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Speaking to the Heart of the Matter

Heartspeak is a training and mentoring platform that bridges personal and professional development, supporting productivity and well-being, and cultivating compassionate leadership skills.

Enhance Personal and Team Capacity

  • Bring out the best in others
  • Make empathetic connections (advance willingness to speak with people who are different from you and listen to what they have to say)
  • Create a more inclusive workplace
  • Make better decisions and life choices
  • Improve mental health and well-being
  • Be a more compassionate leader (of self and others)

Compassionate Leadership Benefits

  • Improves employee engagement and retention 
  • Fosters positive emotions, which
  • boosts productivity 
  • lowers heart rate and blood pressure, and strengthens the immune system 
  • results in positive customer service


Deloitte, Building the future-ready workforce, 2021

Why Invest in Heartspeak?

Work has been in a state of flux for years. Employees, students and families are increasingly isolated, disconnected, and disengaged. The pandemic has escalated these challenges. Emotional engagement matters. 

Knowing how to communicate effectively and strengthen relationships is at the forefront of the re-imagined workforce and those preparing to enter it.

As disruption in the workplace continues, the value of social-emotional skills and compassionate leadership capacity for self and others endures and grows—key to unlocking productivity and well-being. 

Social-emotional skill development is like strengthening a muscle: 
it is an ongoing process and can be learned. 


Heartspeak stories and learning tools evoke emotional engagement. Spark discussion, shift perspectives, open people’s minds to their differences, and inspire a new form of leadership through empathetic connections.


Help Realize the Heartspeak Vision

Launch Heartspeak Library via Subscription

Curate and package Heartspeak’s robust and evergreen collection of 350+ diverse personal narratives, and accompanying learning modules, accessible via subscription for the following target markets:

  • Professional Development
  • Workforce Preparation
  • Personal Development


The Heartspeak library includes videos and activities that address human relationships/skills that are relevant in both personal and professional contexts. Heartspeak content is flexible and can be accessed as complete presentations or arranged to fit a customized program.


Content Purpose Indigenous Reconciliation Disabilities Anti-Racism Climate Relationship Violence
(Bullying/ Abuse/ Sexual Assault) 		Poverty LGBTQ2S+ and Gender Anxiety/ Depression/ Addiction Total
No. of Videos
Full Presentations
30–60 min		 50 50 40 30 50 40 50 40 350
Chapters/Modules
10–15 min		 60 60 60 40 60 40 60 40 420
Video Clips

2–5 min		 100 100 80 60 80 60 80 60 620
Content Purpose Indigenous Reconciliation Disabilities Anti-Racism Climate Relationship Violence (Bullying/ Abuse/ Sexual Assault) Poverty LGBTQ2S+ and Gender Anxiety/ Depression/ Addiction Total No. of Videos
Full Presentations 30–60 min 50 50 40 30 50 40 50 40 350
Chapters/Modules 10–15 min 60 60 60 40 60 40 60 40 420
Video Clips 
2–5 min 100 100 80 60 80 60 80 60 620

Future Enhancements

  • Facilitation supports to run group workshops using Heartspeak materials.
  • Webinars co-led by Heartspeaker, coach/mentor, and/or mental health professional.
  • Heartspeak HopeLine provides mentoring and coaching support.

Shelley Steele, Founder
and Host of Heartspeak


From a passion for delivering the power of story and voice to heal the human spirit, Shelley Steele founded Heartspeak in 2005.


Shelley is an award-winning entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience as an educator; producer/director; and personal and professional development coach. 


She offers expertise is providing guidance to let go of your past, move towards healing, and rise to a better future.


Her influence is provincial (Ontario Ministries: Education; Children, Community, and Social Services; and Attorney General), national (producer at TVO, webcasts for career development of young women), and international (Embrace Your School in Canada and South Africa), to name a few highlights.


Visit shelleysteele.ca for more information.