BeLovedNow Dynamic Duo
Meet Rev. Laura Young & Rev. Cathy Whelehan
Rev. Laura Young and Rev. Cathy Whelehan are co-founders of BeLovedNow, a growing community of women supporting each other in embodied practice, compassionate communication. and spiritual growth. BeLovedNow offers a 12 week online program of healing and empowerment, a BeLoved Graduate Immersion Year, in-person workshops, and annual Retreats in Costa Rica. All of the BeLovedNow offerings are grounded in embodied practice of 12 Guiding Spiritual Principles. BLN practices include meditation, journalling, compassionate communication techniques, breath work, co-listening, and ritual/ceremony for trauma recovery and transformation. These Be-ing practices are emotional fluidity tools to live in alignment with core soul values for a passionately engaged life.
Their work together is a rich coalescence of decades of education, training and lived experience, guiding hundreds of people home to their hearts and their own blessed knowing. They are both ordained Interfaith-Interspiritual Ministers with a focus on spiritual counseling; E-RYT 500 trained teachers of yoga and meditation; and Independent Ampcoil Ambassadors, amplifying wellness and support through chronic illness.
Reverend Cathy Whelehan
Rev. Cathy Whelehan is a Spiritual Guide and Co-Founder of BeLovedNow, a healing and empowerment program based on 12 Guiding Spiritual Principles for the humble mastery of life’s challenges. As an ordained Interfaith Minister, Spiritual Counselor, E-RYT 500 certified yoga teacher, Independent AmpCoil Ambassador, and chronic Lyme Thriver, Cathy has companioned and empowered hundreds through processes of recovery from chronic illness and life’s challenges. Her superpower is to guide others in embodying the gift of their own life through spiritual practice, self care and healing in community. Rev. Cathy is also the Owner of Open Sky Yoga Barn in Redding CT where she has taught yoga, meditation, restorative practices and led workshops and retreats since 2010. Cathy currently runs a healing sanctuary at OSYB where clients receive AmpCoil sessions relieving symptoms due to chronic
auto-immune and Lyme disease, as well as promoting physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. An Airbnb Superhost of 4 years, she offers serene accommodations above the yoga studio where folks can retreat and renew.
More about Rev. C.
Cathy is a mom of three, two in college and one ready to leave the nest. She companioned her two oldest children and herself through chronic lyme and autoimmune challenges for 18 years, and through trial and error she learned tools and skills of empowerment and healing. Cathy has a BA in Russian Language/Russian Area Studies and Theology from Georgetown University. She volunteered teaching English for a year in Namibia following the country’s independence from South Africa. Cathy eventually made her way to Antioch University where she completed a M.Ed and received her Waldorf Teaching Certification. In partnership with her husband Scott and many other brave souls she helped build the Housatonic Valley Waldorf School in Newtown CT, where she created and implemented the Teacher Search and Development Programs which continue to thrive today.
Ministry Vows
Come My Beloved, Be with me now in my heart.
It is here that I surrender myself into your sacred service and commit my life to the embodiment of truth, love and joy through an ever-deepening and expanding relationship with You.
I vow: To consciously breathe, listen and smile into the silent stillness of the sacred pause, bathing in gratitude with all of creation.
I promise: To courageously companion myself and others on this healing-life journey with humility, humor, compassion, forgiveness and Grace.
And to return to my soul’s song and dance and Love remembering our wholeness & oneness with ALL that is…
I am Blessed. I am Free.
Praise for Cathy
“I have been playing hide and seek with my soul my whole life. Rarely have I allowed myself or anyone else to glimpse the true light of my soul. Cathy's loving presence provided safe, blessed space immediately which allowed me to feel comfortable enough to tell her anything. Cathy had insight not only into my heart, but the 'trifecta' of body, mind and spirit. Rarely have I seen such innate understanding of the interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit which allows for greater healing than any one of those individual approaches. All of this wrapped in unconditional love and acceptance. I feel so very blessed to have said "yes" to this path, and equally blessed that Cathy was placed on the path to walk with me as guide, companion, and teacher. She is a unique healer.”
— Mary K.
“I was in the worst possible shape physically, emotionally and spiritually than I had ever been in my life. I was 54 years old, going through a divorce, unable to work and my 3 kids and me were suffering from Lyme Disease. Cathy was the only person I had met that had actually been through a similar struggle. There was no judgment whatsoever from her, just love and acceptance. She met me where I was, took my hand, literally, and walked me step by step through the journey back to health. Cathy taught me how to change my thinking, get back in touch with my higher self, develop healthier habits and most importantly, how to rescue myself. I trusted her because she knew how to turn those messes into miracles!”
