We are here, my sisters, the end of season 1 of My Sister's Keeper.blog The Podcast! I'm amazed that there are 22 episodes of the podcast available for you listeners to enjoy whenever you choose to from now until whenever. In this episode we talk a bit more about the meaning of this holiday season for me and I share some of my family traditions that I've adopted that have given new meaning and renewed joy in this time especially with my son and creating beautiful memories with and for him. Thank you so much for being a part of the My Sister's Keeper family and coming on this journey of season 1 with me. I'm looking forward to season 2 in 2023 and what new content I'll bring to the program. The time is going to fly and I can't wait to share with you what I've been working on and what's up next for us.

In this last segment of my conversation with my siblings, Michael Cato & Mishael Cato Williams, we conclude our talk with some powerful memories and a few words of advise for anyone walking through their own grief journey. Again we are not mental health professionals and encourage you to seek out assistance if you have experienced the loss of a loved one. Having someone to talk to who can serve as a guide in the healing process can be so invaluable. Below I have listed several online resources: articles on making plans for the holidays as well as a couple online events as well as in person events where you can connect with others who can help you in your healing journey. We were not meant to live in isolation but community, so I encourage you to reach out to others, share some of your story with someone. Take it one step at a time.Resources:Choosing Therapy's Dealing with Grief During the Holidays: 28 Ways to CopeHospice Foundation of America - 3 Cs for Coping with GriefGriefShare Surviving the HolidaysGrief.com Grief & the HolidaysVITAS Healthcare Coping with Grief During the Holidays

Grief is immensely difficult and the holidays can be uniquely triggering as times when family & close friends gather together and traditions including loved ones we've lost are no longer the same. How do we cope? How do we carry on? In this episode, I continue my conversation with my day one siblings, Mishael Cato Williams and Michael Cato, for a conversation about how we've coped and healed during the holidays especially after losing our mother so close to Christmas. We laugh, we cry and we remember together some beautiful memories. We are not, however, mental health professionals and encourage you to seek out assistance if you have experienced the loss of a loved one. Having someone to talk to who can serve as a guide in the healing process can be so invaluable. Below I have listed several online resources: articles on making plans for the holidays as well as a couple online events as well as in person events where you can connect with others who can help you in your healing journey. We were not meant to live in isolation but community, so I encourage you to reach out to others, share some of your story with someone. Take it one step at a time.Resources:Choosing Therapy's Dealing with Grief During the Holidays: 28 Ways to CopeHospice Foundation of America - 3 Cs for Coping with GriefGriefShare Surviving the HolidaysGrief.com Grief & the HolidaysVITAS Healthcare Coping with Grief During the Holidays

Grief is immensely difficult and the holidays can be uniquely triggering as times when family & close friends gather together and traditions including loved ones we've lost are no longer the same. How do we cope? How do we carry on? In this episode, I've gotten together with my day one siblings, Mishael Cato Williams and Michael Cato, for a conversation about how we've coped and healed during the holidaysespecially after losing our mother so close to Christmas. We laugh, we cry and we remember together some beautiful memories. We are not, however, mental health professionals and encourage you to seek out assistance if you have experienced the loss of a loved one. Having someone to talk to who can serve as a guide in the healing process can be so invaluable. Below I have listed several online resources: articles on making plans for the holidays as well as a couple online events as well as in person events where you can connect with others who can help you in your healing journey. We were not meant to live in isolation but community, so I encourage you to reach out to others, share some of your story with someone. Take it one step at a time.Resources:Choosing Therapy's Dealing with Grief During the Holidays: 28 Ways to CopeHospice Foundation of America - 3 Cs for Coping with GriefGriefShare Surviving the HolidaysGrief.com Grief & the HolidaysVITAS Healthcare Coping with Grief During the Holidays

This time of year is always hard for me. The changing colors of the leaves remind me of the fall my mother went back into the hospital. This time of year can be triggering for many in their grief as we approach the holidays without loved ones who've passed away. I hope that my testimony gives hope to someone in grief and inspires you to reach out to a loved one you know who's walking through grief. I've linked a resource page from the grief counseling service I used. If you or someone you know has experienced a loss, please check out the links below for assistance.https://www.trellissupport.org/services/grief-counselinghttps://www.trellissupport.org/content/supportive-resources

In this episode, Marsha catches us up on her healthy habit formation journey at about day 21. What's working? Where's there room for improvement? Check out the episode to hear what Marsha has learned in this process and where she hopes this goes.  As always, we love to hear from you! Let us know what healthy habits you're working on!You can connect with Marsha on Instagram @mysisterskeeper.blog and on Facebook @Marsha CatoReferences:https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/13743-habitshttps://www.life.church/media/habits/Craig Groeschel's 3 Steps for Finding Your Words to Live Byhttps://finds.life.church/words/Books to check out:Atomic Habits by James ClearThe Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg  The Compound Effect by James Hardy

