About Caitlin Faas, Ph.D.
For most of my life, I was driven by achievement—climbing the next rung of the ladder, chasing external validation through degrees, promotions, and accolades. I had a Ph.D., tenure as a professor, and I published a book. When I transitioned to life coaching full-time in 2020, I even hit that golden financial milestone, earning $120,000 in 2022. On paper, I was thriving. But all of that success was focused on me as an individual—getting ahead, achieving more, doing better.
Slowly, I started to realize that “brain mode”—where I was constantly overthinking my way to success—wasn’t working. I began to integrate my body into the way I approached my decisions. I moved away from constantly analyzing and started listening to my own wants and needs. It was a shift, but it still had an individual focus. I was building a life for myself, making sure I was succeeding.
Then, life threw everything I had built into uncertainty. I was going through a divorce when I suddenly became a widow four months later. Everything I thought I had under control—my plans, my goals, my identity—was interrupted.
My husband and I had been foster parents to teenagers, even adopting out of the system. I thought my background in child development and family psychology would prepare me. But it was one of the hardest roles I’ve ever taken on. In many ways, I felt like I failed—overwhelmed by the emotional intensity and the sense that I couldn’t meet the needs of the teenagers I cared for.
I had to face my limits and confront a lot of pain, but that experience taught me so much about grace, compassion, and the power of love, even when things don't go as planned. I failed hard and lived. Life wasn’t about winning anymore. It wasn’t about achieving the next thing. Life became about staying in the game, living each day fully, and finding joy in connection rather than control.
That experience taught me something profound: life is too short to stay stuck in old definitions of success. I realized that it’s not about leaving or staying in any particular role—it’s about letting go of the need to control everything and learning how to live in flow. It’s about shifting from playing the game of life as an individual to embracing what people call “Game B,” where we play together—connected, supported, and thriving in ways that aren’t measured by individual achievements.
Now, as a developmental psychologist, certified life coach, and meditation teacher, I guide high-achievers like you who are feeling stuck—whether you’re in academia, medicine, or another demanding career. My mission is to help you stop forcing yourself into the “shoulds” of life and start living in alignment.
If you’re ready to move from stress to flow, I’m here to help you embrace what works for you. Life isn’t about winning or losing—it’s about finding your path and living fully, right here and now.
Titles and Roles (more details on LinkedIn):
Former tenured Developmental Psychology Professor and Department Chair
Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Sciences
Yoga Alliance RYT 200-hr certified Radiance Sutras® Meditation Teacher
Former Master Certified Coach Instructor at The Life Coach School
Former Full-Time Coach at Team Katrina Ubell, where I helped busy female physicians lose weight
Author of Unstuck: Three-step system workbook to help high achievers move from stress to flow
“Caitlin is the perfect person to guide readers on this journey of increasing self-awareness, self-trust, and self-loyalty. Her practical advice is just the ticket for high-achievers looking for a more soulful and embodied career guide. Everyone can take something away from this book, and I'll be recommending it to all of my coaching clients who are looking for direction with their next career steps.”
“Caitlin helped me challenge the belief that I need to hustle for my worth, and she encouraged me to drop the perfectionism and negative self-talk that accompanied it. I learned how to stop people-pleasing and second-guessing my own opinions so I could confidently acknowledge what I truly want. Perhaps most importantly, Caitlin helped me get out of my own way as I developed the courage to realize my biggest goals.
Dr. Caitlin Faas's work is nothing short of life-changing. If you feel stuck, stop reading this blurb and buy her book now. There is a dream inside you that’s waiting to flourish, and this work will help you do just that.”