— Amy S.
“Cathy Whelehan has been a great friend, teacher, guide, spiritual counselor and a source of hope and joy - she has been helping me in my quest to see my life and my world as a gift and not a burden. I have struggled with PTSD and negative thoughts for most of my life and I am learning new techniques to resolve some issues that have held me back, particularly around grief, surrender, acceptance and positivity. Her generosity of spirit and loving kindness has helped to keep me going, even in times of tremendous crisis.”
— Catherine D.
Reverend Laura Young
Reverend Laura Young is a Spiritual Guide and Co-Founder of BeLovedNow, a healing and empowerment program based on 12 Guiding Spiritual Principles for humble mastery of life’s challenges. Rev. Laura is an ordained Interfaith Minister, Spiritual Counselor, Independent AmpCoil Ambassador, and E-RYT 500 certified yoga teacher. She has been clean and sober for over 15 years and this wealth of experience has led her to realize this essential truth: “everyone is recovering from something”. Grounded in 12 step recovery, steeped in yogic philosophy and world wisdom traditions, her Spiritual Counseling approach comes from decades of personal transformation work and experience assisting others to find their authentic path to healing and self-empowerment.
Laura has guided hundreds towards deep turnarounds to new levels of realization. Her unique superpowers of loving presence, true discernment and fierce compassion guide the courageous on the soul’s journey of healing and awakening.
More about Rev. Laura
Laura attended UVM as an Environmental Studies major for three years, at which point she took an extended gap year at the University of Life. This led to a 20 year career in international corporate finance, managing teams to create and implement training and development programs for a large Fortune 500 company. She proudly completed her undergraduate degree with summa cum laude honors in 2010, and participated in a social service masters degree program at Fordham University. Laura trained in counseling for domestic violence and sexual assault with the Women’s Center of Greater Danbury, volunteering for 2 years as a hotline counselor. She inspires others from her truth as a Thriver of a generational family system of abuse and addiction. Laura embraces this beautifully broken path of self-love and acceptance as the guiding principle of her offering in the world. One of her most precious and joyful gifts in this life is to be a mom to her beloved daughter in college.
Ministry Vows
Beloved
Come, make a home in my heart and Be with me. I breathe in, and know we are One.
I vow: To trust my inner knowing with fearless love, act with fierce compassion and Bless My Largeness.
I am an offering of Love and Truth. With openhearted willingness I use my superpowers of discernment, integrity and presence to guide others into their own blessed knowing.
I remember that I am Free, Sovereign and Wholly Sufficient unto Myself.
I am a conduit of Grace Herself and my life is a Blessing.
Praise for Laura
“Laura is LOVE, ACCEPTANCE and WISDOM! I have been working with, and practicing yoga with Laura for over seven years. She reads the human spirit and lifts you up from a place that sometimes you do not even realize or understand you’re in. Laura’s heart and soul have been attuned to me and I’m grateful that with her intuition, compassion and support she has led me to healing through physical practices, the breathing game and the amazing spiritual understanding she brings to life. Love and peace.”
— Jane M.
“I have been sitting with Laura for almost a year now. Our time together has helped me look deeper into the "why" of my actions and reactions. She has helped me quiet my busy mind and better control my negative thoughts. Being in Laura's presence is very comforting, and she leads our time together based on how I am feeling right at that moment to unlock the mental and physical. This opens a path of exploration of both past and present. I have discovered that fear, mostly irrational, is one of the main reasons I am not living a full and compassionate life. Working with Laura has opened the door to feel the “now” of my thoughts and actions and then to stop in these moments reflect and think about what the possibilities and opportunities could be to make a shift in attitude and motion. I have a long way to go, but I credit my time with Laura by giving me the tools to make changes and build a better foundation on how to approach each day with myself and others.”
— Marie M.
“Laura is a precious gift to me. She ushered me through a dark period with her rare love. Laura witnessed my pain and held me in a space that allowed for a deep dive into myself, a new and frightening place inside that ultimately unlocked me from deep wounds. Innately, I knew it was imperative to break through my fear in order to thrive and to touch this place in my emotional body. It was with Laura safely holding me energetically that I was able to allow this profound inward journey. I have profound gratitude, and have found a great friend and confidante. XOS”
— Sue C.