Cat McCarthy on Emergent Authenticity & Rewriting Scripts
Release Date: 01/22/2026
Paul Noiles on, The Malevolent Nature of Emotional Abuse
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes & J’aime Rothbard. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. How do smart, accomplished people end up in emotionally abusive relationships without realizing it? As both a trauma coach and former victim, Paul illuminates how emotional abuse operates through fear, manipulation, and control—and why it's so difficult to recognize and name. He also touches on common signs; chronic invalidation, gaslighting, control disguised as concern, walking on eggshells, confusion, toxic shame, and how our earliest attachments can create susceptibility. In this...
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Mandy Rodstrom & Debbie Mason on, Creating Spaces for Stuttering to Exist
The Gifts of Trauma
Mandy Rodstrom & Debbie Mason on, Creating Spaces for Stuttering to Exist Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. What if traditional fluency-focused approaches designed to "fix" stuttering cause more harm than healing? In this conversation, speech therapists Mandy Rodstrom and Debbie Mason share personal and clinical insights that reveal how trauma, nervous system dysregulation and social stigma profoundly impact those who stammer. They highlight the critical importance of connecting people who stutter with supportive communities where stuttering is welcomed and...
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Cat McCarthy on Emergent Authenticity & Rewriting Scripts
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Kevin Young. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. What happens when we stop performing and start being? Cat guides us through her transformational journey from codependent conditioning to embodied authenticity. With wisdom drawn from 30+ years of yoga practice, plant medicine journeys, and navigating her own healing from Breast Cancer, Cat reveals why the answers we seek aren't outside ourselves, but waiting to be uncovered within. Cat reflects on: - How shedding her protective layers enabled her to access her true strength - Her expanded her capacity to be present, hold space for others...
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Zach Bush, MD & Eva Dalak on Relating to Our Original Imprint: Nature & Collective Healing.
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by J’aime Rothbard & Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. What if the path to inner and outer peace—and to the survival of our species—runs through our biology, not just our psychology? In this bonus finale to our Relating Series, Eva and Zach guide us beyond the familiar terrain of human-to-human relating to the new ground of relating to our original imprint. This conversation weaves hard science with systems thinking and spiritual wisdom to show that rather than transcending our humanity, healing our separation wound is about fully embracing our original...
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Unsafe! Navigating Domestic, Public and Systemic Violence, with Dr Valerie (Vimalasara) Mason-John and Jordan Decker
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes and J’aime Rothbard. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. This vulnerable conversation continues exploring relating through the LGBTQ+ lens, as Vimalasara and Jordan share insights rarely disclosed to the heteronormative population. Jordan reflects on the inner work required to create safety for others—unpacking his own trauma so he can hold space for someone else's. Vimalasara addresses the harsh realities of domestic violence in LGBTQ+ communities, highlighting the barriers to seeking help—being subjected to transphobia, homophobia, or violence in...
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Gender & Identity, From Unconscious to Conscious with Valerie (Vimalasara) Mason-John and Jordan Decker
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes and J’aime Rothbard. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. This thought provoking conversation explores relating through the LGBTQ+ lens, but not only presented to that community. Instead it is a vulnerable and honest sharing in which Vimalarara and Jordan offer insights and perspectives rarely disclosed to the heteronormative population. In this inclusive episode they touch on the: - Use of pronouns can create a sense of safety and inclusion - Perspective of gender as a social construct rather than a personal identity - Historical impact of religious and...
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Reducing Relationship Issues Through Proactive Design & Planning, with Dr Stan Tatkin and Leila Bahri-Lucas
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes & Leila Bahri-Lucas. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. This episode reminds us that the unconscious processes that drive humans, our memories and survival instincts, often lead to misunderstandings and reactive behaviors. Consequently, most relationship issues, while they may seem personal, actually stem from our innate drives. Stan outlines that rather than being approached casually, successful relationships require deliberate design, shared purpose, defined roles, and agreed-upon principles. We also explore: - The PPPRRR Approach: Couples can...
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Polyamory: Attachment, Trauma & Relational Growth Unpacked, with Jessica Fern, David Cooley & JP Bolhuis
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. This episode introduces Polyamory, a form of consensual non-monogamy, as a relational style involving multiple loving, consensual, romantic partners simultaneously. It emphasizes trust, open communication (as opposed to secretive ‘cheating’) and mutual agreement. Jessica and David, themselves polyamory practitioners and co-authors of two books on Polyamory, are joined by JP Bolhuis, a Psychosocial Therapist, Compassionate Inquiry Practitioner and Private Mentor who recently entered the world of polyamory. Jesica and David...
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Rethinking Sex Addiction: Trauma, Shame & Compulsive Sexuality, with Diana Safta & Silva Neves
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by J’aime Rothbard and Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. In this soft and flowing conversation, Silva Neves differentiates the term "sex addiction" from "sexual compulsivity," as addiction is an independent disorder, while compulsion arises from environmental distress. Like food, sex is a primary drive, and has a natural physiological stopping point not present in other addictions. The analogy of food and diverse cuisines to normalize conversations about sexuality, highlighting that different tastes and preferences in food are accepted, but similar...
