In 1924, stress killed Bertha Cooley. Nearly 100 years later, we’re still losing change-makers to the weight of the work.

Anna Arnold Hedgeman, a Black woman activist and trailblazer, recounted the day her friend and fellow organizer, Bertha Cooley, collapsed and died on her way to a YWCA fundraising event in New York City. The two worked tirelessly (with their team) in the "Colored" branch of the YWCA, under relentless pressure to make change in an environment that offered little support and constant resistance. For Ms. Hedgeman, Bertha’s death was not just a tragic event—it was emblematic of the overwhelming toll the fight for justice can take on women and those leading the charge for equity.

Today, nearly a century later, Black women are still facing these immense pressures. The endless demands, the weight of navigating hostile work cultures, and the need to fight for progress at every turn lead to stress, burnout, and, in too many cases, life-threatening health consequences. At Kindred Wellness, we believe this pattern can—and must—change.

PREVIOUS CLIENTS INCLUDE

Consulting

Our offerings are designed to break the cycle of burnout and exhaustion, providing organizations and leaders with tools and practices that foster resilience, healing, and sustainable impact:

Licensed Curricula & Team Training: Transform your workplace with customizable programs focused on equity, healing-centered leadership, and wellness, empowering your teams with skills that extend far beyond standard practices.
Strategic Advisory Services: We offer expert guidance to align your organization’s mission with actionable steps that foster a people-centered, purpose-driven culture, balancing performance with the well-being of your team.
Mind-Body Healing & Wellness Integration: Bring essential wellness practices into your organization with mind-body techniques that promote resilience, reduce stress, and prioritize the health of your people.
Executive Accompaniment: For those leading the charge, we provide personalized, high-touch support to help executives navigate the pressures of leadership, align with their purpose, and cultivate personal resilience.
Healing-Oriented Restorative Reconciliation: Address unresolved tensions within teams with our restorative practices, rebuilding trust, connection, and cohesion for a healthier, more effective organization.

At Kindred Wellness, we’re here to help you protect the well-being of your people, turning your mission into a force for sustainable change without sacrificing the health and resilience of those making it happen.

Keynotes

Dr. Shawna is enthusiastic, thought-provoking, and down-to-earth. She listens intently to your organizational vision and tailors a powerful experience. When Dr. Shawna keynotes your event, your audience will be sure to leave with concrete tools to improve their entire life, personal and professional.

You want Dr. Shawna on your stage to...

Inspire visioning of a world beyond cultural competence and inclusivity, to cultivate embodied awareness and commitment to equity
Model authenticity and vulnerability as a tool for conscious connection
Offer actionable steps to get you and your audience to transform

Most Requested Talks

Return to Presence: Exploring Mind-Body Medicine as Capacity Building

Rediscover the power of presence through mind-body medicine and leadership insights. Cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and empathy with immersive experiences and guided meditations.

Beyond Burnout: Six Steps to Cultivating a Healing-Oriented Organization

Combat burnout with a roadmap for organizational renewal. Emphasize psychological safety and wellness initiatives to build resilient workplaces that prioritize people over profit.

Success Redefined: Cultivating Workplaces Where Women of Color Leaders Thrive

Address the unique challenges of women of color in leadership. Gain tools to foster inclusive, justice-oriented environments where women of color can thrive.

Therapy That Liberates: Decolonizing Mental Health Care Today

Explore the interplay between culture, medical racism, and mental health. Learn actionable steps to integrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism into mental health practices.

Book Dr. Shawna to Speak

School for Liberation-Focused Healing

For Mental Health Practitioners

A comprehensive program designed to deepen mental health and wellness practitioners' understanding of what it means to move from a theoretic understanding of decolonizing mental health care, to the reality of putting our Liberation-Focused Healing framework into practice.