CAT PANTALEO
 
 

CAT PANTALEO

Ecopsychologist, Certified Herbalist and Nature & Forest Therapy Guide

 
 
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cat pantaleo

Cat holds a Masters degree in Ecopsychology, is a Holistic Practitioner and Wellness Educator with 23 years of professional experience assisting people to achieve optimal physical and emotional health.  Masterfully weaving together her skills as an Ecotuner, Certified Herbalist, Nutritionist, Nature and Forest Therapy Guide, and practitioner of Nonviolent Communication, she offers a diverse and invaluable array of offerings designed to facilitate resilience, restoration and deep nourishment for body, mind and spirit. From private consultations, to plant walks, wellness classes and nature immersion experiences, her intention is to empower people to co-create optimal wellness for themselves and their communities, and restore respect and reciprocity between humans and the natural world. She believes that when humans are healthy of mind, body and spirit, connected to oneself, each other and the Earth, there is immense potential for reawakening our innate human capacity for caring and cooperation - essential for a truly sustainable future in which all life flourishes.

To read a brief interview of my story and world view, which informs my approach to health, wellness and life, Click HERE

 
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Approach to Health

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.
— John Muir

I believe that health is more than being free of disease – it is a process through which we lead a positive, constructive life with purpose.  I approach optimal health and wellness with openness, compassion and curiosity, understanding that the journey is one in which learning, growth and self-exploration are essential components. With a foundation in Holism and Vitalism, I see each individual as a whole being capable of restoring balance, and promoting emotional, physical and spiritual wellness.  

I facilitate the movement toward robust health with a combination of salubrious strategies, including education, optimal nutrition, botanical medicine, mindfulness, and connection to self, others and nature.  With intention and consistency, this approach leads ultimately to the harmonization of rhythm between the individual and their environment, a profound sense of belonging and a truly sustainable, healthy lifestyle.

 
 

“With Cat as a guide, I was able to really connect deeply with myself.”

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“Cat gives you the gift of slowing down to the pace of the natural world so that we may attune ourselves to the quiet voices of the land”.

 
 

Areas of Expertise

Pasque Flower, Anemone pulsatilla

Pasque Flower, Anemone pulsatilla

 

After 23 years as a holistic practitioner, Cat has refined and honed her expertise in the following areas:

Stress and anxiety
Anxiety has reached epidemic proportions in the US, with an estimated 40 million adults suffering from the disorder; almost 20% of the adult population. Utilizing a combination of modalities, Cat works with individuals who present with both short term and long term stress and anxiety. Learning effective, doable strategies for minimizing stress and increasing adaptive capacity, Cat often sees dramatic results in people experiencing a more relaxed and peaceful existence.

Resilience
Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulty and challenge; and the capacity to withstand stressors without succumbing to psychological dysfunction. Through education, maximizing nutrient status, utilization of traditional botanicals, and incorporating simple mindfulness practices in nature, Cat assists people in building resilience. The results include increasing overall vitality and vigor and maximizing each individual’s capacity to navigate life’s challenges with grace and fortitude.

Inflammation
Inflammation is a normal, physiological response to injury and irritation that under normal circumstances, promotes healing. Modern day lifestyles, diet and pollution cause inflammation beyond that which the body can adequately manage, leading to ill health. Modern medical research shows that every dis-ease, whether short term or chronic, includes inflammation as a foundational contributing component. Thus, minimizing inflammation is a primary focus of health optimization. Through optimal nutrition, botanicals and nutraceuticals, in combination with mindfulness practices in nature, the body’s natural inflammatory response normalizes, resulting in an overall reduction in dis-ease.

Nature Connection
There are volumes of research supporting the benefit of spending time in nature for both human and planetary health. Leading nature immersion experiences for adults, youth and families is an aspect of Cat’s work that brings immense joy and meaning to both her and participants. She delights in sharing the beauty, wonders and healing potential of Nature in a playful, meaningful and reverent way.

Field Botany
Learning how to identify plants is a birth right – empowering people to learn medicinal attributes and edibility of our green allies, and more importantly, to deepen their knowledge of and connection to place. Cat shares her deep and expansive knowledge about how to identify plants in a fun, engaging and unique way. In addition to a focus on taxonomy and plant families, she utilizes and teaches ancient practices that tune participants into their intuition and a deep knowing that is already present.

 
 

Vision

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Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that.  Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
— Howard Thurman

My life is in service to promoting a world in which people are less anxious, more relaxed, caring and alive. A world in which humans are connected to their innate gifts and compassionate nature, remembering that all life is sacred and that everyone has something of value to offer.  When people are healthy, vibrant, and connected to their purpose, it paves the way to restoring respectful and reciprocal relationships with all beings that are vital for a truly sustainable future and healthy planet.