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Healing Northern Ireland: From Personal Trauma to Societal Change, with Dr Paul Gallagher
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Kevin Young. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. In this conversation, Kevin introduces us to Dr Paul Gallagher, a lecturer in trauma studies at Cork University who started his formal education at age 40, after a significant "gap" in his life. Born in Belfast in 1972 at the height of "The Troubles," Paul recounts growing up in a war zone, where at 21, his home was invaded and his family held hostage. During this attack, he was shot and paralysed, and while physical and medical care were provided, psychological support was not. Paul highlights: - The crucial roles of...
info_outlineHosted by Kevin Young. Produced by J’aime Rothbard.
What happens when we stop performing and start being? Cat guides us through her transformational journey from codependent conditioning to embodied authenticity. With wisdom drawn from 30+ years of yoga practice, plant medicine journeys, and navigating her own healing from Breast Cancer, Cat reveals why the answers we seek aren't outside ourselves, but waiting to be uncovered within.
Cat reflects on:
- How shedding her protective layers enabled her to access her true strength
- Her expanded her capacity to be present, hold space for others and become a conduit for transformation
- How humor helps her navigate life’s challenges, as everything is funny... eventually
- The importance of receiving—from others and ourselves
Through humor, vulnerability, and profound insight, Cat shares many life lessons, including how learning to trust her innate healing capacity revealed the ease that comes from truly holding ourselves from the inside.
About Cat McCarthy,
Trauma-informed Somatic Coach
Cat integrates the practice of Yoga, the empathy skills of Compassionate/Nonviolent Communication (NVC), and trauma-Informed somatic movement therapy. Her approach to the relational container in which others safely explore the heart-mind-body terrain is deeply respectful. She supports Compassionate Inquiry’s year-long and Circles programs, and co-leads its NVCI Focus group.
A dedicated yoga practitioner and international teacher/trainer, Cat holds certifications in Anusara Yoga, Kripalu Yoga, NYCNVC Facilitation, Compassionate Inquiry® and is registered with the Yoga Alliance and the American Yoga Council. Her extensive studies span the traditions of Rajanaka Philosophy, Neelakantha meditation, The Breathing Project’s Embodied Anatomy, and Polyvagal Theory practices.
As an experiential learner and fellow traveler, Cat holds space as a plant medicine journey integrator at a psychedelic wellness center in NYC. She also leads Body-Mindfulness (meditation/breathwork/sound work) classes for the global Spinal Cord Injury population via the Back2Life Center at NYC’s Mt. Sinai Hospital.
Cat’s entertaining teaching style blends her vulnerable humor, dynamic clarity and attuned presence. When not traversing the globe teaching and training, this Emmy-nominated filmmaker directs/produces non-fiction projects. Her podcast, The Upside of Over, focuses on integrating NVC into our daily lives.
An avid singer who offers vocal and sound resonance courses for embodied self-expression and collective healing, Cat‘s aim is to support people in rewriting their self-narratives for evolution and growth. She’s also developing programs for actors using therapeutic approaches to character development. But her biggest offering is sharing lessons learned in her “cancer discovery” and ongoing life journey.
Promotional Message
If you're not a therapist or healer, but you've heard our guests describe the personal transformations they experienced during their Compassionate Inquiry® journeys, and wonder what that would be like for you... Circles is a 10-week small group experience offered to anyone who wants to experience the power of Gabor Maté’s approach to trauma healing. Use this link to find out if this program is for you.
Resources:
Websites:
Cat’s Compassionate Inquiry Profile
Related Links:
Center for Nonviolent Communication
Compassionate Inquriy Year-Long Training
Books:
Quotes:
"I watched my mother die. Not of cancer, but of a type of resentment and grief about having to live, choosing to live a certain way when there weren't too many options for women." - Cat McCarthy
"These beliefs that I held to be true, that I'm not enough…there must be something wrong with me…my opinion doesn't matter…I'm alone in the world… All these interpretations that helped me get very far, are not true. They never were true. But they needed to be true then." - Cat McCarthy
"We all have the healing capacity. We all can tap into the quantum field. We all get these downloads. It's not about doing more. It's actually about letting more and more of these layers, this armor, these protections, all these things that we have created to get through life, letting them go one by one and trusting that there is going to be a strength and a resource inside that might need to be mirrored from outside, but it ultimately is an inside job." - Cat McCarthy
"We are not the healers. We are the context in which healing is inspired." - Ron Kurtz
“To be practicing together in communal spaces, building communities, sharing, caring, supporting. I think that's the Viva la revolution. Bring it on." - Kevin Young
"I am a work in progress, constantly becoming a more essential version of myself.” - Cat McCarthy
“For Aquinas, beauty also included the notion of integrity...He understands that each thing is alive and on a journey to become fully itself. Integrity is achieved when there is a complete realization of whatever a thing is supposed to be...Integrity is the adequacy of a thing to itself." - John O'Donohue
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