About Caring Essentials and Mary Coughlin
Reimagining Care, Connection, and Courage for a More Just and Compassionate World
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the spaces where science meets soul, where care transforms into healing, and where belonging has the power to change everything. My journey—from the NICU bedside to global leadership, from trauma-informed care to civic advocacy—has always been about one thing: creating the conditions where people, especially the most vulnerable, can truly thrive.
A Threshold Moment
Our new logo isn’t just a design refresh. It’s a reflection of where this work is headed—and of who I am becoming.
The heart-rooted symbol at the center of the Caring Essentials emblem represents more than care—it embodies wholeness, relationship, and reverence. The golden lines encircling it evoke the interwoven threads of healing, belonging, and transformation. The circle above the heart symbolizes clarity, consciousness, and the ever-present light within each of us.
The colors tell a story, too:
Deep Indigo for wisdom and grounded truth
Golden Ochre for courage, life-force, and sacred leadership
Coastal Blue for clarity, presence, and emotional depth — like a still ocean that holds both reflection and movement.
Together, these elements mark the beginning of a new chapter.
This is the legacy portion of my work in the world.
It’s no longer just about what I teach—it’s about what we’re building.
It’s about inviting others to carry the thread forward.
It’s about a movement that outlives me.
My Why: The Heart of My Work
I believe that when we nurture the most vulnerable among us, we don’t just improve outcomes—we redefine what’s possible. Whether it’s a fragile newborn in the NICU, a clinician on the edge of burnout, or a society unraveling from disconnection, trauma-informed care is more than a clinical intervention—it is a revolution of presence, purpose, and love.
What I Do
My work is a fusion of evidence-based practice, human-centered leadership, and deep advocacy for systems that uphold dignity, justice, and well-being. I do this through:
Trauma-Informed Developmental Care – Equipping NICU and pediatric clinicians with the knowledge, skills, and frameworks to buffer stress, foster resilience, and transform outcomes for babies, families, and healthcare teams.
Leadership & Systemic Change – Guiding individuals and organizations to lead with courage, compassion, and radical belonging, integrating the B.U.F.F.E.R. framework and Caring Science principles into the fabric of their work.
Advocacy & Civic Engagement – Elevating awareness and action around the intersection of trauma, governance, and social justice—because how we care for people is how we build our future.
Creative & Reflective Practices – Blending neuroscience, storytelling, music, and art to foster deeper connection, transformation, and renewal.
Where Science Meets Soul
Whether I’m speaking on a global stage, leading a trauma-informed leadership retreat, or writing about the erosion of democracy,
my message is always the same: We are wired for connection. Healing is possible. And the way we care—about babies, about each other, about our shared world—determines everything.
This is more than work. It’s a movement.
A movement to reimagine how we lead, how we heal, and how we create a world where care, connection, and courage are not just ideals, but everyday practices.
My Core Values
Radical Belonging: I embrace the richness of diverse perspectives and lived experiences, recognizing that inclusivity is essential for healing, justice, and transformation. True belonging happens when every voice is not only heard but valued and woven into the fabric of care, leadership, and change.
Ecological Stewardship: I honor the deep interconnection between human well-being and the natural world. Creating a healing environment isn’t just about individual care—it’s about respecting and sustaining the larger ecosystems that nurture all life. By caring for the earth, I care for future generations.
Integrity & Accountability: I uphold the highest standards of honesty, transparency, and ethical conduct. Integrity isn’t just a principle—it’s an action. I commit to aligning my work with my values, ensuring trust, justice, and ethical responsibility in every decision, conversation, and practice.
Purpose & Meaning: I believe that meaningful work is an act of both service and self-discovery. When my work is rooted in purpose, I cultivate joy, resilience, and impact. I am dedicated to helping others connect their daily actions to a larger vision of healing and transformation.
Sacred Connection: Healing is more than physical—it is emotional, relational, and spiritual. I honor the sacred nature of connection, recognizing that soulful, trauma-informed care creates space for peace, strength, and renewal. I strive to cultivate spaces where people can reconnect with themselves, their purpose, and each other.
My Community: Reimagining What’s Possible
I may stand at the forefront of this work, but I do not stand alone. I am blessed to be part of a community of clinicians, leaders, advocates, and change-makers who believe in the power of trauma-informed care, radical belonging, and healing-centered leadership. These are the people who show up—not just for the work, but for each other. They are the ones buffering stress in the NICU, holding space for transformation in leadership, and reimagining a world where care, connection, and courage shape the future. This movement is bigger than any one person, and I am profoundly grateful for the support, wisdom, and shared purpose that fuels it. Together, we are shifting mindsets, systems, and lives—one act of intentional care at a time.
A cornerstone of this movement is the extraordinary community of Trauma-Informed Professional (TIP) graduates—visionaries, healers, and change-makers who are actively reimagining how we care, lead, and transform systems from the inside out. This international, interdisciplinary network brings together a wealth of knowledge, perspectives, and lived experience, fostering bold, innovative solutions to some of the most complex challenges in trauma-informed care.
With over 200 graduates spanning nearly a dozen countries, each one is a beacon of hope and healing—not just in the NICU, but in leadership, advocacy, and beyond. Their work is a testament to what happens when courage meets compassion, when science meets soul, and when we dare to believe in something better. They are not just implementing trauma-informed care—they are co-creating a world where care itself is redefined.
In their hands, hope (and maybe even miracles) are not just possible—they are inevitable.
A Letter from Mary
Dear Friend,
If you’ve found your way here, thank you.
Caring Essentials began as a response to what I saw and felt every day at the NICU bedside—the miracles, the heartbreaks, the questions that don’t have easy answers. Over time, it grew into a movement to reimagine how we care, how we lead, and how we create systems that honor the humanity of every life we touch.
Today, as I step into the legacy portion of my work, I find myself reflecting on both where we’ve been and where we’re going.
This new chapter isn’t just about me—it’s about us. About the clinicians, parents, leaders, and advocates who are saying yes to a different way of being. About those willing to carry the thread forward, weaving care and courage into places that desperately need both.
The new logo you see at the top of this page represents that thread—a heart rooted in the ground yet reaching upward, surrounded by golden lines of connection and possibility. It is both a promise and an invitation.
My hope is that Caring Essentials will continue long after me—not just as a program or an organization, but as a way of living, leading, and loving in this world.
Thank you for walking this path with me. Your presence matters more than you know.
With gratitude and hope,
Mary
