We had the good fortune of connecting with Katrina Dorow and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katrina, what inspires you?
Throughout my life I have met phenomenal people who have ignited a spark in me to radiate or share my inner wisdom and authenticity. My life has been blessed with extraordinary mentors, and I am grateful to have access to fabulous books that are uplifting and inspiring. The mentors who have inspired me most include my mother Carol Calkins, Rev. Vicky Jeter, Cathy Hawk from Clarity® International, and Melisa Pearce from Touched by a Horse®. What do these dynamic women have in common other than mentoring me? They see the light, wholeness, and potential in other people. They are grounded in their truth, in alignment with their values, and they inspire and lift up others to expand into greatness.

My mother Carol Calkins inspired me to become a Spiritual Practitioner RScP by standing in her love, authenticity, and creating opportunities for me to learn meditation and prayer. Carol raised me in the Science of Mind teaching, encouraged me to learn visualization, guided imagery, meditation, and spiritual mind treatment (a form of prayer). In 2009, I licensed as a Spiritual Practitioner RScP. Carol expresses her authenticity through her heart centered poetry and as an author. She encouraged me to explore my authentic gifts and explore the wisdom within me. I am grateful to have had a mother who is creative, encouraging, and supportive of my exploration of life.

Throughout my career as a Spiritual Practitioner RScP, I have had Rev. Vicky Jeter as my mentor. Our mentorship started in 2010 with regular phone based Spiritual Practitioner sessions. Rev. Vicky Jeter has taught me how to deepen my spiritual practices, strengthen my spiritual leadership, challenge beliefs that are not serving me, and create an expansive consciousness.

My Clarity® mentor, Cathy Hawk, is a model example of using our personal field to live “lights-on” with clarity and positive thinking. In 2007, I started my training and journey with Cathy Hawk from Clarity® International. I have become a certified Clarity® Faculty Member and am honored to share these gifts and tools with my clients. The Clarity® Tools designed by Cathy have changed my thoughts, choices, and created the foundation for good in my life.

Another incredible mentor is Melisa Pearce from Touched by a Horse®. Melisa provided me with one of the greatest gifts of my life, not including my husband and two children. It wasn’t until I started the certification journey to become Equine Gestaltist™ that I truly learned that imperfection is a pathway to self-discovery. Rather than striving for an unattainable ideal of perfection, I began to shift my focus to embracing my imperfections as opportunities for awareness, self-discovery, and personal growth. My imperfections started allowing me to flow into alignment, wholeness, and be who I truly am. By recognizing the inherent beauty and potential in my flaws, I opened myself up to a journey of self-exploration and transformation.

Gestalt taught me to celebrate baby steps of progress and learn deep self-compassion for myself and others. With self-compassion and truly authentic self-acceptance, I cultivated a deep sense of wholeness and began embracing all aspects or parts of myself, including my perceived imperfections. Melisa Pearce from Touched by a Horse® defines wholeness as Gestalt. Wholeness (noun) a state of forming a complete and harmonious whole – unity. When a person has personal awareness of all of their parts of self, they are responsive, not reactionary.

Gestalt is a German word loosely translated to mean “wholeness”. Fritz Perls, the psychoanalyst who coined the term Gestalt therapy, understood that we could not be truly whole if we did not know the different parts of self and their synergy in our personality. Wholeness of self in the present moment is the keystone of Gestalt. Gestalt is a way of life in which we focus on the experience of “now,” referred to as the present moment.

Manely Divine celebrates the “Gift of the Present.” Manely Divine focuses on trusting the process to create connection and wholeness of the gift of the present moment with gratitude, compassion, and awareness. My mentors created the foundation of who I have become which is the basis of my business Manely Divine. My life experiences, mentors, and clients taught me to become an incredible coach that is present, heart-felt, intuitive, and guides the journey of transformation utilizing the wisdom and gifts within my clients. I believe that my clients hold the answers and wisdom within themselves. Throughout life, we all have experiences that occur that cause us to shift out of alignment. Many of us get used to living out of alignment and adopt beliefs, behaviors, and habits that keep us out of alignment. Gestalt resolves those areas of misalignment allowing clients to release past hurts and wound effectively. Gestalt is an experience of “Awareness” that allows clients to become empowered.

