About Heather Shaughnessy-Cato
National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach
Certified Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher
MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
I am often asked what drew me to self-compassion.
Honest answer: I know self-criticism well. For a long time, whatever hard thing I was facing came with a second layer on top — how hard I was on myself about it.
Self-compassion changed that. It didn’t happen fast, but it changed how I handle things now — less second-guessing, more confidence, more willing to speak up for myself. Less people-pleasing and perfectionism, more steadiness, ease, and joy. More able to just deal with what’s actually in front of me.
It’s not a finished project. It’s a practice.
This is why I love coaching — it brings together two things I care about most: meaningful one-on-one work, and self-compassion. I get to be with people as they navigate their own hard things — present-focused, forward-facing — and help them find a different way through the hurdles: with more perspective, more kindness, more of their own power. It’s remarkable to watch — not just problems getting solved, but people deepening their friendship with themselves along the way.
That’s what I want for the people I work with — to feel more at home in their own lives. To trust themselves more. To move toward what matters with more clarity, confidence, and self-respect.
Training & credentials
- National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC)
- Certified Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher
- Volunteer and Contract Teacher, Center for Mindful Self-Compassion
- M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, summa cum laude
- Trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness instructor
My background
My path hasn’t been linear. I started in fundraising, eventually as a Director of Development, then pivoted to a master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling — training at a hospital health center and Vassar College, then three years as a staff therapist there. It’s where I found Kristin Neff’s work on self-compassion, and something clicked. I trained and certified as a Mindful Self-Compassion teacher, and now continue to teach as well as weave it into my coaching. I’ve also taught mindfulness and yoga, and continue to when the right opportunities arise.
Coaching lets me bring all of it into one room: the pragmatism from my nonprofit years, the depth from my clinical years, and the nuanced understanding of self-compassion and embodiment from years of teaching.
A note on trauma-informed practice
I’m committed to creating spaces that prioritize safety, choice, collaboration, and respect. While I don’t provide psychotherapy or trauma treatment, I integrate trauma-informed principles into my coaching and teaching.