In this episode, Marsha catches us up on her healthy habit formation journey at about day 14. What's working? Where's there room for improvement? Check out the episode to hear the wins of the week and the challenges. As always, we love to hear from you! Let us know what healthy habits you're working on!You can connect with Marsha on Instagram @mysisterskeeper.blog and on Facebook @Marsha CatoReferences:https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/13743-habitshttps://www.life.church/media/habits/Craig Groeschel's 3 Steps for Finding Your Words to Live Byhttps://finds.life.church/words/Books to check out:Atomic Habits by James ClearThe Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg  The Compound Effect by James Hardy

In this episode, Marsha checks in with us sisters about her progress in creating good habits and breaking bad habits. Creating a new habit takes 21 days, so we're just about 6 days into this process with Marsha and she shares some of what she's worked on this week and what tools she's utilized to support her in these goals. As always, we'd love to hear from you and any habits you're creating or breaking and what tools you've found useful to the process.  You can connect with Marsha on Instagram @mysisterskeeper.blog and on Facebook @Marsha CatoReferences:Craig Groeschel's 3 Steps for Finding Your Words to Live Byhttps://finds.life.church/words/

In this episode, Marsha shares the major habit she's struggling to break and replace and the process she's working through. We talked about the inspiration for this habit process last week being the YouVersion devotional and the Life.Church sermon series  and we delve a bit into the teachings Pastor Craig Groeschel shares. This episode I talk more about healthy identity being the basis for healthy habits and begin to delve into what unhealthy thoughts are behind our bad habits. This is largely a heart share of what habit Marsha is working to break right now and I hope it inspires you to look at your own pet bad habit and what you may need to work through too. References:https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/13743-habitshttps://www.life.church/media/habits/Books to check out:Atomic Habits by James ClearThe Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg  The Compound Effect by James Hardy

I'm back!! I know, I know, I'm so sorry I went MIA again last week! This last month has been a mess with me being down for 2 weeks due my son's and my covid illnesses and I've really been struggling getting back into the routine of life now that we're back in the outside world full time. (Can I just say the covid brain forgetfulness thing is real!! It's as bad as milk brain, to any of my nursing mamas!) In this episode I share some of what's been going on in my world and what I've learned and am learning that will aid me in greater intentional living this Mama life as well as better enable me to show up for our weekly time together, my sisters! Pull up a seat and settle in for a little chat about habits and let's see what we can learn together!References:https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/13743-habitshttps://www.life.church/media/habits/Books to check out:Atomic Habits by James Clear The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg  The Compound Effect by James Hardy

In this episode Marsha shares some of her boy mom parenting struggles and some of the tools that have been helping her be the mom her son needs. Marsha shares the podcasts and books that have been refocusing her parenting since the start of this school year and growing her understanding of her son's mind and what he needs from her to grow in his emotional, social, and spiritual development. These resources are helpful not just for boy moms but cover milestones and struggles boys and girls face in development and can assist us as parents in guiding them down these paths.All About Boys with David Thomashttps://rootedministry.com/podcast/series/all-about-boys/“Are My Kids on Track?: The 12 Emotional, Social, and Spiritual Milestones Your Child Needs to Reach” by David Thomas,  Sissy Goff, and Melissa Trevathan“Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys(A Practical and Encouraging Guide to Christian Parenting)” by Stephen James and David ThomasRaising Boys & Girls Podcast with hosts David Thomas, Sissy Goff, and Melissa Trevathanhttps://www.raisingboysandgirls.com/listen

Great day, my sisters! It's so great to be back with you! In Episode 11, I share where I've been for the last two weeks, caring for my son and recovering from covid. It was no fun, let me tell you. Here I share some of the lessons I learned in the experience, the ways I was able to maintain life balance and the ways where it was just gone! These experiences of quarantine during the pandemic have been so challenging for me mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I would love to hear from you about your experiences with quarantine and illnesses during the pandemic. You can reach me on Instagram @mysisterskeeper.blog and on Facebook @Marsha Cato. I'd love to hear from you!!

In this episode, Marsha reflects on the import of rest and breaks in our regularly scheduled programing, from our weekly end of the work week routines, to weekend naps & intentional vacations, our mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical balance requires we are intentional about planning for & guarding our rest times.