There are many lessons I’ve learned from my wonderful mentors and the educational endeavors I have pursued. There are also many insights I’ve gained from working with my clients. Many of them I have seen over the years start our session in a disempowered place due to exhaustion, a tragic life circumstance, or a pattern of behavior that is sabotaging their good. These same clients transition into empowerment and leave feeling energized with new insights. As a coach, Licensed Practitioner RScP, Clarity® Faculty Member, and Certified Equine Gestaltist™, I strive to create a safe environment for self-discovery and self-compassion. I am not in the business of giving advice or telling my clients what to do, rather I am present with my clients and observe, ask questions, and allow the client to explore what is going on within themselves in a safe environment.

I see my clients as whole, resourceful, and capable. I see the magnificent potential in my clients and know that clients come to me to discover self-compassion, express emotions that have been trapped in their body, or to change habits or behaviors that developed as a strategy to keep the client safe. My clients are often in a state of confusion, emotionally struggling, have disempowering thoughts or actions, and are ready to leave that baggage behind in order to step into a more blissful state.

I have learned a variety of techniques that have worked for me and so many others. I have combined what I learned as a Licensed Spiritual Practitioner RScP, Certified Equine Gestaltist™, and Clarity® Faculty Member to create my life’s work and business, Manely Divine.

The intention of Manely Divine is to empower individuals on their journey towards connection and wholeness. The mission is to guide clients in trusting the process of life and embracing the precious gift of the present moment. Together, we cultivate gratitude, wholeness, and awareness as essential tools to foster personal growth, resilience, and meaningful connections, ensuring a path towards a more fulfilling and enriched life.

As a young adult, my natural tendency has been to be a giver, nurturer, and caretaker. I learned many difficult lessons due to having flexible boundaries because I didn’t want to hurt others. When I began my Touched by a Horse® journey in the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® course, the book Revolutionary Agreements by Marian Head was assigned. I read and re-read this book, bought the audio version and have continued to listen and re-listen to the content. I started gifting Revolutionary Agreements to family and friends. I found myself recommending this book and audio to anyone who would listen.

While becoming certified as an Equine Gestaltist™, I was delighted to experience healthy agreements being implemented in a community of over 300 people. I’m not saying that I became friends with every student and graduate, or that I like the behavior of every person in the program. What I am saying is that I loved seeing how agreements were honored, and conflicts were resolved in a respectful way. The Touched by a Horse® Certification Program Agreements are highlighted on page 229 of Revolutionary Agreements. It was a phenomenal awareness that creating healthy agreements and boundaries in an organization creates a healthy and sustainable community.

While learning the Revolutionary Agreements, I had to unlearn beliefs around boundaries being unkind and re-establish a knowing that clear agreements create healthy ways to resolve conflict. Every client I have coached in this lifetime has had a variety of backgrounds, experiences, wounds, upbringing, beliefs, and ways of navigating life. Going into any relationship or partnership, assuming that my agreements are in alignment with their agreements without exploring and discussing our expectations is creating instability in future conflict. We all have wounds, triggers, and reactions. Some of us are more aware of those places in us that feel hurt, however; when anyone is exhausted, hungry, stressed, experiencing grief, experiencing emotional, mental, or spiritual challenges, our responses to situations might not come out ideal. We are all allowed to make mistakes. Mistakes help us learn and grow. Sometimes in the learning process, we inadvertently and unknowingly violate another person’s boundaries. In these situations, all the people involved have the potential of getting hurt especially without clear agreements.

Without clear agreements, we can be unaware that our words, actions, or intentions have hit up against someone else’s personal boundary. Without the tools to resolve conflict based on clear agreements, situations can get messy, relationships end, and more wounds are created.

