Somatic Self Care for Creatives

Workshop Proposal

Hi, I’m Kathryn

I’m a trauma-informed intuitive guide who is certified as a reiki III practitioner, life coach and human design reader. I’ve guided dozens of creative souls from across the U.S. to reconnect to their inner wisdom as their compass for healing and unlocking their creative genius.

Prior to stepping into my calling as an intuitive guide, I was a successful theater, film and tv producer on Broadway and in Los Angeles so I intimately understand the unique pressures of the creative process.

I am no stranger to experiencing anxiety, depression, burnout and grief. After surviving the mass shooting in Las Vegas at the Route 91 Music Festival, I left entertainment and dove into my own trauma healing journey where I unearthed a large amount of family trauma.

So much of my hard-earned knowledge from my healing journey is directly applicable to the creative process - I wish it has been taught at NYU! I am passionate about nurturing, educating and inspiring creatives to share their unique gifts with the world and ultimately create safer communities.

During our time together, I will take the group through a foundational understanding of how to care for your nervous system and why this is important for cultivating creativity.

Then we will workshop creative and tangible ways in which each participant can weave this self care easily into their unique lifestyle. Participants will walk away empowered to take simple actions to feel more present and connected to creativity. Below are more details about what I will be sharing.

“We can’t create relationships, can’t access wisdom and creativity unless we turn off

our evolutionary defense systems.”

-Dr. Stephen Porges, Creator of Polyvagal Theory

Nervous System 101

Your autonomic nervous system is your system’s command center. It determines automatic responses (like heartbeat, digestion, breathing, body temp, etc.) without your conscious effort. Its always working on your behalf to keep you protected and alive based on its perception of threat.

For simplicity, we will look at the autonomic nervous system in the binary: it determines whether your evolutionary defense systems are “turned on” in survival mode or “turned off” in safety mode.

Parasympathetic Nervous System (Safety Mode)

Rest, Digest, Heal, Create, Connect

Associated sensations: grounded, steady, connected, relaxed, calm, full of energy, relief, patience, compassion, open, soft, peaceful, at ease, presence, creativity, joy, wonder, inspiration, forgiveness, vulnerability, intimacy, love, hope.

Sympathetic Nervous System (Survival Mode)

Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn, Collapse

Associated sensations: angry, irritated, frustrated, restless, anxious, edgy, stressed, overwhelmed, indecisive, depressed, exhausted, burned out, drained, constantly-in-motion, rapid heartbeat or breathing, tension.

You have the power to intentionally activate your Parasympathetic Nervous System.

Our vagus nerve connects every major organ in our body and “determines” what mode we are in based on information it receives from our whole system about perceived threat. Only 20% of that information comes from the mind… 80% of the information comes the body.

This is why we can't just "talk ourselves" into feeling grounded and safe . Our body needs to experience soothing safety so it can activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System.

Ways to Soothe Your Nervous System

  1. One of the basic ways to give your body the experience of safety is to REST! Literally get more sleep, take a break or a nap or put your feet up. This isn’t rocket science. Often we tell ourselves: we do not have time or productivity is more important.

  2. Give your FIVE SENSES anything that feels comforting, soothing, relaxing or inspiring or playful. What lights YOU up? What do you most want to see, hear, touch, taste and smell?

ALIGN is an acronym I use for putting these theories into practice:

Air

Listen

Intentionally Consume

Get Moving

Nature

Breathing techniques. Scents. Fresh air.

Silence, music, nature sounds, meditation, podcast, audiobook.

Digital detox. Social media. Compare and despair.

Change location. Stretching, shaking, dancing, exercise.

Immerse yourself outside. Connect with earth, fire, air, water inside.

I will walk participants through my signature trauma-informed transformation process, which heals self-sabotage and describes how to successfully integrate this new knowledge into weekly life!

There will also be space for questions and discussion around how to personalize their unique practices.

Support Materials For Your Consideration

Below are testimonials from my clients and a bit more about the “why” behind my work.

Please let me know if there is any further information I can provide to gain clarity on whether this workshop is a good fit for your community. It is an honor to be considered and I hope to share this with your community soon!

Thank you for your time and energy in reviewing this proposal.

Sincerely,

Kathryn Schwarz

Kathryn.Schwarz@gmail.com

  • Anxiety can suddenly vanish

    “I had the best sleep I've had in weeks after a reiki session with Kathryn. Exactly what I needed. And really helped me feel settled in my body. Kathryn exudes warmth - you’ll feel right away that you’ve known her for years.

