From NYC Grind to Full-Body Freedom: Catherine Boyko’s Wake-Up Call

My next guest is someone who used to speed-walk through Manhattan like it was an Olympic sport, turn a six-month project around in twenty-eight days, and secretly love the chaos because it proved she could do the impossible. Sound familiar? Meet Catherine Boyko, a former executive producer at one of the world’s top ad agencies, whose life was all grind and no sleep… until COVID, a breakup, and a deep dive into somatic and polarity work exposed the cracks that had been there all along. We talk about her shift from living in constant “Iron Man suit” mode to discovering softness, embodiment, and what it means to move at her own speed. Catherine shares the science and soul behind somatic work, the price we pay for running on adrenaline, and the power we reclaim when we finally allow ourselves to slow down. I also share some uncomfortable truths I uncovered about myself during my own session with Catherine, and she guides us through a five-minute grounding practice you can use anytime life feels like it’s moving too fast. Timestamps Introduction - 00:00:00 Catherine’s Career Transition - 00:03:00 Discovering Somatic Work - 00:09:00 Impact of Societal Expectations - 00:15:00 Embracing Authenticity and Balance - 00:21:00 Practical Somatic Exercises - 00:27:00 About Catherine Boyko: Catherine Boyko is a Somatic Coach and founder of Somatic Cat, based in Austin, Texas. After a decade producing global advertising campaigns in New York City, she left the high-pressure world of “achievement at all costs” to help women reconnect with themselves in a deeper way. Through somatic practices, Catherine guides high-achieving women out of anxiety, perfectionism, and self-abandonment and back into joy, presence, and power.Catherine is trained through The Embody Lab and weaves trauma-informed somatics, nervous system regulation, and feminine leadership into her work. She believes that when we find presence in our everyday lives and have the right support along the way, real change becomes not only possible, but sustainable. Website: https://somaticcat.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/somatic_cat/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit alliecanton.substack.com