Through the Woods to the Sea A Journey of Becoming Me

Biographies & Memoirs

synopsis

Synopsis

In blind faith, following what she believed was divine guidance, Cathy walks away from her life with no plan, no dreams, into the unknown woods of Wisconsin. During the eleven months she spends at The Christine Center, she walks the paths of her past confronting the issues that have fragmented her sense-of-identity; dissociation, depersonalization, depression, death and grief. Hearing the wind in the trees calling her to the sea, she leaves the woods and goes to the ocean to find her dreams again. In her connection with the ocean, she flourishes into her true-self and discovers the desires in her soul. Through the woods of Wisconsin to the beach in North Carolina, Cathy has taken her life, sharing her experiences in a way that allows you to go along for the ride with her, through every experience, every feeling, and every thought. "I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. What a journey you have been and still are on. I laughed, I cried, I rejoiced in your life experiences." Marie

bio

Author Biography

Cathy is an Author, Women's Personal and Spiritual Growth & Development Teacher Coach Mentor, Mindfulness Teacher, Reiki Master, Inter-faith Minister, Journaling Coach

The foundation of her writing, teachings and work is the spiritual wellbeing of women's growth and development through all stages of life.

Self-Care, Self-Discovery, Self-Expression, Authenticity, creative expression, listening to your heart, connecting to your inner voice, intuition and soul wisdom is a fundamental element in her writings and teachings, helping women be grounded in their own authenticity, connected to their heart and spirit and confidently making their own choices and decisions through all situations and circumstances of life.

She holds a B.A in Holistic Studies and an M.A. in Holistic Health and Wellness from Lesley University. She received additional Clinical Training in Mind/Body Medicine, and Spirituality and Healing through Harvard Medical School. She is a certified Spiritual Life coach, Reiki Master, and Inter-faith Minister.

This combination of education and personal experience informs her writing with practical knowledge and understanding combined with insight and wisdom. In reading her work, you will come to know who she is intimately. She holds nothing back. She writes about issues such as dissociation, depression, midlife, major life changes, grief, and death, self-care, women's development and issues as well as personal growth and development. Her passions of travel, cruising, the beach and the ocean inspire her to write about how traveling influences and affects our sense-of-self and enriches our lives as well as adding a little fun and humor to her voice. Through her books, blog posts and essays, Cathy hopes to inspire others to step into themselves and out into the world discovering and expressing their passions and loves fully and authentically. Cathy's lives on a barrier island off the coast of North Carolina.

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Author Insight

Cultivating Resiliency and Happiness

At the time I wrote this, I thought this would be my last big life change. Life transitions sometimes arise from outside circumstances such as moving, getting married, having a child, divorce or a death, or children leaving home. Sometimes those transitions come from our own evolving and growing, stirred from inside our heart and soul. As women, transitions happen not just once or twice in our life but many times from teenagers through old age. When transitions happen and our identities shift and change our greatest challenge is to find a new sense of self and purpose for our life. With each new transition, I keep thinking that this will be the last major transition but as I reach getting older, I know now that even if this transition seems like it should be the last one, that there will probably be at least one more or even two more depending on how long my life is. Cultivating resiliency, going deep to find the truth within ourselves, focusing on our strength and joys, having faith, move us through each new transition. Each time we pass through a new life transition we learn skills that allow us to adapt to any situation or challenge we face in our life. As long as we are growing through each stage, we develop the wisdom and skills of gratitude, kindness, joy, and the ability to bring meaning into every day. We develop the capacity to build happiness into our lives.

Book Excerpt

Through the Woods to the Sea A Journey of Becoming Me

I am taking a leap of faith into the unknown and the uncertainty of who I am or who I want to be. It is not courage that has pushed me across this threshold into the middle of the woods but panic. I am afraid of being alone, of the voices of others, of my own voice. I need to get away from all that has held me strangled, the emptiness, the buried hurt, and all the reminders of what I have lost and am losing.

Most of my family and friends especially my mother think I have lost my mind, gone crazy even. I hope not. Strangers think I am brave and courageous. I am not. I am panicked and scared but I am finally being responsible to myself even if it means being irresponsible in the eyes of others. I am relieved. I am at peace with my decision.

I have given away just about everything I own. I have kept only personal and sentimental items. I am walking away leaving unfinished business I can’t resolve or handle. I don’t care if I lose everything else that is left because in reality what does it all matter anyway?

Mid-life and all its changes has handed me the opportunity to step away from my life and away from the world to journey into all the hidden depths of myself and to begin to unravel the past that has held me down, rendered me empty and invisible. All I know is that I am breaking free of the chains that have held me tight. And so I am leaping without looking and am heading deep into the woods out into the unknown hoping to find myself and to begin a new life.

Through the Woods to the Sea A Journey of Becoming Me

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Cathy Teoste

Through the Woods to the Sea A Journey of Becoming Me

Synopsis

Author Biography

Author Insight

Cultivating Resiliency and Happiness

Book Excerpt

Through the Woods to the Sea A Journey of Becoming Me

Comment on this Bubble