Heather Shaughnessy-Cato, MA
Certified coach
Mindful Self-Compassion Trained Teacher
MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Navigating life’s ups and downs with wisdom and ease is my favorite topic to explore, study and teach. I have found immense healing, insight and wisdom in my own life through these embodied practices. I am delighted to also be positioned to teach these practices. I hope to have the opportunity to work with you, and to see what we might discover!
I am based in Maine, and am currently offering virtual coaching sessions, workshops and courses.
My approach
With a background in clinical mental health counseling, wellness and health coaching, creative Life Design, and mind-body trainings, I incorporate a range of evidence-based practices into my work. While it can be helpful to understand things conceptually, I have found tremendous value in embodied exploration— noticing and working with our experiences with the mind, body, and heart.
As a teacher, facilitator, and coach, it is my role to share the wisdom of various practices, the science and research which support their efficacy, to encourage you to creatively engage with the practices, and to support you as you apply what you learn to navigate the realities in your own life.
Through my personal practice, I have an appreciation for varied challenges that present themselves along the path to transformation and change. I therefore tend to approach teaching with some humility, humor and an invitation to be honest about and learn from all of our experiences.
I continue to be inspired by the clients and students with whom I have worked — by the creative ways in which they applied wisdom teachings to get unstuck, to grow in their ability to love themselves, and to face heartbreaking realities with courage and resilience. One of the greatest benefits of teaching and continued practice is learning from and being inspired by others.
My background
Summary of my experience
- Small business co-owner of Fieldbrook Advising
- All of my teaching, coaching, and facilitation is a part of Fieldbrook Advising LLC
- Previously served as a therapist with clinical experiences and training with college students and in healthcare
- 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
Professional Certifications and Trainings
- MA, Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) Trained Teacher
- MSC for Healthcare Communities Trained Teacher
- Certified Wellness and Health Coach
- Certified Yoga Teacher (200 hour)
- Certified Designing Your Life (DYL) Facilitator and Coach
Other areas of professional development:
Mindfulness:
- Graduate-level coursework and clinical training on mindfulness for emotional wellbeing
- Completed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Intensive
Trauma-Informed Trainings:
- Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training
- Trauma-Informed Children’s Yoga Training
- The Body Keeps the Score Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
Services offered as part of Fieldbrook Advising, LLC