In this episode, Marsha highlights some of her favorite moments from her conversation with Keisha Shaw Barnes, balanced life strategist and licensed clinical mental health counselor. Marsha digs into Keisha's book, "Where's Your Tank A Strategy for Living a Full Life" which walks the reader through evaluating their own life, seeing where greater balance can be achieved, and gives practical tools achieve that.  Keisha believes that counseling is a great tool for intentionally maintaining better mental health in much the same way one would workout at the gym or follow a specific meal plan to achieve physical health. Keisha is  the Agency Director at Rising Hope Clinical Assistance Center in Winston Salem, NC and Marsha has the distinct pleasure of being her former client. Keisha is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend.You can connect with Keisha at her website, www.keishabarnes.com, and on Instagram @kbbalancedlifestrategist. If you are looking for a counselor check out her agency, Rising Hope Clinical at www.rhclinical.com. She is not taking new clients personally,  but has a great team there. Her book, "Where's Your Tank A Strategy for Living a Full Life", is available on Amazon.com and at her website.

Join us for more of our conversation with Keisha Shaw Barnes, balanced life strategist and licensed clinical mental health counselor. In this episode, Keisha & I talk about maintaining balance and the importance of saying no or changing plans based on your current needs and the needs of your family and we talk some more about her book, "Where's Your Tank A Strategy for Living a Full Life" which walks the reader through evaluating their own life and seeing where greater balance can be achieved.  Keisha believes that counseling is a great tool for intentionally maintaining better mental health in much the same way one would workout at the gym or follow a specific meal plan to achieve physical health. Keisha is  the Agency Director at Rising Hope Clinical Assistance Center in Winston Salem, NC and Marsha has the distinct pleasure of being her former client. Keisha is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend.You can connect with Keisha at her website, www.keishabarnes.com, and on Instagram @kbbalancedlifestrategist. If you are looking for a counselor check out her agency, Rising Hope Clinical at www.rhclinical.com. She is not taking new clients personally,  but has a great team there. Her book, "Where's Your Tank A Strategy for Living a Full Life", is available on Amazon.com and at her website.

In this episode, Marsha continues sharing with us a conversation with Keisha Shaw Barnes, balanced life strategist and licensed clinical mental health counselor. In this episode, Keisha shares her goal in writing her book "Where's Your Tank A Strategy for Living a Full Life" which walks the reader through evaluating their own life and seeing where greater balance can be achieved. Keisha believes that counseling is a great tool for maintaining better mental health intentionally in much the same way one would workout at the gym or follow a specific meal plan to achieve physical health. Keisha is  the Agency Director at Rising Hope Clinical Assistance Center in Winston Salem, NC and Marsha has the distinct pleasure of being her former client. Keisha is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend.You can connect with Keisha at her website, www.keishabarnes.com, and on Instagram @kbbalancedlifestrategist. If you are looking for a counselor check out her agency, Rising Hope Clinical at www.rhclinical.com. She is not taking new clients personally,  but has a great team there. Her book, "Where's Your Tank A Strategy for Living a Full Life", is available on Amazon.com and at her website.Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans is referenced in this episode as Marsha was a participant in a workshop. You can find more information at https://designingyour.life.

In this episode, Marsha shares with us a conversation with Keisha Shaw Barnes, balanced life strategist, licensed clinical mental health counselor, and the Agency Director at Rising Hope Clinical Assistance Center in Winston Salem, NC. Keisha is Marsha's former counselor who was a big part in helping her find balance in her life and reframe the negative thought patterns that were so dominate in her thought life. She is the author of the book "Where's Your Tank A Strategy for Living a Full Life" which walks the reader through evaluating their own life and seeing where greater balance can be achieved. Keisha believes that counseling is a great tool for maintaining better mental health intentionally in much the same way one would workout at the gym or follow a specific meal plan to achieve physical health. Keisha is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend.You can connect with Keisha at her website, www.keishabarnes.com, and on Instagram @kbbalancedlifestrategist. If you are looking for a counselor check out her agency, Rising Hope Clinical at www.rhclinical.com. She is not taking new clients personally,  but has a great team there. Her book, "Where's Your Tank A Strategy for Living a Full Life", is available on Amazon.com and at her website.

Marsha continues her introduction of her day one sister, her big sister Mishael Cato Williams. In this conversation we talk about who our sisters are, our communities, and when these relationships have been so pivotal in our lives. We delve a bit deeper into our shared family history and some ways it has shaped our friendships at different points in our lives. Mishael is a mom of two college aged children,  a practicing physical therapist, and an educator in the Allied Health Department at Oakwood University in Huntsville, AL.  Mishael loves gardening, HGTV, good music, good food, and good fellowship with loved ones.

Marsha introduces us to her day one sister, her big sister Mishael Cato Williams. In this conversation we talk about our sisters, our communities, and when these relationships have been so pivotal in our lives. Mishael is a physical therapist and an allied health educator at Oakwood University In Huntsville, AL. Mishael shares some of her stories of her sisters and her community and living as her sister’s keeper.

What is it that propels us to seek out help? Counseling was a major avenue on Marsha's path to healing and living a connected, thriving life. Listen in to hear more of her journey from the postpartum haze to exiting survival mode.