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Catherine Roscoe Barr

@catherineroscoebarr

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Neuroscience-based wellness coach guiding high-achieving helping professionals from functional freeze to fully alive. ✨Coaching✨Keynotes✨Retreats✨

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From reactive ➝ responsive.
From overwhelmed ➝ engaged.
From knowing ➝ doing.

I help people feel better now — even in the middle of real life.

If you’re looking for a speaker who delivers mindfulness-based, neuroscience-backed tools your team will actually use, let’s connect.

I don’t just teach wellbeing — I help you activate it.

🎤 Message me to book a call and create real change for your people, not just more information.

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Thank you to the incredible team at @spiro_creative for putting together my new speaker reel 🥰🙏🏼❤️✨ by @catherineroscoebarr

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6 months ago

Functional Freeze is a protective adaptation that keeps us in survival mode, and disconnects us from our aliveness.

High achievers are especially vulnerable to FREEZE.

When our self-worth becomes tied to achievement instead of our inherent worth, we spend our lives trying to earn something we've possessed all along.

This is the paradox: You’ve arrived but don’t feel fully alive.

You keep striving while feeling less and less connected to who you really are.

If you’re ready to THRIVE, the pathway out of freeze is through connection — to ourselves, to others, and to the present moment.

In Part 1 of The Vitality Pathway, we explore these central ideas:

✨ Functional freeze isn't a flaw — it's an adaptation.
It's a protective survival response. Your nervous system is trying to keep you safe, not sabotage you.

✨ Your nervous system is always asking the question: is this safety or threat?
When we feel physically and psychologically safe, we can engage with life. When our nervous system perceives threat, we protect ourselves by fighting, fleeing, freezing, or fawning.

✨ Functional freeze wears many hats.
It can look like overwhelm, perfectionism, procrastination, irritability, exhaustion, hidden depression, low motivation, withdrawal, or simply feeling unable to access joy.

✨ The gap between knowing and doing isn't bridged by more information.
It's bridged by moment-to-moment reconnections to love, safety, presence, pleasure, and purpose.

Small shifts, repeated over time, become a life that feels fully alive.

If you’re curious to learn more about The Vitality Pathway, let's chat — DM me for the link to book our conversation, or find it in my bio ❤️ by @catherineroscoebarr

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2 months ago

It's seriously full-circle for my book to be a #1 Best Seller in Holistic Medicine, as I finished my pre-med degree in neuroscience 23 years ago having decided to pursue health promotion as a holistic wellbeing professional rather than treating disease as a doctor.

There have been so many pinch-me moments in the last 12 days since my book was released. Thank you to everyone for your support!!

Other FEEL BETTER NOW milestones thus far include:

🟢 #1 Hot New Release

🟢 #25 in Happiness

🟢 #40 in Practical & Motivational Self Help

🟢 #52 in Mental Health

To be on the same lists as some of my heroes — @tonyrobbins, @brenebrown, @themarthabeck, @drbeckyatgoodinside, @melrobbins, @gabbybernstein, @hendricks.gay & @jackcanfield_official — is next-level!!!

>>> FEEL BETTER NOW: The Life-Changing Power of Simple Pleasures is available at @amazonca, @amazon, @amazonuk, @amazonaustralia, @indigo, @barnesandnoble, and select independent book sellers.

I cannot wait for you to learn this revolutionary approach to reclaim your wellbeing!!

Visit www.thelifedelicious.ca to sign up for my free weekly wellness newsletter, and to learn more about my:

✨ Corporate Workshops

✨ Keynote Speaking

✨ Wellness Retreats

✨ Online Programs

@pagetwo_books 💕

#wellnesscoach #neuroscience #pleasure #wellness #mindfulness #mindset #gratitude #brainhygiene #neuroplasticity #burnout #sleephygiene #mentalhealth #wellnessretreat #coaching #retreat #resilience #longevity #selfcoaching #greenexercise #naturetherapy #momlife #parenting #relationships #connection #circadianhealth #antisedentaryrevolution by @catherineroscoebarr

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2 years ago

What if the way we interpret stress can actually change how our body experiences it? 🧠

Loved this conversation with @catherineroscoebarr who is a neuroscience-based wellness coach.

