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The Intentional Thoughts
Welcome to our dedicated space on intentional retreats, a sanctuary where the quest
for mindfulness becomes a tangible experience.
Through the insights shared on our blog, we aim to guide you on a journey of self-discovery and transformation. From Embracing Empathy to nurturing strategies for keeping love alive and supporting relationships, we cover a wide array of topics crucial for personal growth.
My posts are designed to offer support in overcoming anxiety, overcoming addiction, utlising meditation and mindfulness in your healing, and much more.
Join us as we explore these pathways to a more mindful and fulfilling life.
The Myth of ‘Not Enough’ and the Magic of Self-Acceptance
From the moment we wake up, we’re flooded with messages about how to be better, do more, heal faster, rise higher. It’s easy to internalise the idea that if we’re not actively transforming, we’re falling behind. That if we still feel confused or tired or tender, we’re failing.
Katrina Steel
Jan 283 min read
The Real Offering of a New Year
The beginning of a new year is often framed as an opportunity to become someone new. A “New Year, New Me.” However psychologically, that framing misses the point.
Katrina Steel
Jan 155 min read
The Therapist is Also Human
A Behind-the-Scenes Reflection on What I Practice - Not Just Preach By Katrina Steel, Embrace Your Humanness There’s a quiet myth that follows therapists around like a shadow. That we’re calm all the time. That we don’t get overwhelmed. That we’ve “healed” to such a degree that pain no longer touches us. That we’re perfectly boundaried, emotionally regulated, spiritually aligned. That we’ve transcended the chaos of human emotion. While I understand the longing for that kind o
Katrina Steel
Jan 64 min read
When Love Is a Mission ~ Love That Asks You To Abandon Yourself Isn’t Love.
The Psychology of Longing, Fantasy, and the Urge to Rewrite Our Story By Katrina Steel Trying to Finish a Story That Was Never Yours to Write We don’t always stay in painful relationships because we’re afraid of being alone. Sometimes, we stay because we’re trying to finish a story. We’re trying to turn a fragmented, inconsistent relationship into a secure one. We’re trying to prove that we are loveable, if we just stay patient, kind, loyal, forgiving, or healed enough . We’r
Katrina Steel
Dec 6, 20253 min read
Aloneness and the Bridge to Connection
By Katrina Steel There’s a particular kind of ache that often goes unnamed, the ache of feeling alone even when you're not technically “alone.” It doesn’t always arrive as isolation, nor does it always stem from solitude. Sometimes, it shows up in a crowded room, in the middle of a busy day, or while lying next to someone you love. It’s a quiet ache. A subtle emptiness. A yearning for something deeper, something real. Alone in the Crowd I’ve felt it. And I’ve sat with many cl
Katrina Steel
Nov 26, 20254 min read
Trauma Bonds ~ Why We Stay & How to Leave
The Psychology of Trauma Bonds, Attachment, and Emotional Conditioning By Katrina Steel “I knew it wasn’t good for me… but I couldn’t let go.” I’ve heard this sentence more times than I can count, from clients in my practice, from people I love, and at different points, from myself. When Love Hurts but You Can't Let Go Leaving a relationship that hurts, even when you know it’s not healthy can be one of the most emotionally complex things a person goes through. We tend to bl
Katrina Steel
Oct 20, 20256 min read
I JUST WANT TO BE REALLY ME
They have learnt, "I need to perform and serve, and hide my true needs and feelings to be approved, and welcomed, or worthy."
Katrina Steel
Oct 6, 20253 min read
The Difference Between Intuition and Anxiety - Learning to Trust Yourself
By Katrina Steel One of the most important, and confusing, parts of healing is learning to trust yourself again. Especially when it comes...
Katrina Steel
Sep 23, 20253 min read
The Inner Critic ~ Unmasking the Inner Voice
"Reclaiming Your Inner Voice – From Self-Criticism to Self-Compassion"
Katrina Steel
Sep 3, 20255 min read
You Are Not Who You Think You Are
Identity, Self-Concept, and the Beginning of True Liberation You Are Not the Story — You Are the One Who Sees It We all carry a story...
Katrina Steel
Aug 14, 20254 min read
You’re Not a Problem to Solve - The Healing Power of Being Felt, Not Fixed
By Katrina Steel So many people come to therapy thinking they’re broken. They speak in language that reveals the weight they’ve been...
Katrina Steel
Aug 3, 20253 min read
SWEET SURRENDER & The Illusion of Control
How to be Happier by Flowing with Life There is very little we ‘actually’ have control over. As frightening as this may be, we ultimately...
Katrina Steel
Jul 23, 20255 min read
A SOULS JOURNEY The Path To Back To You
Isn’t it curious how disconnected we’ve become? So many of us are lost. At a loss. With no anchor to our true voice, our deeper knowing,...
Katrina Steel
May 30, 20255 min read
Two Paths, One Family: Navigating Parenting Differences
As a relationship therapist, I often find myself navigating the intricate dynamics that arise when couples have differing beliefs on how...
Katrina Steel
Apr 22, 20252 min read
Soothe First, Solve Later: The Key to Handling Emotional Distress
How to Soothe Yourself in Distress: Why Soothing Comes Before Solutions In moments of distress, it’s natural to want to find a solution...
Katrina Steel
Dec 27, 20243 min read
Couples Health ~ Building a Stronger RelationshipsThrough Emotional Regulation
In a thriving relationship, tending to each other's nervous systems is a powerful practice that deepens safety and communication....
Katrina Steel
Nov 7, 20243 min read
The Power of Seizing Life with Both Hands: Embrace Honesty and Take Action
Life is filled with opportunities, challenges, and moments that define who we are. The true power of living fully lies in seizing life...
Katrina Steel
Oct 21, 20243 min read
Is EVERYTHING F#CK'd or Can SELF LOVE EQUAL WORLD LOVE
Learning to love yourself is the greatest gift and the most profound way in which you can influence the state of the world. Our external...
Katrina Steel
Sep 26, 20244 min read
"DEPRESSION CAN KI&& MY AR&E"
Lifting the burden of depression is possible
Katrina Steel
Sep 9, 20242 min read
IF I COULD HAVE A "DO-OVER".....
Every so often, we find ourselves at a crossroads, reflecting on our past choices and wondering what might have been.
Katrina Steel
Aug 27, 20243 min read
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