What I learned by reading Revolutionary Agreements is that we can create conscious healthy agreements with our spouse, children, siblings, friends, teams, co-workers, clients, and community. All my clients and groups have a modified set of agreements based on Revolutionary Agreements.

I am grateful to have unlearned and learned the importance of clear communication, clear agreements, and creating healthy boundaries in all areas of my life. I have been inspired by my mentors, clients, and pursuit of knowledge through courses and readings. They each have provided lessons that have benefitted me greatly on my journey both in my professional and personal life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Manely Divine is about living in the present moment, guiding or facilitating others to experience the Gift of the Present while sharing my gifts and encouraging others to share their gifts. Manely Divine offers virtual Spiritual Practitioner sessions, one-on-one virtual Gestalt coaching, Clarity® groups, Get Clarity™ SHIFT workshops, and virtual Gestalt Groups. For our local Colorado community, Manely Divine offers in-person Gestalt and Equine Gestalt® individual and group sessions.

How did I get to from being a coach and Spiritual Practitioner RScP to partnering with horses? From age 8 to 17, I had a beautiful palomino horse named Tiny, who lived at the Flying X Ranch in Wyoming. Tiny was my best friend, my confidant, and my constant companion. As a child, I found peace and comfort in his presence, riding him on countless trail rides, embarking on overnight adventures, and spending endless hours playing together in the pasture. Tiny was strong and tall, his golden coat glistening in the sun, and I felt safe and loved in his presence. It was with Tiny that I first began to feel the healing power of horses.

In 2016, I met my first Equine Gestaltist™ and watched in awe as she partnered with her horse in an experiential process that supported greater awareness and healing. It was in that moment that I realized how powerful horses could be in holding the space for humans. Horses have a gift where they can reveal patterns, that on a deep level, we long to change. Horses live in the present moment and have the gift of supporting humans with coming into alignment with their true selves and heal from within by becoming fully present. I felt a deep pull to explore the Gestalt path and eventually became determined to become an Equine Gestaltist™ myself.

My passion for horses, combined with my background as a coach and Spiritual Practitioner RScP, made this path feel like the perfect next step. Becoming an Equine Gestaltist™ was the ideal way to merge my love for horses with my desire to be in the present moment with others to reveal healing and alignment. I enrolled in the Touched by a Horse® program and began my training under the expert guidance of Melisa Pearce.

The power of the Equine Gestalt process is transformative. One of my first experiences with a horse during an Equine Gestalt session left me speechless. I was asked to be open and vulnerable, to challenge old beliefs and patterns that were holding me back. As I worked with the horse, I attempted to express a new empowering affirmation. But the words got stuck in my throat. I physically couldn’t claim the new truth I was trying to embrace. It wasn’t until tears began to fall that I felt the release. The horse was right there with me, fully present, honoring the depth of my pain. What felt like a lifetime of hurt was expressed in mere moments, and I felt a shift. Finally, the new affirmation came out, but this time with power, confidence, and clarity.

This process allowed me to experience true alignment. It wasn’t just a mental shift; it was a physical, emotional, and spiritual transformation. I began to understand the importance of living in the present moment from the awareness of wholeness. Our bodies speak to us, and when we listen, we experience greater wholeness.
As I continue to work with horses, I am reminded of the power of connection. Horses teach us how to be present, how to listen, and how to embrace wholeness in our own lives. The lessons they offer are beyond words, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work alongside them, empowering others to discover the same healing and alignment that I have found.

Gestalt is a way of life in which we focus on the experience of the present moment. Gestalt is a German word loosely translated to mean “flowing into wholeness.” Gestalt often uses experiential techniques, such as role-playing, dialogue, or creative exercises to explore unresolved issues, improve communication, and break through emotional barriers. One of its key principles is that unresolved issues from the past can affect a person’s present experiences, and addressing these issues in the present moment can lead to healing and growth. It helps individuals achieve clarity, integrate conflicting emotions, and become more present in their lives. This approach fosters personal growth by empowering people to recognize patterns in their behavior and how they relate to others and themselves.

