Reflecting on her own childhood, Kathy Kelley had loving parents, but was never taught how to express and process "negative" feelings. As a result, she suppressed many of them, feeling shame and guilt when she felt anything but positive emotions. She became a mother at the age of twenty-one but lost her own mother two years later.

Heartbroken, and working at a soul-destroying job she could not afford to leave, Kathy became deeply depressed. Happiness was elusive—something she had always been waiting for. One day, she admitted to herself that she was angry and sad. She was frustrated by how reactive she was, and regretful about her lack of patience with her son. She hated who she had become. Looking back, Kathy saw that she had not been equipped to teach her son how to process thoughts and emotions in a healthy way, and had instead passed on her unsuccessful coping strategies.

Kathy had her second son sixteen years after her first, with a lot of self-development and learning in between. As the result of a mindfulness journey lasting over a decade, Kathy now feels very positive about life and the future. Becoming a mother again has given her the chance to not only share what she has learned with both of her sons, but also help parents and children to acknowledge and deal with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings in a healthy way through meditation.

Kathy lives in Alberta, Canada.