Hi! I'm Cassandra and this is
the Story of Sunlight Space
I'm so grateful that you're here !
I created Sunlight Space to be a place that cultivates compassionate presence for ourselves, each other and the planet. The name was inspired by my love of being out in nature and savouring the warm light from the sun. The sun is also an ancient symbol of growth, hope, renewal, clarity, vitality and enlightenment.
Reconnecting to the earth and remembering that I am a living, breathing creature of this planet, and not a soldier that's main function is to produce more work or make more capital, has quite literally saved my life. The gentle breeze, the freshness of the turquoise waves, the honey bees and willow trees, the softness of the earth in spring, my precious cats, the colours of fall, the waterfalls and mountains. All of these allies, have revived me and breathed life back into my soul countless times.
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How many of us humans have forgotten our belonging to the Earth and to each other?
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We are living in a world that is created by a collective of billions of humans, throughout thousands of different societies, together with planet Earth. Currently, many of these societies are fraught with trauma, violence, poverty, climate change, war, isolation and illness. For a compassionate response to be possible, we must first become aware of the pain, and our current shared reality on this planet is that there is a whole lot of it. So many of us humans are completely fragmented from the Earth, each other and even our own selves.
Even if we do not identify as someone who is going through intense suffering, or even a battle to survive, most people know someone, usually someone close to them, that is. The impacts of bearing witness to substantial amounts of suffering, or experiencing them ourselves, are very real, vast and unique. Sometimes these experiences are referred to as mental illnesses, and diagnoses, yet often at the root of these diagnoses is a whole mosaic of interdependent, chronically unmet needs, that express as suffering.
Every human being has a life affirming blueprint of needs, that when met, can express into some of our most expansive emotional tones and precious, life giving moments. Such as when our psychological needs for authenticity, connection, love and safety, are fully met, alongside our physiological needs of sleep, nutrition, movement and light.
These are some of the most fundamental physiological and psychological requirements of our mammalian body, and I believe, our cosmic soul. When these needs are met, we can experience ease, acceptance, contentment, growth, inspiration, intuition, creativity, meaning, purpose, patience, wisdom, peace, bliss, love and many more.
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However, when these psychological, emotional and spiritual needs for safety, connection, love and authenticity are not met, or when the physical needs for sleep, nutrition, movement or light are deprived in anyway, the impacts can be devastating to our beings. Fear, trauma, isolation, illness, addictions and many other very challenging states can begin to become what feels like a more permanent experience, when these needs go chronically unmet.
These states can be greatly rememedied and alleviated if those needs begin to be intentionally and compassionately met. These are some of the fundamental questions that compassion asks -
"What is felt here in this moment? How can I allow space for this with gentle acceptance, recognizing that this too, is a part of the human experience ? How can I listen to what is needed with curiosity and care? What is a loving response?"
My roots
My own journey into the world of psychological and emotional suffering began like many people, as a child. I lost my mother at 3 years old due to the severity of her own emotional anguish and traumas, and the harmful paths they led her down as she tried to cope.
From a young age, she experienced the constellation of symptoms that are currently labelled as Eating Disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder and Addictions, which all have strong and consistent correlations to severe early childhood trauma, which she had a heartbreaking amount of. At 31 years old she left this planet, because remaining here felt too painful for her to bear.
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I was raised by my father's extended family, including my absolutely remarkable grandparents, who immigrated here from Italy, with a suitcase and a dream, back in the 1960's to build a life far from anything they once knew. I would become the 6th child they raised, after 5 children of their own.
Even amidst the immense love, compassion and care that I experienced within my extended family, this early childhood sudden and tragic loss of my mother, completely impacted who I am. In my early childhood I experienced chronic upper respiratory illnesses, alongside grief, night terrors, harsh self-criticism and anxiety.
As I grew older into my early teen years, I began to experience symptoms commonly associated with major depression, anxiety, panic, c-ptsd and adhd. Since then, I have embarked on a journey of healing, to cope with these symptoms, and of, dare I say it, saving my own life and saving my own soul, so that I may live the life my mother didn't get to.
The gripping grief of the tragedy of my mother's life on this planet being cut so short, at 31 years old, is something I have now grown a relationship to, like a powerful, yet familiar ocean wave. Even with this visitor alongside me, I have arrived at a part in my journey where I am truly filled with gratitude, love and awe for this life.
I admit, not always, I certainly still do experience heartbreak, stress and suffering, because no human is exempt from these states. However, I have reclaimed a loving bond to my mother's spirit that brings me immense solace and love, as well as a daily connection to my own spirit and inner truth.
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My branches
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The journey of these past 15 years of personal healing, education, training and work experience in the fields of mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing, have all deeply informed my commitment to providing support that is rooted in genuine empathy, compassion and lived experience. I know what it is to lose someone to psychological and emotional suffering. My heart is well acquainted with grief, loss, depression, anxiety, fear and trauma.
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At 16 years old I decided that I would become a social worker and psychotherapist so that I could be there for others amidst their suffering. This life path has certainly been heart wrenching and bewildering at times, yet absolutely worthwhile, awe-inspiring and magically soulful.
I've experienced the world of mental health from many sides; as a client, a caregiver, a peer, a student, a volunteer, a social worker, a therapist, and a group facilitator. What has stood out more than anything else in all of these different life experiences, is the immense power of compassion.
“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.”
― Pema Chödrön, The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times
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Over these years I have had the privilege to work with hundreds of absolutely remarkable human beings that I learnt so much from and have immense respect for. We have walked side by side knowing that we all have our own unique imprints of suffering. Yet, there is an alchemy that is created through authentic relating, that dissolves the illusion of separateness and alleviates the feelings of being at fault for experiencing the pain that is intrinsic to the human condition.
I am very far from all knowing or fully healed, I still struggle with so many parts of the human experience. Yet, I am determined to bring all of the wisdom and all of the heart that I've cultivated while being a part of the various dimensions of the world of mental health into all of the work that I do. I am committed to an ever evolving practice of presence, learning, unlearning, growth, authenticity, empathy, care and compassion.
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I do not and will never claim to be an expert in who you are, I simply aim to guide you in compassionately listening to the truth of your own inner wisdom. I believe that you know what you need and what will truly support your wellbeing more than anyone else ever could, yet at times we all need some support in remembering how to listen within to our own intuitive guidance system.
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This is the story of why I created, Sunlight Space.
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