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Cate's Story

Then one day when I was 12 years old Esther became ill and very soon after died. Shortly after this the neighbours in my street (it was a very community minded street with everyone popping in and out) seemed to be selling their houses and my parents split up.The light seemed to go out of my life and my heart shut down, I stopped doing so well at school and I felt lost and obsessed by romance. Life felt bleak and inside I was very sad. I did pray regularly to God to show me his sweet, sweet love so I knew that it was possible to return to being open hearted but somehow I did not know how to go back there.

My sisters and me in Wales, the land of my mother.

As a child if you had asked me what I wanted to be I would have said “An actress who does good things for others”. I didn’t know how I could mix the two but somehow I knew I wanted to perform but I wanted to also help and benefit others. As a teenager if you had asked me what I wanted to do I would have said, “I would like to be a fairy Godmother who makes people’s dreams come true”. Again I had no idea that there was a job in this so I could not see how I could become this.

But the universe works in mysterious ways and I was guided to study a course which has brought me to where I am.

After A’levels I went to study Sociology in Manchester. I had wanted to train to be an actress but my parents felt it was better to do a degree first. I was miserable on the course and knew I needed to do something more creative. Incredibly just in the buildings where I was studying was a course in what was called Community Arts. This was a course which trained you in all the arts (music, art, drama, dance, writing) and how you use them to run workshops with different groups and facilitate them to express themselves and build their confidence. It was one of the most extraordinary moments in my life. If I could have designed a career this would have been it! I was amazed. I felt centred and happy for the first time in a long time, and as if I had found my truth and my purpose. It was an extraordinary and wonderful time.

From 1993 I started working with groups teaching movement, drama, art, writing and music. I worked with ex-offenders, women’s groups, people with disabilities and mental health problems, older people and children. I found it incredibly moving, stretching and heart opening. When I turned up to work I would find a big “Hello” from my groups that softened and melted my heart. I had not been aware that my heart was closed or half closed. Suddenly I knew that I had shut my heart down in protection and fear. I knew that I was living a smaller life than I should because of this and I knew that I had found a path in which I could grow and learn how to open my heart again.

I had been doing my own personal therapy and I continue to do so looking at my life and building my confidence. I also decided to go and do extra workshops and training. I went and did Person Centred Expressive Therapy Training (developed by Natalie Rogers, how to use the arts therapeutically), Forum Theatre Training with Adrian Jackson (developed by Augosto Boal, how to use blocks to move through difficulties in drama), Jabadeo dance training for Older People, Councelling courses, teacher training, NSPCC creative councelling training, many Five Rhythms intensive courses, Life Coaching Training (Diploma in Life Coaching and Performance Coaching) courses with Helen Ford (understanding the power of anger, healing the masculine and the feminine) and Silke Zhiel (bodywork and the heart), Yoga courses with Bernadette Vallely, Leora Lightwoman, Antoinette and Richard Asimus and now Rosen Bodywork Therapy training.

After I started teaching I pursued an Art Foundation course. This lead me to paint my heart paintings. My teaching, my coaching and my painting continue to help me grow. I now work for many organisations in the UK and abroad, I have been on radio, in magazines and on TV and I have loving peaceful relationships with my family (which is of course easier when my heart is loving and open).

I believe that what people really want in their lives is often very simple and can be summed up in three words happiness, love and purpose. I believe when you open your heart it will reveal to you want really makes you happy and what your purpose is. And as you follow this path you will become open to love and allowing people into your life.

Your dreams are like little babies. If you can take the time to nurture them they have the possibility of becoming true. The only difference between those that “make it” and those that don’t is that those that “make it” don’t give up. As a dear friend said it is often a twelve-year overnight success. If you can stick to your dreams for that time something will come through. And the other key is timing. The reason why it takes time to achieve all your dreams is that you need to become ready to receive or do them. Sometimes if you are given too much too early on it can be too much or too pressurising or you can reject things out of fear.

If you can truly find what supports you to “Go for it” then I believe you can achieve your dreams. Find out what helps you feel good, do more of it, make a list of your top dreams and steps to get them and make a step every day towards them. You may be amazed what happens.

Love Cate

Richard Coyle