Inspiring Women in Wellness: Kate Van Horn
Inspiring Women in Wellness is an interview series highlighting strong women that have stepped into their light and looked within to find their inner strength.
In honor of International Yoga Day and the Summer Solstice this past Friday, I’m excited to feature yoga instructor, blogger, and multi-passionate entrepreneur Kate Van Horn.
Kate’s wellness journey
Co-founder of The GOOD Festival, Kate shares her message of radical self-love and connecting with your intuition through meditation, yoga, retreats, and powerful wellness events founded on the concept of authentic community. She’s dedicated to empowering others with the truth that each of has a unique story that contains a beautiful path of self-discovery – a mission inspired by her own journey in overcoming childhood trauma and anorexia.
“Because of my trauma and the chaos I experienced as a child, I had a very difficult time trusting others and being vulnerable,” says Kate. “It felt unsafe to let others in my space – and in fear of being hurt again, I hurt others first.”
Kate’s work with a therapist for her eating disorder played a pivotal role in her journey, particularly when she realized that she was attaching her worth to her ability to maintain control in this space.
“I told my therapist I was holding onto anorexia because I believed it was the “only thing I’m good at.” I sat with this answer after our session, and prayed that wasn’t the truth,” says Kate. “I think in that moment I started to choose recovery and be more willing to do the work for myself to be healthy and happy again.”
Tools for Healing and EXPANSION
As Kate continued down her own path of healing and self-discovery, she found yoga, writing, and photography as tools for creative expression and expansion. Eventually, she decided to become a full-time entrepreneur with her personal brand and the first GOOD Fest in Philadelphia.
“When standing on stage, newly self-employed, and looking at 350 women who believed in the community I was trying to build, I was in awe,” says Kate. “And overcome with gratitude.”
During her second yoga teacher training with her mentor, Kate realized there was still a missing piece in her “why” as she continued to cultivate an impactful business and wellness community. After her teacher asked her to identify where she felt stagnancy in her energy body, Kate knew that it was her heart chakra that needed to be nurtured.
“That was when I knew I had more to speak up about and share, and more to gain from vulnerability and heart work,” says Kate. “It was after that moment that I shared openly about experiencing childhood sexual abuse on my platform and felt a relief like never before.”
Connecting with our intuition through self-awareness
Kate’s focus on mindful and intuitive movement led her to develop the (in)BODY Class, an immersive experience designed to release the emotional tension that we hold in our bodies through vinyasa yoga and intervals of cardio, strength, and intensity. She highlights dance and free flowing movement as well meditation and stillness as powerful practices that help her connect with her intuition.
“Intuition to me is synonymous with trust. We all have it,” says Kate. “It’s just our ability to trust all that our bodies, souls, and hearts already know. The fearlessness to listen.”
And sometimes we need to intentionally drown out the noise in today’s hectic modern world to truly hear what our inner voice is trying to tell us. Kate finds that travel, spending time in nature, and carving out space away from her typical routine and environment helps her tune in – an important practice when it comes to manifesting the life of your dreams.
“I manifest often and fairly easily, and I feel so lucky to know I can and am safe to receive. But it hasn’t always been that way,” says Kate.
CHANNELING OUR POWER TO SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
She has found that free writing and journaling “will statements” to the universe has been a powerful catalyst for manifestation – essentially journaling what she wants to manifest as non-negotiable declarations.
“Last year I manifested a healing retreat and travel opportunity to come through to a very special place I had not been in many years. I knew I needed to return because it was a place that reminded me of a very difficult period of my life,” says Kate. “To have the opportunity to go there with a completely different outlook was tremendously healing."
From her own personal experience, Kate emphasizes that true healing can only come when we are willing to embark upon the path of self-discovery – something she strives to facilitate for everyone she serves.
“My hope, intention, mission and vision with my work is to normalize the mess in all of us,” says Kate. “The messiness of our stories and the imperfections that shape us and differentiate us all.”
Above all else, Kate seeks to infuse more kindness and compassion into the process of healing, and inspire others with the knowledge that they have the power to change their narrative.
“If the work I do in this lifetime allows more young women to feel their stories are uniquely important and individual to them, I will feel I served.”
Want a chance to learn from Kate firsthand? Consider signing up for her retreat in Costa Rica from November 16 - 21!
For more of Kate’s wisdom and updates on her events and offerings, visit her website and follow her journey on Instagram.
Want to be featured as part of my wellness interview series? Know of an inspiring woman in wellness that would be a great fit? Send me a note with your idea!