Welcome to C R E A T I V E R E F U G E

Katie Sullivan
"Nothing can take away the emptiness of losing someone we love..."
— K.S.

Rock-Scissors-Paper. Click on the rock, scissors or paper photo to make your selection. Rock beats scissors. Scissors beats paper. Paper beats rock.

Rock || Scissors || Paper

You || Computer

Wins
Losses
Ties

Creativity Touches All Aspects of Our Lives
— by Katharine Sullivan

Our Loss

Creative Self-Care extends beyond normal life and work and, as my husband and I have discovered, it extends into the most intimate aspects of life and death. On January 14, 2004 we gave birth to our daughter, Angelina Noel. She lived only a few short minutes. As we held her with love and in awe of the miracle of her — she died peacefully in her father’s hands.

How does one apply Creative Self-Care in moments such as these? How does one grieve, heal, go on with life and work when such loss fills one with such emptiness?

By Being Open

...open to the love of family, friends and strangers. The love of doulas and nurses and doctors who may have been strangers moments before but are suddenly the most precious gifts that birthing and grieving parents can receive

...open to prayers, asking for help to make it through, to be able to be there for our toddler son and each other… to allow this experience to be one that is love-affirming and life-affirming even though our little girl’s body couldn’t live in this world and even though there is a huge emptiness in our hearts.

...open to something meaningful, something good to come of this loss for our family, our community and our world.

This was my prayer and prayers are often answered in unexpected and mysterious ways. I had been looking for work to compliment my writing and teaching work within my business, ‘NurtureOurNature’. As you know from my bio, my passions are around celebrating nature, creativity, well-being and the good in ourselves and each other. I was looking for something that would allow me to be home with our son, and hopefully our future children, that would make a positive contribution sharing my passions, and would bring in a good income. Well, my dear friend Sara was the ‘messenger’ for the answer to my prayer.

New Paths

Sara told me about a home-based business, flexible, fun, and most importantly VALUES-driven — the same values I am passionate about. And all this with an organization founded and developed by an inspirational, heart-centered prosperous entrepreneur, Anita Roddick. I have just joined the organization as a Consultant with The Body Shop at Home.

Nothing can take away the emptiness of losing someone we love. But that person’s spirit lives on in the good we do. As I begin this new adventure, I say goodbye to my column and ‘conversations’ with you about Creative Self-Care. I hope that you, like I, will continue to allow the Creative side of you to touch all aspects of your life, such that this world will become a better place by you having been in it.

Blessings to you.

We at CreativeRefuge.com will miss Katie both professionally and personally. She is one of a kind; putting into practice what she teaches about life, love, creativity and compassion. We wish her all the best in her new venture. — K.B.

More "Self-Care" articles from the archives:
Journaling: A Creative Journey, by Katharine Sullivan
Kindling the Creative Spark, by Katharine Sullivan
Work as Meditation, by Katharine Sullivan
Computer as Friend, by Katharine Sullivan

To Top

Katharine “Katie” Sullivan earned her B.A. in Communication from the University of San Francisco and her M.S. in Environmental Education from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Katie began wholistic wellbeing studies in 1980, began studying Yoga in 1992 and continues her passion for these studies to this day.

Katie has had a lifelong love of Nature and our relationship and connection with the natural world, ourselves, and each other. She has worked as a Park Ranger / Naturalist for 10+ years at Rocky Mountain and Grand Canyon National Parks.

Currently Katie is crafting a new business, balancing her life as Creative Being, Partner, and new Mom with her Life Work as Facilitator/Naturalist. She offers individual and group sessions and retreats in the fields of Nature Connection, Creativity, Yoga and Wellbeing (Body/Mind/Heart/Spirit). Katie’s passion is to celebrate the Good — the gentleness, strength, kindness, peace, and truth in others, herself and the world. She loves to surround herself with people who choose this uplifting, life-affirming perspective.

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed on this Web site are not necessarily those of CreativeRefuge.com and are not medical advice. Please consult your doctor prior to making any changes to your existing diet or exercise regimen.

To Top