Where it all began.

For many years, I was highly capable on the outside while continually pushing beyond my limits. I understood performance, responsibility and perseverance, but I did not yet understand what prolonged pressure was asking of my body.

My background spans neuroscience and healthcare leadership. During my Honours research, I examined how physiological stressors affect the brain and nervous system, including the body’s stress response pathways. I later gained extensive experience leading clinical trials in high pressure healthcare environments.

My own experience of burnout, depression and significant anxiety led me to study counselling and explore more deeply the relationship between the body, mind and our capacity to cope. That exploration continues through my current 200 hour Breathwork, Pranayama and Somatic Yoga Teacher Training. Many of the practices I now share supported my own recovery and helped me respond to anxiety with greater understanding, confidence and choice.

The turning point was not being given another instruction. It was finally understanding why my body responded as it did. What had felt like failure began to make sense as protection.

“Your body isn’t trying to make your life difficult. It’s trying to help you survive the demands it perceives.”

The Regulated Mind grew from that insight. I look forward to sharing what I have learned through professional study and lived experience, so together we can make sense of what is happening within you and help you feel more confident in supporting your own wellbeing.

Catherine Barrett, BSc (Hons 1), Graduate Certificate of Counselling