    I’ve slowly learned to meet “negative” feelings with curiosity and stillness rather than looking to escape and have now experienced how anxiety that once felt so powerful can suddenly vanish. Now I really understand what it means when people say healing is nonlinear and I realize healing doesn’t need to look a certain way.”

    – Jess | Austin, TX

  • Best decision I made

    “Working with Kathryn was the best decision I made in 2020. She is an incredibly wise and gentle guide, and is helping me reconnect with myself after years of putting my own needs in last place. She has taught me (for the first time in my life) how to prioritize taking care of my own needs and work through the guilt and anxiety that inevitably follows. I've worked with her this past year and it's been life-changing. She is amazing!”

    – Anna | Nashville, TN

  • My self-compassion has deepened

    “I came to Kathryn for support with healing my grief, living more from my heart instead of my head and navigating big life changes within my job, my family and where I want to live. My inner trust is stronger now and my self-compassion has deepened.

    When we started working together, I remember that crying and feeling my emotions was hard - I was used to numbing out, “stuffing” or compartmentalizing. Now I am connecting to, naming and processing my emotions. I feel confident and at peace with all the changes that are ahead. … For the first time, I am holding my plans with an open hand, open mind, open heart – without needing to have all the answers! This work has helped me be present for my life – one day at a time – embracing the messy both/and of it all!”

    – Lauren | San Francisco, CA

  • Transform how you live

    “Kathryn is a gifted, skilled, empathetic coach (and person in general). My life this past year has shifted dramatically for the better and is so much richer because of our working together. Kathryn is a guide who can help you heal and transform how you live in this complicated world.”

    – Anonymous | Los Angeles, CA

  • Trust my true inner self

    “Wow… just wow… a truly powerful reiki session. Flow is the word that comes to mind. If it’s right… if I listen to myself… it just flows. My emotions make an intangible shift to more love. I am excited to explore the unknown as I learn to trust my true inner self and gain confidence in trusting my gut again. This work doesn’t actually feel like work… just feels like good self care. I am so grateful to not feel overwhelmed by the challenges and changes that lie ahead.”

    – Anonymous | Covington, KY

  • A powerful shift in yourself

    “Kathryn listens with compassion, validates your feelings, and gives that gentle nudge to take small, steady steps that will eventually lead to a powerful shift in yourself that’s uniquely yours. She creates a safe space to tap into your roots, hold space for old stories and ongoing habits, and explore little pockets of time to reset your foundation so you can show up for yourself, your family, and your community. Give it some time, and you’ll be surprised by how beautifully you branch out beyond where you started.“

    – Lauren | Madison, WI

  • Truly a beautiful experience

    “If your spirit and nervous system need some love, if your energy feels in disarray, if you need some time for yourself, please consider Kathryn’s offerings. Truly a beautiful experience and she is so kind, gentle, intentional and caring. She is someone who is doing “the work” and offering guidance and holding space for you to do yours.”

    – Kristin | Nashville, TN

  • Nourishment to my soul

    “I was blown away by Kathryn's gifts and deeply impacted by what I received in our sessions. She is both deeply compassionate and wise. Time with Kathryn is nourishment to my soul.”

    – Chris | Port Townsend, WA

 The Why Behind My Work

For many years, I was a burned out, over-achieving workaholic. As an NYU graduate who devoted 20+ years to a successful entertainment career in NYC/LA, I know how it feels to be sacrificing yourself for a life that "should make you feel happy" ...only to be swimming in inner turmoil and feeling disconnected from yourself and your purpose instead.

After trying ALL the things to feel better, I followed a gut feeling to leave everything behind and move to Nashville. Weeks later, I was in the audience during the deadliest US mass shooting at the Route 91 music festival in Las Vegas.

A severe panic attack, alone in my Nashville apartment weeks after the shooting, was my deciding moment: healing finally became my top priority. 

Everything I knew about my life burned to the ground during a dark night of the soul that uncovered decades of family trauma. Even though I was working with an AMAZING trauma therapist, I felt so confused, lost, alone and terrified by how to heal. Reiki was what brought me the most inner peace and most supported my journey of coming back home to my body, my spirituality, my true nature and soul’s purpose. Human Design and Gene Keys insights empowered me to step more boldly into my soul’s purpose.

My inner wisdom guided me every step of the way through healing and rebuilding my life centered around my soul’s calling to be a healer so others would feel less confused, lost, alone and terrified by how to heal and come home to themselves.

My mission is to heal the world with more safety and love in our communities by empowering one intuitive soul at a time to heal themselves and fully live their one, wild and true life.