Meet Catharine

~ YOGA, MEDITATION & BREATHWORK TEACHER, PHYSIOTHERAPIST, HOLISTIC COACH & MENTOR~

Having experienced profound transformative shifts in my own life through yoga, meditation, and inner work, I’m deeply passionate about guiding others toward a more meaningful connection with themselves. By taking an embodied psycho-spiritual approach, my goal is to help people nurture their mental, emotional, and spiritual health, ultimately leading to greater wellness and a sense of well-being.

My own journey with yoga began in my 20s while studying psychology at university. At first, I approached it as just another form of exercise. But as I delved deeper into the practice, I began to experience its holistic healing benefits for the mind, body, and spirit. As a young mom working in a physically and emotionally demanding profession—and being an empath by nature—I went through a difficult period of burnout while working as a physiotherapist in a rehabilitation hospital. During that challenging time, yoga, meditation, and self-compassion were the practices that brought me back to myself. They were the reason I enrolled in Yoga Teacher Training and Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training, two transformative decisions that shifted the trajectory of my life.

These practices not only healed me but also gave me a deeper sense of purpose. In yoga, this is referred to as your "dharma," or life’s purpose. For me, that purpose is to guide others toward becoming the best version of themselves.

I’ve been teaching yoga for over 10 years and running wellness retreats for women in the Kawartha Lakes area, where I was raised, for the past 8 years. I’ve also been a registered physiotherapist for over 21 years, with a special interest in neurology, and hold a degree in psychology.

Through my own healing journey, I discovered the power of combining scientific knowledge with the wisdom of Eastern contemplative practices. I began integrating breathwork, meditation, nervous-system regulation, self-compassion, and self-reflection practices into my work as a physiotherapist, which resulted in some incredible shifts in my patients. Witnessing these transformations reaffirmed for me the importance of the mind-body-spirit connection in managing dis-ease and fostering holistic well-being.

My work as a physiotherapist in a rehabilitation hospital in Thunder Bay spanned a rewarding 20-year career, but my dharma has led me to focus more on guiding women through wellness programs and retreats. These experiences have been deeply fulfilling, offering a space for connection, healing, and personal growth.

I look forward to meeting you on retreat and sharing in this journey together.

Education, Trainings & Certifications:

Catharine would like to acknowledge and thank the many teachers who have guided her along her path and the numerous colleagues patients and students she has had the pleasure of working with and learning from.

  • Honours Bachelor of Science - Psychology - University of Guelph 

  • Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy - University of Western Ontario

  • Registered Physiotherapist since 2003

  • Align & Shine Yoga teacher training with Mindy Willis, 2014 Thunder Bay - 200 hours

  • Embodied Awareness - Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher training with Bo Forbes, 2014-2016, Boston - 300 hours

  • Yoga for First Responders 

  • Introduction to Sound Healing 2022, Thunder Bay Gary Savitzsky

  • Compassionate Inquiry training with Gabor Mate- 2019-2020

  • Reiki Level 2 - Japan 1994-1996

  • Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program and Diverstiy, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Training with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield- 2021-2023

  • Grief Movement Training with Paul Denniston

Wellness in Bloom is based in Thunder Bay, Ontario on the shores of Lake Superior, Gitchigami, within the boreal forest and respectfully acknowledges that the lands known as ‘Anemeki Wequedong’, on which we live, practice, heal, connect and explore are the traditional lands of the Anishinabek Nation and the traditional territory of Fort William First Nation, signatory to the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850.  In the spirit of reconciliation, it is our intention to share practices that foster awareness of the lens through which we see the people around us, providing insight into our biases and how we chose to act and to cultivate kindness and compassion for all our relations, and the land which nourishes and sustains us and we have the great privilege of residing within. 

“And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

~Anais Nin ~