Want to know more about me, my fam and my sweet baby Georgia Ray?!
Hi, I'm Caitlin Perez, wife, mom to four, plus my newest fur baby, the ever so tiny but feisty- Georgia Ray. I am an avid Jesus follower and love nothing more than my quiet mornings spent with Him, cozied up with a blanket, my favorite journal and a super-strong cup of coffee! When I'm not having my quiet time, I love investing in those around me. I feel God gave me a fun, magnetic and inviting personality. This means, I am not one to meet a stranger or to be at a loss for words. These unique gifts have given me the ability to make others feel seen, safe, and important.
My faith is very close to my heart. Once I met Jesus at the age of 21, my life has never been the same.
I'm a big believer in spiritual health, however that looks for you! For me, it is found through prayer, daily quiet time, music & my treadmill therapy.
I fully believe that God gave me a heart for the hopeless, the rejected, and the ones who feel lost or forgotten. The ones who feel that they can never find freedom, joy or fulfillment in life are those I am called to serve.
Having battled depression, anxiety & postpartum depression with two of my four babies, I know that struggle all too well. I know the pain, the isolation and the fear it brings. But, I also know and believe that with the right help, support, and direction there is so much joy and freedom to be found on the other side of our greatest struggles.
My heart is to help build a bridge to the other side for those who feel the valley is too wide.
“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”
John Holmes
What qualifies me to do this?
I have an extensive amount of life experience in counseling and EMDR therapy, along with a burning desire to see people’s lives changed. I have dedicated the past fourteen years to my own personal healing of childhood trauma, physical and emotional abuse, loss, addiction, panic attacks and depression; that experience has given me the knowledge and wisdom to help those stuck in the same cycle and longing to break free. Additionally, I am a Certified Life Coach, Speaker & Trainer with the John Maxwell leadership certification program and have a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications.
“At the end, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given.”
Denzel Washington
What am I about?
I am all about helping women identify the obstacles to pursuing the life they crave. We often have physical, emotional or spiritual goals that can seem overwhelming or unattainable. My desire for Arise Academy is to empower, motivate and encourage others to see their goals and dreams become reality. I am convinced that with the right tools, resources & accountability you can change your life. You can change your thoughts; you can change those bad habits for healthy ones; you can be the wife, mom & friend you aspire to be...and the best part: you can still have fun while getting there! This is my hope and dream for creating the Arise Academy: to help others change their lives, while still laughing and making friends along the way.
No matter what you’ve been told, you don't have to settle for "this is the way I've always been". This is your one chance at life, decide to make it count, decide to do something different, decide to leave a legacy of purpose & positivity for generations to come. You can do this, I believe in you!
“Believe in yourself and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe with you.”
Mufasa
My Favorite things….
-Singing….No, I can not sing but in my mind and heart I am totally Whitney Houston!
-Eating...I am the one who plans the vacays around food! Because let’s all admit that, if the place ain’t got good food… it’s not worth going.
-Dancing... Again, I literally have no hand/foot coordination but me and baby girl have the best dance parties around!
-Reading...I am a super weird one who reads 3 or 4 books at the same time... all my fellow ADHD ladies just let out a sigh of relief! No, you are not the only one who has to switch books every few minutes.
-Running...Fun fact: I grew up with such a huge fear of running, I would cry every day it was P.E. day and we had to run. Quarantine was so rough at my house, I decided to channel my aggression into a healthy one and taught myself to run. Now it’s my favorite!
-Christmas...I love any and all things Christmas! My tree is up November 1st, and I would gladly leave it up all year round.
-Victorian era shows...I seriously think I was born in the wrong era! Nothing makes me more happy than a good ole’ Downton Abbey rerun, complete with a big cup of hot tea.
-The beach...oh the beach and the joy it brings me. I could live at the beach. One day, I will check off my bucket list- buy a beach house!
Are you ready to be best friends yet?!
I’m hoping so but if not, that’s ok, because before long we will be! Maybe you’ve never had anyone believe in you, encourage you, or be willing to go to the hard places with you.
Have you searched for a place where you feel safe enough to bring down those walls you’ve built so well for so long? Well buckle up sister because you just found one!
We will be friends by the end of this journey. Like best friends, soul sisters... because whether or not we ever meet face to face, I am letting you into my heart.
My whole heart, even the ugly, sticky, not so pretty places of my heart. I truly believe that once you know the heart of someone, you can love them, you can trust them, and you can believe with them.
“Friendship is the comfort of knowing that even when you feel alone, you aren’t.”
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