During a typical Equine Gestalt session, the client is encouraged to engage in an experiential experiment and/or a present-moment interaction to access deeper layers of their emotions and beliefs. These sessions are particularly effective for issues such as stress, anxiety, trauma, self-esteem, personal development and help the client to access and express their true emotions to achieve positive change.

Last September, I became a certified Equine Gestaltist™ and am continuing to study as a Master Gestaltist™ trained by Melisa Pearce from Touched by a Horse®. The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® honors the unique bond between horses and humans to empower individuals in gaining deeper self-awareness, heal emotional wounds on a cellular level, and achieve personal growth. The focus of Gestalt is on “here and now” experiences and bringing awareness of unconscious patterns and behaviors. As an Equine Gestaltist™, I empower clients to recognize their limiting beliefs, release emotional blocks, and move towards greater personal alignment, wholeness, and healing. Join Manely Divine in 2025!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As a native of Colorado, there are so many beautiful and amazing places to see and experience. My heart feels most alive and aligned visiting my Equine partners. I would love to share these amazing horses with my best friends and allow them to enjoy the colorful Colorado scenery. Many of my local friends and community own the most beautiful, peaceful horse properties that are a gift to visit. I enjoy walking around the various reservoirs and experience the natural beauty of Colorado. My favorite places in the city to visit are the Denver Art Museum, the Nature and Science Museum, and Wings Over the Rockies. As most tourists are rushing to the mountains to enjoy the slopes, I prefer taking friends to Parker, Colorado because there are great restaurants with beautiful views. In the summer, I love driving down to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
In 2003, after participating in and facilitating numerous self improvement seminars and workshops, I started going into prisons to facilitate experiential anger management techniques. I quickly learned how to facilitate transformation to empower inmates to move beyond their traumas. Although this is not a traditional introduction to coaching, seeing their personal growth was truly rewarding and it reinforced and intensified my passion for coaching.

I was inspired to attend multiple coaching programs where I learned many phenomenal methods and enhanced my coaching skills. I began coaching 20 years ago and realized how valuable the process can be to assist others to release their stories and beliefs that are not working for them. I became aware that by allowing clients to discover insights into themselves, the opportunity for true personal growth occurred.

In 2004, I worked as a coach for the Money Coaching Institute. In 2007, I started my training with Cathy Hawk from Clarity® International. While continuing to grow as a coach, I became a Professional Spiritual Practitioner, RScP in 2009 through the Centers for Spiritual Living. To complement my Spiritual Practitioner RScP license and coaching, I encountered a magnificent introduction to the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method®. Integrating the Touched by a Horse® tools, created by Melisa Pearce, into my life was truly a gift and blessing. I am proud of myself for becoming an Equine Gestaltist™ and am grateful that I can provide this life-changing transformational process to my clients.

Do you ever feel exhausted and pulled in many directions wishing for Clarity instead of feeling stuck and confused?
There are times in my life when I have felt that way due to health challenges, unexpected circumstances, and grief. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have the tools and techniques to get back on a happy and healthy path? Wouldn’t it be a gift to have a coach who creates a safe, confidential, nonjudgmental environment to release ineffective beliefs, patterns, and emotions that are blocking you from receiving your good and achieving your highest potential?

I have learned a variety of techniques that have worked for me and so many others. I have combined what I learned as a Licensed Spiritual Practitioner RScP, Certified Equine Gestaltist™, and Clarity® Faculty Member to create my life’s work and business, Manely Divine.

There are situations that arise in our lives that sometimes make it difficult to stay “lights-on” and SHIFT our thoughts, feelings, and state of mind. Some that affected me and those around me include death/loss of a loved one, relationships ending, health challenges, job change, and geographic moves. My career path wasn’t direct or smooth. My journey has been a winding road with unexpected health challenges, moves both domestically and internationally, and many unexpected opportunities to learn through grief.