When you can learn to harness the power of your mindset and thoughts you can shift so much internally and externally.

When we perceive something as threatening or scary, our body can activate the sympathetic “fight-or-flight” response. Heart rate and blood pressure rise, and blood flow is redistributed as our body prepares to respond to danger.

But when we interpret that same feeling as excitement, challenge, or curiosity, our physiological response can be different. Instead of thinking, “I’m in danger,” we can tell ourselves, “My body is preparing me for something important.”

That shift in our inner dialogue matters.

And this becomes especially important when stress is chronic. When the stress response is repeatedly activated without enough recovery, it can take a significant toll on the body over time — affecting cardiovascular, metabolic, immune, and mental health.

So perhaps the goal isn’t to eliminate stress.
It’s to become more aware of the story we attach to it.

“I’m scared” → “I’m excited.”
“I can’t handle this” → “My body is getting me ready.”
“This is a threat” → “This is a challenge I can meet.”

Our thoughts don’t magically control our physiology, and reframing isn’t a cure-all for chronic stress. But our interpretation, attention, and inner dialogue can influence the way we experience stressful moments.

It’s pretty incredible when you think about it:
the conversation happening inside your head can become part of the conversation happening inside your body. 🤍

What if the next time you feel those butterflies, racing thoughts, or pounding heart, you paused and asked:

“What if this isn’t fear… what if it’s excitement?”

#wellnesspodcast #healthpodcast #podcastclips #mentalhealth #feelbetternow by @catherineroscoebarr

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3 days ago

WOW what a night!! An Intimate Evening with @sophiegregoiretrudeau, presented by @worth.association, moderated by @erintreloar — inspired by Sophie's bestselling book, Closer Together: Knowing Ourselves, Loving Each Other — at @TheArtsClub's Olympic Village Stage!!

I could feel the rapt collective engagement from all of us in the audience as @sophiegregoiretrudeau and @erintreloar explored:
✨ attachment
✨ authenticity
✨ resilience
✨ nervous system regulation

I cannot wait to dig into Sophie's book and learn more!!

Thank you both for your generous hearts and courageous vulnerability!!

These are such important conversations for us to have!!

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The WORTH Association (Women of Recreation, Tourism & Hospitality) is "dedicated to educating, elevating and engaging women working in recreation, tourism and hospitality to collectively move the dial for equality", through events, mentorship, and the WORTH Academy — applications for the Fall 2026 WORTH Academy Single Moms Cohort close tomorrow, September 25.

A special thank you to WORTH Founder & Executive Director @jojagger for everything you do to uplift women in our community!! XO

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📷: @sheena_rose_clarkson, @visionphotogs, and moi, respectively 😊 by @catherineroscoebarr

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3 days ago

Functional freeze looks productive—but feels like survival mode.

Episode 201 of the Divine Health Podcast features guest expert @catherineroscoebarr, who shares insights on functional freeze, rewilding, and how to feel better now.

Catherine is a neuroscience-based wellness coach.

Functional freeze is a protective mechanism that can keep us in survival mode and disconnect us from our aliveness—from truly living.

High achievers can be especially vulnerable because their sense of self-worth can become tied to achievement. They learn to perform, produce, achieve, and care for everyone else. From the outside, everything may look successful and completely in order, while on the inside, they are neglecting themselves.

It can become the opposite of feeling fully alive.

Here are 5 things we can become disconnected from when we shift from feeling fully alive into functional freeze:

1. Safety — A lack of nervous system regulation can leave us feeling like we’re constantly in survival mode.

2. Presence — Being able to slow down, be aware, and notice how things actually make us feel.

3. Pleasure, enjoyment & delight — Allowing ourselves to experience the simple things that bring us joy.

4. Purpose — Asking ourselves: Am I living in alignment with my values?

5. Love — Being able to both give and receive love.

When we reconnect with these parts of ourselves and become more fully alive, we create more capacity to care, serve, connect, and create a life we genuinely enjoy.

Think thrive, not just survive.

I loved this conversation with Catherine. Give her a follow for more wisdom and insights.

And be sure to download and listen to the full episode, there is so much more wisdom in this conversation.

