Ep. 15 Catharine Blake: LICSW and Anxiety Coach-How Therapy and Writing Help Heal the Past. How Coaching Moves Us Forward.

Paulette and "Cat" both natives from Boston met by chance at the National Association of Divorce Professionals annual conference in Fort Lauderdale Florida last March 2019. It was instant hugs before chats and a business card exchange. They had so much in common besides experiencing endless traffic on Route 128.  Daughters who love and play ice hockey, difficult and expensive divorces, and authoring memoirs that pushed a few buttons.  Catharine is a true expert in her field and a tiny dynamo who shoots from the hip with clarity and conviction.  She is a:  Certified Divorce Coach  LICSW degree with Boston University  Anxiety Coach  University of New Hampshire Certificate in Life Coaching  Assistant Director of National Association of Divorce Professionals Boston Chapter Speaker and Author  Single mom for a vibrant 13 year old daughter who loves hockey  Cat shares her insight and expertise in mental health, coping with abuse and tips to get unstuck and move forward.  As a LICSW she just couldn't wrap her around around the client models where clients could get all of their needs met under one roof in mental health but they couldn't find that same holistic mindset in the divorce professional world.  Can you really get all your needs met in one location?  Where all services are addressed in a streamlined approach.  Where all professionals work together as a team.  Knowing at the heart of the matter it is in helping the children of divorce that matters.  Paulette and Cat discuss how they themselves had zero idea what they were doing and in surviving the hard way searched to learn to find a better solution to help others.  We all know the statistics. 50 percent of marriages end in divorce.  Cat believes that unless we slow down and journal and write our story we can’t heal. This lack of healing also make us feel crazy. It makes us question everything.  Or experiences just don't seem real.  We walk around with sense of shame and regret.  We are left to feel isolated and alone.  Writing creates a sense of not feeling alone anymore and building a community as well as being able to serve others who are struggling.   We discuss how vital it is to let go so we don't have to carry it around with us anymore.  How does writing and sharing allow us to define ourselves and our story on our terms.  Neither Cat nor Paulette believe that writers write to throw people under the bus. They don't want anyone reading their books and come out feeling like a victim.  The author and reader choose not to stay in the victim mode.  We ask the question: How do you survive haters, judgement and blame?  It's all about community and friends who supported you. You need community to heal and feel heard and understood.  We all start to question: Was my perspective valid?   This is my story. I am strong enough to tell it. Heal from it and move into a new better, healthier life.  Of course we are going to disagree  It’s my story. It’s nobody else's.  There are 20 different ways to tell a story.  Anytime we tell out story it is triggering to someone else and our own vulnerabilities show up.  Therapy is about healing the past. Writing the book is healing.  Coaching moving forward  Being emotionally free is the answer.  We can help you find your way.  You can find Catharine Blake at:  www.catblakecdc.com