The Story Behind the Work

From Surviving to Deeply Living

My path has taught me that lasting change is possible—even when life feels overwhelming, painful, or impossible to navigate alone.

Shelby Shankland

I began my own personal-growth journey as a young adult who was suicidal, stuck, deeply sad, and carrying an inner world shaped by self-hatred and relentless judgment. On the outside, I knew how to perform, achieve, and keep moving. Inside, perfectionism, fear, and overwhelm left little room for ease, trust, or self-compassion.

Through years of therapy, coaching, spiritual exploration, and intentional practice, I gradually rebuilt my relationship with myself. I learned to soften the harsh inner voice, respond rather than react, and make space for the wisdom of my heart, body, and soul alongside my mind. What once felt like a life driven by urgency and impossible expectations became a life I could consciously shape—grounded, purposeful, joyful, and human.

That transformation did not make life free from grief, health changes, marriage challenges, or demanding seasons. It gave me the resources to meet those experiences with more compassion, choice, and resilience. Today, I bring that lived understanding to my work with women who are ready for more: more joy, more honesty, more connection, and a life that reflects what matters most. I am a coach, Reiki Master, lifelong learner, devoted partner, and mother of two teens—and I believe you already carry the wisdom needed to create meaningful change.

The Experiences That Shaped My Work

My approach to coaching has been shaped by lived experience, professional leadership, deep study, and a continuing commitment to becoming more compassionate, whole, and alive.

1995

Discipline, Achievement & Perfectionism

I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Music with a focus on flute performance. Classical training strengthened my discipline and dedication, while also revealing the perfectionism and self-criticism I would later learn to transform.

2004–2014

Building a Life of Care and Service

Marriage, motherhood, and work supporting families expanded my understanding of care, connection, and resilience. I became a postpartum doula and lactation educator, then completed my LifeWorks Life Coach certification in 2014.

2015–2022

Integrating Energy, Values & Leadership

As a Usui Reiki Master and values-based leadership practitioner, I deepened my ability to support whole-person transformation. My corporate leadership experience and Barrett Values Centre certification strengthened my practical, compassionate approach to growth.

2023–Present

Creating The Well-Resourced Woman

Through Acceptance and Integration Training, wisdom teachings, Nonviolent Communication, Integral Coaching, and embodied practices, I continue refining a coaching space where women can access their inner truth, build self-trust, and create lives rooted in compassion, fun, and purpose.

A Life Resourced From Within

Transformation is not about becoming someone else—it is about returning to yourself with compassion, courage, and trust. Shelby’s work supports the meaningful shifts that make life feel more grounded, joyful, and authentically your own.

01

Self-Compassion & Acceptance

02

Emotional Freedom

03

Embodied Inner Trust

04

Purposeful, Values-Aligned Living

Growth That Honors Your Whole Self

Lasting personal growth begins when you stop treating yourself as a problem to solve. Shelby believes meaningful transformation comes through meeting every part of yourself—your thoughts, emotions, body, heart, soul, and deeper inner wisdom—with curiosity, compassion, and respect. Rather than relying on willpower, perfectionism, or endless self-criticism, her approach creates space for integration: a way of living that allows you to respond with greater freedom, nurture resilient relationships, care for your health, and make choices rooted in what matters most. Through coaching and Reiki, Shelby offers a safe, nonjudgmental space to reconnect with the wisdom already within you and build a life that feels grounded, purposeful, and deeply alive.

Practices for Whole-Person Transformation

Cultivating Stillness & Space

Make space for the truth beneath the noise through simple, accessible practices that quiet the mind and reconnect you with your own inner wisdom.

Wisdom Teachings & Nonduality

Draw on timeless wisdom to move beyond fear-based patterns, remember your inherent wholeness, and access a deeper perspective on life.

Integral Coaching & Nonviolent Communication

Build practical self-awareness, meaningful goals, and communication skills that support authentic leadership, clearer boundaries, and resilient relationships.

Aligned Goal Setting & Momentum

Craft inspiring, purposeful goals grounded in small, measurable actions, building the momentum you need to move forward without leaving yourself behind.

Shelby Shankland

Life Coach, Reiki Master & Leadership Consultant

Phone: 415.596.3664
Email:  shelby@shelbyshankland.com
Location: Physical office located in Knoxville metro area, Remote appointments via Zoom.

About Shelby

Shelby Shankland brings nearly three decades of results-focused corporate leadership to her work as a life coach, Reiki Master, and guide for well-resourced women seeking a more meaningful, aligned way forward. Her approach blends practical leadership insight with deep inner work, creating a safe, nonjudgmental space for women to reconnect with the wisdom beneath stress, overwhelm, uncertainty, and self-doubt.

Grounded in Acceptance and Integration Training, Nonduality and other wisdom teachings, Nonviolent Communication, Integral Coaching informed by Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory, and Energetics of Success Coaching rooted in chakra energy systems, Shelby meets each client as a whole person. Her work also draws on her Barrett Values Centre consultant certification, Usui Reiki Mastership, and years of supporting women through life transitions as a certified life coach, lactation educator and counselor, and postpartum doula.

As a Curvy Yoga Teacher and Turn Up Dance Fitness Teacher, Shelby honors the body as an essential source of information, healing, expression, and joy. Whether you are navigating a demanding career, longing for more authentic leadership, or feeling called toward a deeper life, she helps you access your truth, trust what arises, and take grounded action toward what matters most.

Skills & Expertise

Life Coaching & Personal Growth

Reiki & Energy-Based Support

Leadership Development & Values Consulting

Postpartum, Lactation & Family Support

Professional Experience

2023 – Present

Acceptance & Integration Training Practitioner

The Well-Resourced Woman

Guides women through compassionate, whole-person coaching that supports self-trust, emotional resilience, and intentionally designed lives.

2022 – Present

Values Consultant & Leadership Coach

Barrett Values Centre Certified Consultant

Supports leaders and ambitious women in aligning their values, strengthening effective leadership practices, and creating sustainable success.

1996 – 2024

Results-Focused Corporate Leader

Corporate Environments

Built extensive leadership experience while integrating coaching, communication, and people-centered approaches to achieve meaningful results.

"I believe women deserve lives filled with compassion, fun, and growth—and the confidence to trust themselves as they create what feels deeply fulfilling."

— Shelby Shankland

Ready for More Joy, Clarity, and Authentic Leadership?