Hi, I’m Kathleen Michelle and I’m so incredibly glad you’re here!
I want nothing more than for you to experience a life of loving your whole self!
I want you to feel free – free from your critical thoughts, fears, and shame.
I want you to experience what life is like what you love your whole dang self.
I want you to feel confident, brave and empowered so you can dive into your purpose and passions wholeheartedly.
No matter who you are, what you’ve done, or what has happened in your life, you deserve all of these….and more.
I promise you – all of this is possible.
Just like you, I have lived in fear and had my own ups and downs in life. Just like you, I had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to life than fear….and that it was actually in the way of me living a life I could love.
You see, I have been on my own journey. I was trapped in anxiety, riddled with self-doubt and self-criticism, felt scared of the world and had no idea what I was supposed to be doing in life. I did not find my own freedom, peace, and confidence to live my life of purpose and service overnight. No, my friends, it took years of transforming and growing – even when I didn’t realize that’s what was happening.
From the get go, I was an anxious child and young adult. It was the sneaky kind – I was an overachiever, perfectionist, competitive athlete, and leader. On the surface I had it together. Underneath, though, I was a mess of fear and self-doubt. I was constantly seeking approval and distractions from feeling self-conscious and the pangs of, “I will never be good enough.”
Have you ever felt this way? Do you still?
It didn’t matter what awards, accolades, or achievements came my way over the years. All I saw was flaws, how far I was from “the best,” and the numerous ways I messed up. I struggled with beliefs that I don’t matter and that people saw me as the weakest link. Thinking back to this now I want to cry and can feel the pain of that self-doubt. It hurt. But I wasn’t going to let anyone know – what if they agreed?!
So what happened? How did I go from that to this?
It all started with Mindfulness. I studied Mindfulness in college and graduate school because it was found to be helpful with the populations I wanted to serve. I quickly became fascinated and learned as much as I could. I started practicing Mindfulness when I was facilitating therapy groups and then started on my own (I know; backwards!) and experienced the benefits by proxy. I was bringing awareness to my thoughts and beliefs and found out I HAD A CHOICE: I could live according to my values, or let my Ego continue to run the show.
Several game changers showed up in my life that cracked open my sense of reality enough to let some light in. Teachers came into my life through the form of professors, friends, books, dharma talks, and circumstances. “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” One of these was A Course In Miracles (a metaphysical text) which emphasizes that a miracle is simply changing our mind from fear to love and that we are here to heal (ourselves and others).
My dear friends, love is where it’s at.
It’s our core and why we are here.
With time I learned to trust my inner wisdom, connect with my authentic self, and live my life from my passions. What a difference this is from seeking approval, constantly competing and comparing for evidence I’m good enough (for now), and only doing what I’ve been told is “right” by society for fear of rejection. Finally, I felt in the flow of life.
Then, when I thought I had it all together and was on a path of love and peace, I found myself in a really painful relationship. It started out exciting and like an adventure I never wanted to end. But over time it became a roller coaster of pain, hurt, and devastation. In the end I felt crushed, torn down, like my soul had been ripped out, and I had no idea who I really was. It was scary. I was totally lost. I’m not saying abusive relationships are ever okay, but what I will say for myself is that in the aftermath, after I licked my wounds and eventually found strength enough to look at what happened, it was clearly part of my path to healing and figuring out what I was meant to bring to the world.
I made a vow to only live from love and kick fear to the curb.
This, my loves, is what blew the doors off. After months of sitting with the pain, I found a fountain of self-compassion, forgiveness, and the deepest love I’ve ever known. This love is unconditional and always available. This love is from my core essence, my authentic self, and connected to all of humanity. I am not my identity, roles, or what others think of me. I am love and I am healing (myself and others), even in ways I will never be able to put words to.
I want to invite you in. I want to welcome you and guide you into finding your own freedom, peace, and courage.
I want to be of service to you on your own journey in awareness, self-discovery, and healing. Let’s get started!
Kathleen’s professional bio:
Kathleen is a mental health therapist, founder of One Moment Center, speaker and author. She has been using Mindfulness strategies to help others improve their overall well-being, connect with their authentic selves, and heal. In addition to her own personal practice, she has completed the Advanced Mindfulness Certificate course led by author and presenter, Donald Altman LPC.