What’s important to remember is that even though there are struggles along the way, we are a whole person, there are parts of self and life experiences that can deplete our energy and create a “lights-off” situation.
How do I address these obstacles and challenges? I start by looking within for my own personal wisdom. If resolution doesn’t surface, I do my research to find an audiobook, article, or a role model or mentor to learn about the obstacles or challenges that I am facing. I have found that having the right mentor or coach is the most effective method for me.
I have had some incredible mentors and received amazing coaching over the last 20 years which has allowed me to continue growing both personally and professionally. I believe that we all hold answers within us. A fabulous coach encourages us to discover the answers that we have within us that may have been blocked or out of our awareness. By looking within rather than receiving advice, we can trust ourselves, authentically resolve challenges, and become aligned with our potential.

When my girls were much younger, I used to make mini tea sandwiches or “finger sandwiches” for our family tea parties. As my girls got older, I began to teach them how to make these sandwiches. At the age of 5, one of my daughters took creative license about the amount of jelly that she was using on the bread. Imagine an excessive amount of jelly smooshing out in each direction. Before I knew it, jelly was all over her hands, her outfit, the plate, the counter, the floor, of course the jelly made its way up to her face and hair. The stickiness was spreading faster than I could clean it up.

Before long, all I could see, feel, and think about was sticky jelly everywhere. At the time, my focus was only on all the places I needed to clean up jelly rather than the intention of teaching my child. Before I could fully get her and the kitchen cleaned up, my other daughter had tracked the jelly throughout the house to get to the bathroom to wash her hands. The jelly was everywhere. Take a moment to imagine, what would you do? What would you think, feel, and take from this messy situation? How would you react or respond to having jelly everywhere?

Many of us react based on previous experiences in our lives. Some of us can reach back to our childhood memories on how our caretaker would have responded. Some of us go into a flight, fight or freeze coping strategy that is an automatic response to trauma. Others remain in the executive functioning part of the brain, and they simply clean up the jelly. Others laugh and find the endearing joy of a child learning and the mess is part of the growing process.
When we apply this situation to building a business, I find that the analogy of the jelly can be what we focus on when an obstacle or challenge arises. The jelly teaches us to reflect on our inner experiences of thinking, feeling, responding or reacting. Clarity® Coaching taught me that I am at choice on how I respond to each and every situation.

If the sticky jelly of a situation goes beyond what I can personally resolve, I seek assistance from a trusted coach. Coaches can ask questions and create experiences that foster a deeper level of awareness. Coaching empowers us to discover aspects of ourselves that may be outside of our conscious awareness. Coaches allow us to discover ah-ha moments and gain insights from within. Hiring a fabulous coach can help us clean up the jelly that is unfinished business, release the emotions regarding the situation in a healthy way by expressing our truth, move past the ineffective beliefs, and integrate new tools into our lives that support us in becoming our highest potential. A good coach reminds us of our vision, intentions, values, and encourages us to live from an empowered place as we develop our skills.

How did I respond to the jelly incident with my daughter? I smiled. And as I was cleaning up the mess, I asked my daughters quality questions that I learned from Cathy Hawk, so they both had the opportunity to learn from the experience without judgement.
I found myself automatically asking the key questions as phased within the Clarity® program, namely,
• What’s different?
• What was effective and/or not effective about making the mini tea sandwiches?
• Check-in with my “personal field” – How are you feeling mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually right now?
• What are you grateful for?
• What is your intention?
My daughters came up with fabulous answers and have both grown into fabulous chefs. The jelly mess ended up being the gift that ignited passion in my daughters to become amazingly confident in the kitchen and continue learning how cook, bake, and artistically present their culinary creations.

As a coach, I create an atmosphere of self-acceptance, self-compassion, and celebration for my clients. We all have areas of our lives that are like the sticky messy jelly that can be transformed into a gift of a lifetime and support us in becoming our highest potential.

Website: https://KatrinaDorow.com

Image Credits
Photo credit of main image Jennifer Lord and all other photos by Kimberly Beer

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