About Me

Heather Shaughnessy-Cato, MA

Coaching Certifications:
- Integrative Health Coach
- Well-being Coach
- Yoga Coach (incorporating yoga and yoga philosophy into coaching)
- Certified Designing Your Life Coach
Mindful Self-Compassion Trained Teacher
Certified Designing Your Life Facilitator
Certified Vinyasa Yoga Teacher, 200 hr
Certificate in Mindfulness
MA, Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Navigating life’s ups and downs with compassion, wisdom and ease is my favorite topic to explore, study and teach.

I have found immense insight and wisdom in my own life through practices for mindfulness and compassion, and through being intentional about prioritizing my well-being and personal growth.

I am delighted to also be positioned to lead others in processes and practices for greater awareness, growth, and flourishing.

I incorporate a range of evidence-based practices into my coaching and teaching work. I have found tremendous value in embodied exploration— working with experiences with the mind, body, and heart.

As a teacher, facilitator, and coach, it is my role to help you reconnect with your own values, surface your vision for well-being, to provide support as you take incremental steps toward that vision, and to help you surface new insights along the way.

As a mind-body teacher, I share context for various practices, the science and research which support their efficacy, I encourage you to creatively engage with the practices, and support you as you apply what you learn to enhance your well-being.

I offer one-on-one coaching and teaching, courses and custom workshops, with options for both virtual sessions, and in-person engagement in Brunswick, Maine.

I hope to have the opportunity to work with you, and to see what we might discover.

My background

Small business owner of Wholehearted LLC: Coaching and teaching focused on Integrative Health Coaching and Mind-Body Practices.
Small business co-owner of Fieldbrook Advising: Facilitation for groups and organizations focused on Life Design.
Yoga and mindfulness teacher
Previously served as a therapist (while under supervision during licensure process)
Previously served in Development/Fundraising roles within Higher Education and Arts & Culture

Education

M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Summa Cum Laude, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
B.A. in Psychology, B.A. in Sociology, State University of New York at Geneseo

Certifications:

Coaching Certifications through YogaMedCo
- Integrative Health Coach
- Well-being Coach
- Yoga Coach (incorporating yoga and yoga philosophy into coaching)
Mindful Self-Compassion Trained Teacher through the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion
Certified Designing Your Life Coach and Facilitator through the Designing Your Life Group
Certified Vinyasa Yoga Teacher, 200 hr through Gates Yoga
Certificate in Mindfulness through the Nalanda Institute
Certified Wellness & Health Coach through Real Balance, offered by MaineHealth

Additional trainings:

In addition to the certifications noted above, I have engaged in a number of mind-body related trainings.

Compassion Based Resilience Training
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training
Trauma-Informed Children’s Yoga Training
Training on trauma and benefits of mind-body practices with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness Training, self-paced course by David Treleaven
10-Day Vipassana Meditation Course (silent retreat)

Given the prevalence of trauma, I have engaged in these trauma-related trainings to make my teaching more accessible and inclusive. I have included these as background for my approach. I offer mind-body practices with inclusive options for practice. I do not offer trauma treatment or trauma therapies of any kind.

I continue to participate in trainings for my own study and practice, and to infuse what I learn into my offerings.