About Face Kate Marlene

Somewhere there is a mugshot of me after I got arrested at a house party in Seattle when I was 20. There is also a picture of me graduating law school a few years later. Both of these pictures tell a story, and both are true. But how do I make meaning from these stories and these truths? What do these stories tell me about myself and my life?
In this solo episode, I'm talking about how I have come to understand the power of storytelling, identity, and how we can use narrative in harnessing potential and creating our lives. 
In this episode I cover:
How our stories about self define who we are and who we are becoming The difference between stories and beliefs How narrative helped me heal and improve my sense of self.  How stories shape our beliefs and potential How we can help our kids tell better stories about themselves How to improve the way we see ourselves and the narrative arc of our lives. For more information about sessions, you can reach me at www.restoryatherapy.com
IG: katemarleo
kate@restoryatherapy.com
Join my Patreon for extra content: www.patreon.com/katemarlene

"Just because someone is related, doesn't mean they love you," can be a difficult idea to accept, but recognizing that family relations don't always serve us can be empowering. 
Family estrangement is a taboo topic and those of us who have had to go no contact with famly members never make the decision lightly. Kate speaks with break-up coach and family estrangement expert, Janice Formichella about her own experience severing from the LDS church and the difficult decision to go no contact with toxic family members, including her parents. 
In addition to sharing their own stories of family estrangement, this episode also covers:
Dealing with events, including weddings and funerals Light versions of no-contact Setting boundaries with family members Keeping a record or narrative of events  How family dynamics mirror our relationship with self Academic research and resources on family estrangement  Kate Marlene
IG: @katemarleo
www.restoryatherapy.com
kate@restoryatherapy.com
Janice Formichella
IG: JaniceFormichella
www.breakupspod.com
 
Music: Always on My Mind by Marbert Rocel
 
 

When it comes to texting- I am the worst! I have a history of sending break-up texts, having serious conflicts by text message, and trying to communicate my emotional reactions and needs by text message. 
The thing is- we don't get anywhere by dumping on others through text message. We lose nuance, accountability, and the opportunity for conflict resolution.
In this episode, I talk about my own history of being a bad communicator by text message, how I learned to (eeek!) call instead of text, and some thoughts on the relationship between text messaging, people pleasing, and conflict avoidance.
Texting can go wrong--and fast. Try to make it a practice to avoid serious conversations by text and you will improve your own anxiety around texting as well as your capacity to resolve conflict with your partner, friends, family, and colleagues. 

I started this podcast after my own 'rock bottom' story and recovery journey, really in effort to capture the essence of personal growth and transformation coming out of darkness. But, what if there is no rock bottom? 
What if you simply feel, or hear a voice deep down that tells you ... something isn't right?
'Rock bottom’ stories can be inspiring, they do not always capture the very normative experiences of burnout, feelings of disconnect, and a lack of purpose, particulary at mid-life. And, how do we define mid-life? Could it be, not a number, but rather a point in life to look back, reflect, and create transformation in our next phase?
In this episode, I interviewed author Ben Katt, about his new book, "The Way Home: Discovering the Hero's Journey to Wholeness at Midlife," which captures the personal  transformation of someone who “lost his heart” but not in the most cinematic rock bottom ways we are accustomed to encountering. As he intros his book, there are countless ways to lose your heart, and he offers a guide to find your heart, and your way home. 
Ben Katt is a meditation teacher and spiritual coach. He weaves personal experience, spiritual wisdom, and mythology, following the hero’s journey to inspire a path from isolation to belonging, securtity to surrender and conformity to wildness. 
Kate Marlene
IG: @katemarleo
www.restoryatherapy.com
 
Ben Katt 
IG: @akabenkatt
www.benjaminkatt.com
 
 
 
 
 
 

I wanted to share a difficulty that I have been struggling with the last month and how I was able to manage some hard, even shameful emotions that came up for me. When my kids' father got sick and ended up in the hospital for the last month I had to accept my new role as a single mom, without the help of a co-parent.
In this episode I discuss the stages of grief I went through, including some anger and resentment that I was not proud of. I also discuss the shift I was able to make from fear and anger towards service, an old recovery tool that helped give me perspective on my loss and how I can focus my attention on the needs of others. 
Email me at kate@restoryatherapy.com
For more about my narrative work and to work with me: www.restoryatherapy.com
Art, exhibitions, and products: www.katemarlene.com
Facebook: Kate Marlene/Restorya
IG: @katemarleo
 

Love stories captivate all of us, but how do narratives of love influence how we date, make meaning, and tell our own stories? What do we look for in the love stories of our own lives and how do larger narratives about love influence how we pursue and experience romance?
In this episode, I interview Olivia de Recat, author, illustrator, and cartoonist for the New Yorker. Her book Drawn Together was named one of the best books of the Year by the New Yorker in 2022. This book was absolutely beautiful, truly hilarious, and a vulnerable look at romantic love stories in all shapes  It’s a collection of illustrated love stories, but also a kind of memoir that looks at Olivia’s relationship to love and relationships. I wanted to talk to her about her book, and how relationships are shaped by the love stories we know and tell.
Kate
IG @katemarleo
www.restoryatherapy.com
Find Olivia 
IG @drawingolive
www.oliviaderecat.com