About Me
I'm Mary Heritage, Transformational Coach & Writer
I originally worked clinically as a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) with children and adults, before specialising in healthcare of older people, and especially those with dementia, as a clinician. I loved working with families and seeing how they could navigate the challenges and transitions that came with living with dementia.
I worked as an Allied Health Professions (AHP) lead while Integrated health and social care systems were emerging across England. The smaller professions really needed to collaborate to be visible in the new landscape.
For eight years, I maintained my involvement in the Speech and Language Therapy profession by fulfilling roles within my professional body’s (Royal College of Speech and Language therapists) Board of Trustees. Eventually leading the RCSLT through two challenging years after Covid. As Chair (2020-2022), I led a period of strategic transformation. I am proud of what we achieved, as I left the most more diverse Board to effectively lead our profession into new times.
My first career pivot
In 2021 I took up the challenge to design the MSc Speech and Language Therapy (pre-registration) programme at University of Lincoln. As Programme Lead, my proudest career achievement, so far, has been to see the first cohort of newly qualified SLTs take their first steps into the profession.
Employers in this part of the East of England really struggled to recruit new SLTs for so many years. That meant that people who needed the life changing services provided by SLTs had to manage without the support they needed. There are now 80 SLTs in the ‘pipeline’ from University into the workforce, in this region.
I’m wondering how we can support retention – what is needed to keep professionals in the workforce, and do we notice how they slip away? What sort of coaching and mentoring support could plug the quiet workforce ‘leaks’ while we are busy training more graduates?
My second career pivot
Nowadays I’m working freelance, on my own mission to achieve the illusive work-life balance. Work consists of coaching, mentoring and writing. The life part is based in the beautiful cathedral city of Lincoln. I am loving spending more time enjoying nature – nurturing my garden and house plants, out walking or kayaking or travelling somewhere far away.
My first book was published by Routledge in June 2024 - ‘Mentoring for Speech and Language Therapists’. The book sets out the profound impact of mentoring on professional development.
I am now writing my second book, ‘Becoming a Speech and Language Therapist: An Essential Guide for Students’, for publication by Routledge in Summer 2026.
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What people are saying about Mary Heritage
Mary has enabled me to develop both personally and professionally in ways that are difficult to put into words. She has created a safe and protected space to help me reflect, explore challenging issues such that I have been able to develop clarity and resilience to face day to day life. It is because of Mary I have been able to take on new challenges and also accept and enjoy my learning and development. I feel very privileged to have Mary as my coach and mentor.
Deanne Rennie
Mary is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. All interactions with her were dedicated, well led, focussed and empowering and I genuinely feel she single-handedly changed my whole outlook on my career path and on life in general for which I will forever be grateful to her.
RT
Mary has helped me turn painful past experiences into a strength. Mary isn't afraid to ask difficult questions with warmth and care. I felt listened to, trusted and valued.
BL
Mary has truly helped me refocus and rebuild my confidence and self-belief in areas that I have struggled with over the past few years, both in my career and personal life. Mary is a really good listener, perceptive, patient, flexible and easy to build a rapport with. She is subtle in her approach and shows empathy, however challenges areas when necessary. I would not hesitate in recommending Mary as the coach to assist you in getting to a place that you want to be in the future.
JF
Mary is a very intuitive coach, she is able to draw out information and challenge you in a very supportive way in order to help you reach your goals.
SH
Mary is friendly, softly spoken, knowledgeable and at times challenging (in a good way). She was able to guide me through what coaching is about and to enable me to achieve my goal. I have never undertaken coaching before and found her coaching style very enlightening, although sometimes challenging (in a good way). She made me think in ways that I'm not used to which enabled me to understand what I wanted to achieve. She provided me with more confidence; that I do know what I want, and have more alternatives about how to go about it.
PM
Mary is an approachable, open and warm person to coach. She encouraged me to think deeply about the challenges I’ve faced in a non-judgemental and supportive way. She drew on her own experiences which helped me to formulate my responses and supported me to recognise my own strengths. Thank you for your time during my coaching journey.
JB
My confidence has improved as a result of the coaching. I felt I was tied up in knots before the coaching started but by working it through I have been able to see that it is not such a big deal and that by putting in plans I can control what happens and this is making me feel confident that I can cope with what is coming up and make it into a positive situation. Rather than try to ignore the situation/bury my head in the sand, I am now in a place where I feel the outcome is in my hands and that I can steer the ship so to speak. I have accepted my new job role and how that fits into my career journey. I have started making plans for retirement- only semi retirement at this stage. I have also spoken to others about retirement and am starting to look forward to that phase of my life. This may not sound much but is a big step from where I was when I started coaching.
CP
I retired last week. Thank you so much for your kind and expert coaching. With your help I was able to retire well, had the right conversations and left feeling good.
J
Mentoring for Speech and Language Therapists
Mary Heritage
"A must read, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" - RCSLT Bulletin 2025.