#healthpodcast #wellnesspodcast #functionalfreeze #podcast #nervoussystemregulation by @catherineroscoebarr

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4 days ago

Coming fully alive isn’t always about discovering something new — sometimes it’s about reconnecting with the parts of ourselves that got left behind.

In my 20s, I lived in downtown Toronto, and went out dancing a LOT.

Then we moved to Vancouver’s sleepy Kitsilano, life changed, and I just stopped dancing — until recently!

I've been embraced by the most fiercely loving fabulous feral crew of women who DANCE.

And now I can’t stop — won’t stop — dancing!!

This reawakened part of me is infusing all parts of my life.

These playful, sensual, wild reconnections make me feel unmistakably ALIVE. 🐆🔥

That's what I mean when I talk about moving from functional freeze to fully alive.

You can be functioning beautifully on the outside — working, achieving, caring, parenting, producing — while slowly becoming disconnected from the things that make you feel most like YOU.

The pathway back isn’t about doing more.

It’s about reconnection: to Safety, to Presence, to Pleasure, to Purpose, to LOVE.

Here are 2 journal prompts to explore this in your own life:

👉🏼What parts of you have been unconsciously shelved?

👉🏼What did you used to do that made you feel free, powerful, joyful — ALIVE?

Maybe it’s time to invite that version of you back onto the dance floor. ❤️

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This is the work we do inside The Vitality Pathway — reconnecting with the parts of ourselves that got lost beneath all the responsibility, achievement, and nurturing everyone else.

If you’re ready to feel more like yourself again, book a discovery call with me (via link in bio).

Let’s talk about what coming fully alive could look like for you. ✨ by @catherineroscoebarr

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13 days ago

Time to renovate your inner home? Check out this @timescolonist feature from the archives on my advice to facilitate your next evolution 🤩💕✨ by @catherineroscoebarr

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13 days ago

Vitality is a verb, and the #antisedentaryrevolution is your most powerful practice.

VITALITY: the state of being energized, healthy, and strong.

THE ANTI-SEDENTARY REVOLUTION: a commitment to weaving movement throughout every day.

Here are 3 ways to EMOBODY vitality via MOVEMENT:

✨ MOVE MORE OFTEN.

Don’t save movement for just your workouts — walk to work, stretch while you wait for the kettle to boil, take the stairs, twist between zooms, and dance in your living room!

✨ BUILD YOUR CAPACITY.

Challenge your body in ways that build strength, endurance, mobility, and confidence.

✨ MAKE IT DELICIOUS.

Choose ways of moving that you genuinely enjoy — and/or find ways to make it more pleasurable (with music, friends, fresh air, and cute workout clothes).

MOVEMENT is a powerful way to reduce the negative effects of stress on your wellbeing, and take your vitality to the next level.

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Do you want help committing to the #antisedentaryrevolution and experiencing greater VITALITY?

Book a free discovery call with me, via link in bio, to learn more about The Vitality Pathway — my neuroscience-based coaching program for high-achieving helping professionals who want to shift from functional freeze to fully alive. by @catherineroscoebarr

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18 days ago

I had such a juicy conversation with @fionawalshcoaching on the Limitless podcast about something I’ve been fascinated by for decades:

🤯 Why can we know exactly what supports our wellbeing — and still struggle to actually DO it?

🔥 And, what happens when we move beyond doing the things that help us feel better to actually BEING someone who feels more peaceful, joyful, vital, connected and fully alive?

Fiona and I went deep into neuroscience, nervous system regulation, self-coaching, love, pleasure, connection — and my own evolution from a deeply unhappy 20-something who knew all the “right” things but wasn’t living them, to the deeply content and joyful person I am today.

A few threads we explore:

✨ Why more information might actually be keeping you stuck — and why one minute of consistent ACTION can be more transformative than endlessly learning what you “should” be doing.

✨ Why exhaustion, overwhelm, and low motivation aren’t always a willpower problem — and how functional freeze can leave high-achieving people outwardly functioning while inwardly disconnected from themselves.

✨ The five forms of disconnection I believe sit beneath so much burnout and unhappiness: Love, Safety, Pleasure, Presence and Purpose — and why reconnecting with them can help us move from surviving to feeling fully alive.

