Hey Reader, you haven’t heard from me here lately…
“Trauma” sounds like a big scary word, and you may only think of it as big one-time events, but it can show up in various ways, even in learning a medical diagnosis.
Life has been happening a bit too much, too fast, and too soon for me in the past few weeks. BTW, that’s the definition of trauma, but because I’m conscious of this, I’m taking steps to move through life mindfully whilst still caring for myself and family.
That just means that one of the ways I’ve done this is by staying off social media and limiting my weekly newsletter writing, and instead connecting through other means with people. It’s as though my nervous system has intuitively informed me that these things are just one “heavy” thing in the load I’m carrying that I can set down.
Is that detrimental to my business?
💩Perhaps, because social media functions on algorithms and when you’re not active, it doesn’t work in your benefit.
😬And email consistency is a must when cultivating a relationship with and nurturing a virtual community who wants to hear and learn from you.
🫤And on top of that, I’m not salaried, so if I’m not working, I’m not making money.
But when your health and the health of someone you love is challenged, algorithms don’t matter, supporting others when you’re not resourced yourself doesn’t work, and money doesn’t matter.
Real life connections with yourself and others matter.
Communicating with your nervous system that it IS safe matters.
Everything else is just noise trying to pull you away from center.
But it is possible to return to center.
To come back to feeling grounded.
And to not abandon yourself in the midst of chaos or moving through and beyond a traumatic time in life.
Our health is fragile – physical, mental, emotional – it can change in an instant.
And self-care is essential to maintaining all these forms of health.
So last week while traveling with my husband on his work trip, I initially thought I would do some work myself because I have a lot of downtime in apparently what’s been voted the most boring city 😆 (Jacksonville, FL for those of you wondering), but instead I found myself just being.
Sitting with my thoughts, breathing, and exploring ways to care for myself.
Constantly returning to helping my nervous system feel seen, heard, and safe.
I’m grateful God has given me the tools, resources, and time flexibility to be able to navigate life in this way and to help others do the same.
If you’ve read this far, just know that my family of origin needs prayers right now, so if you might feel so inclined, just send out an extra ounce of energy, love and prayers towards them and towards my family as we play a supporting role.
I’ll be slowly making my way back to nurturing this community and helping you navigate your nervous system awareness and needs, but I also appreciate the grace during this time in my life with many unknowns and my time being sandwiched between wanting to be with my husband + kids and parents and sister.
Thank you for understanding and helping support my nervous system in a way💚🙏
Cheers,
P.S. There’s also a whole lot of grief and mixed emotions in all that I’m going through – if you’ve experienced grief in some capacity before as well and are still processing it, read below for the free community circle I am co-facilitating to support others (and now myself) through the healing journey of grief.
Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe here.
I trust that all things are working together for my good.
WANT TO JOIN US FOR CLASS OR WORK WITH ME?
Register for studio classes here.
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Studio Classes:
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THURSDAY -The Weekly Breath Reset (Virtual)
8:30 AM • 30-minute virtual breath work
Your breath has the power to change how you experience stress. Harness that power of your breath to start your day with intention.
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SATURDAY – Yoga + Breath Work
8:30 AM • All Levels Welcome
This class is generally blend of a flow-based practice and a restorative/yin practice.
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Group & Individual Sessions:
AT YOUR CONVENIENCE – Personalized Group Stress Resilience Training & Private Individual Coaching
TBD • At your location or at the studio
In these sessions I guide groups and individuals through practical, embodied practices—like breath work, mindfulness, gentle movement, and/or emotional awareness—to build stress resilience. Each session offers simple, effective tools to help participants reset, regulate, and respond with greater calm and clarity in everyday life.
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Special Events:
THURSDAY, DEC 5 – Circles of Renewal: The Healing Journey of Grief
6:00 – 7:30 PM • Pierschbacher Funeral Home, 309 W. Main St. Knoxville, IA
Grief affects everyone differently. And grief doesn’t just happen when when we lose someone – it can be the feelings that accompany any change in life. Grief is the letting go of one thing and moving into a new way of being.
It can show up at the strangest times and be triggered by the simplest thing. If you’ve experienced this and are wanting space for your feelings to be held and processed, we’ve created just that space.
Join Jacki Ballou and me for a monthly Circles of Renewal healing gathering in which we explore grief together. Through compassionate conversation, body awareness, and mindful breath, this will support your body and heart in healing together.
FRIDAY, DEC 19 – Winter Solstice Candlelight Yoga Rhythms Retreat
The Winter Solstice marks the end of one seasonal cycle & the start of another. Cozy up and finish your year with ease and begin the new with intention.
Join the waitlist for the Winter Solstice Candlelight Rhythms Retreat here.
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The Podcast: Health Harmony Happiness with Cathy
Your Holiday Health Harmony Happiness Shopping Guides
Got some hard to buy for people in your life? I’ve compiled two lists of my favorite gifts to give and receive and shared them over on the podcast and on my website in list form.
These are from a couple years ago, but most of the things on them I’m still using to this day. Check them out, you might find some ways to shop small this holiday season or get some great deals with Black Friday sales that start today on Amazon.
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What’s Cultivating Health Harmony Happiness in My Life…
I’ve recently started a Somatics Foundations Practitioner Training, and I couldn’t be more excited about what I’m learning. I’m deepening my understanding of the body’s self-healing/self-organizing capacity by learning how to better hold space for others to navigate their communication with the emotional and sensory experiences they have that keep them feeling stuck in various places in life.
Trauma and healing live within the body, not just the mind -> as you’ve heard me say numerous times before, the body and mind are one, not separate as we are often led to believe. What happens in one is a direct reflection of the other.
And somatics is the practice of beginning to help the body-mind process the stuck energy that shows up as aches, pains, and persistent discomfort in the body.
If you know me, or if you’re just getting to know me, THIS is the stuff I geek out on. And over the next few months I’m diving deeper into it and will be integrating it into both group classes and private sessions. Excited to add this training to my toolbox. If you want to learn more or work with me as I practice these skills, reach out – I’m looking for a few people interested in exploring this pathway as a modality of healing themselves.
