. I felt the presence and kindness of Heather in each session. She is especially skilled at asking open ended questions with curiosity and kindness that draw out more of the participants experiences.”
“(Heather) brings an intuitiveness to her work with others. She offers an incredible ‘safe space’. There was never a moment working with Heather where I felt what I was going to share would not be ok. She takes everything in stride and is a fantastic listener and teacher!“
Let’s connect
If you’re curious about this work—or sensing that something needs to shift—you’re welcome to reach out. We can explore what you’re navigating and what kind of support might be most helpful.
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