Heather Stang, MA, C-IAYT
Bio, Interview, & Event Assets

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Short Bio

Heather Stang, MA, C-IAYT, is a thanatologist, author, and yoga therapist who helps people navigate loss through mindfulness-based self-care. She holds a master’s degree in thanatology from Hood College, is a Certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, and received the 2025 Association for Death Education and Counseling Clinical Practice Award.

Heather is the author of Navigating Loss, a book on non-death loss, and Living With Grief , formerly published as Mindfulness & Grief. She is also the creator of the guided journal From Grief To Peace.. Her signature 8-Step Mindfulness & Grief System, featured in the Handbook of Grief Therapies, forms the foundation of Awaken, her self-care-focused online grief support community.

Heather hosts the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, and offers private sessions and the Mindfulness & Grief Coach Certification through the Mindfulness & Grief Institute.

Long Bio

Heather Stang, MA, C-IAYT, is a thanatologist, author, yoga therapist, and founder of the Mindfulness & Grief Institute. She holds a master’s degree in thanatology from Hood College, is a Certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, and received the 2025 Association for Death Education and Counseling Clinical Practice Award.

Heather is the author of Navigating Loss, a book on non-death loss, and Living With Grief, formerly published as Mindfulness & Grief. She is also the creator of the guided journal From Grief To Peace. Her signature 8-Step Mindfulness & Grief System is featured in the Handbook of Grief Therapies and forms the foundation of Awaken, her mindfulness-based online grief support group.

Heather discovered yoga and mindfulness while serving as CEO of a web development company and facing a stress-related illness. These contemplative practices inspired her to live a life in service to others. In honor of her uncle, who died by suicide when Heather was a child, she became a suicide and crisis hotline call specialist.

Heather relied on her mindfulness training to maintain a calm, compassionate presence both on the job and at home after difficult shifts. She later volunteered as a trainer and call specialist on the New Orleans hotline just weeks after Hurricane Katrina devastated the region. She also served as a research assistant for a NIMH-funded National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Research Project. These experiences inspired her to pursue graduate study in thanatology, the study of death, dying, and bereavement, earning her master’s degree from Hood College in 2010.

Heather serves on the Advisory Board for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, known as TAPS, a highly regarded military family survivor organization. She offers professional training and workshops to organizations including the Association for Death Education and Counseling, Hospice Foundation of America, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Through the Mindfulness & Grief Institute, Heather facilitates Awaken, offers individual sessions, hosts the Moving Grief Podcast and the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, and provides the Mindfulness & Grief Coach Certification. She has contributed chapters to Seasons of Grief, Superhero Grief, Intimacy and Sexuality During Illness and Loss, Techniques of Grief Therapy: Assessment and Intervention, and the Handbook of Grief Therapies.

Interview Questions For Heather

  • How has your own grief journey inspired you to help others?
  • Are mindfulness and meditation the same thing?
  • How does mindfulness help with grief?
  • What are the most important things for people who are newly bereaved to do to take care of themselves?
  • What can you say to listeners who are being hard on themselves as a result of a loss?
  • What are some of the myths of grief that you believe are harmful?
  • Do you have any tips for people who want to try meditation for grief?
  • Is it important for bereaved people to get professional help, either through a group or grief counselor?
  • What advice do you have for people who find it hard to meditate?
  • How can people cope with grief when they have experience multiple losses?
  • What services do you offer for people who are grieving?

Links to Books & Chapters