One of my favourite reminders from our conversation:

🙌🏼 You don’t have to overhaul your life to change it.

💥 Small, intentional, consistent acts of care can begin shifting how you feel — and, over time, who you become.

💕 This is also the heart of The Vitality Pathway, my neuroscience-based coaching program for high-achieving helping professionals who are tired of functioning their way through life and ready to come FULLY ALIVE.

☎️ If this conversation hits close to home and you’d like support moving from functional freeze to fully alive, book a complimentary discovery call with me via the link in my bio.

✨ Listen to my conversation with Fiona on Limitless — on @youtube and @spotify — and please let me know what lands for you! by @catherineroscoebarr

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19 days ago

September!! It's got January's fresh-start vibes, with less pressure and more sunshine!!

But this September’s invitation isn’t, “What do I need to change about myself?”

It’s “Where have I become disconnected from what brings me fully alive?”

It's about reconnecting with the parts of yourself that have been lost along the way.

For high-achieving helping professionals — the people who are incredibly capable at showing up for everyone else, while quietly becoming disconnected from themselves — this is especially important.

You’re functioning. Performing. Achieving. Caring. Getting shit done.

But you don’t feel like YOU.

This is functional freeze: a state of surviving rather than feeling fully alive.

The pathway out is NOT another self-improvement project.

It’s RECONNECTION:

✨ to Pleasure — giving yourself permission to experience joy, delight, play, and aliveness without having to earn it first.

✨ to Presence — reconnecting with the present moment instead of constantly rushing toward the next thing.

✨ to Purpose — remembering what matters to you beneath the expectations, obligations, and endless to-do lists.

✨ to Safety — learning to feel at home in your body and build a loving relationship with your nervous system.

✨ to Love — reconnecting with yourself and the people who matter most from a place of inherent worth, rather than achievement.

This is The Vitality Pathway — From Functional Freeze to Fully Alive.

It’s a neuroscience-based pathway for high-achieving helping professionals who are ready to bridge the gap between knowing what supports their wellbeing and actually doing it — to reclaim your energy, enjoyment, connection, and capacity for a rich, meaningful life.

Because feeling fully alive isn’t something you have to earn.

The people you love don’t need more of your sacrifice.

They need more of your ALIVENESS.

If this speaks to something you’ve been feeling, I’d love to talk.

Book a discovery call with me — via link in bio — to explore whether The Vitality Pathway is the right next step for you.

P.S. Where's your favourite place to skinny dip? This peak cannonball experience: Whistler’s Lost Lake clothing optional dock 💦 by @catherineroscoebarr

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20 days ago

9 years ago, I was growing a human — and, as always, committed to the #antisedentaryrevolution.

This photo was taken when I was pregnant with my daughter, for a @bcliving article I wrote about pre- and postnatal fitness at @formbodylab.

At the time, I’d already spent nearly twenty years in the wellness world.

I knew movement mattered.

But motherhood has taught me something much deeper about self-care:

💕 Taking care of yourself is part of taking care of the people you love.

Movement has never just been about fitness for me.

It’s one of the rituals that helps me come home to myself — moving stress through my body, shifting my mood, clearing my mind, and giving me greater capacity to show up for the people I love.

But parenthood can make self-care feel harder than ever.

There’s always someone who needs something, and it becomes incredibly easy to put yourself at the bottom of the list.

❤️ But the people we love don’t need more of our sacrifice. They need more of our aliveness.

And caring for ourselves doesn’t have to be perfect or time-consuming.

A short walk. A quick workout. Going to bed instead of doing one more thing. Eating something nourishing. Taking one slow breath before responding.

💚 Every second of self-care is significant.

Our wellbeing isn’t something we earn after everyone else has been taken care of.

It’s what gives us the capacity to care, connect, contribute — and enjoy the beautiful life we’ve worked so hard to create.

Nine years after becoming a mother, I believe this more strongly than ever.

😍 I care deeply about people who provide care — it’s a huge part of why I created The Vitality Pathway: A Journey From Functional Freeze to Fully Alive.

☎️ If you’ve become very good at taking care of everyone and everything except yourself, I’d love to talk.

✨ Book a discovery call through the link in my bio. by @catherineroscoebarr

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a month ago