Cathy Woodyard
Personally
Warm, creative, caring — all are words to describe Cathy, founder of A Sheltering Tree. Nothing brings her more joy or life than creating — whether that is a retreat, a page in her journal, a painting, or a new recipe. Cathy loves nature and travel and has a strong, life-long connection to trees (her mother was an Oaks, she is a Wood Yard, and the beauty of changing leaves sends her soul soaring).
Professionally
Cathy is a counselor and a teacher. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has been in private practice in McKinney for over thirty years. As a teacher, she has taught on the high school, community college, and university levels and has led workshops and retreats throughout the United States.
Education
Cathy is a life-long learner, seeking new creative techniques to bring to her practice. Cathy received a BS and MS in English from West Texas State University. This prepared her for her years of teaching high school and college English. In 1987 she moved to Texas A&M–Commerce where she began her studies to become a counselor. She obtained a doctorate in counseling and became a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) .
Author
One of Cathy's goals has been to write children's books. At this time she has completed "Don't Ya?" available on Amazon. {https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1670058646/ref=ppx yo dt b search asin image?ie=UTF8&psc=1) It is a beautifully illustrated book addressing body acceptance and self love.
Her Joys
Cathy has many joys, beginning with travel with her husband Jim, being greeted by Simon and Trixie. She cherishes conversations with long-time friends, "Cousins Week with family, and monthly meeting on-line with her book club. Her soul is filled by catching sight of a soaring hawk or a visiting deer, experiencing the holiness of life's process, or sitting on the rocks of Whitehead Island in Maine. She has also learned to appreciate moments of silence and aloneness and finds them necessary for her spiritual growth.