Getting To Know: Katie Hazekamp of Moon Mama
Katie and I met last summer when I participated in one of her Women's Wellness Retreats. We met every other week for three months, and it was the first time I dedicated time and money to learning more about myself and how self-care must be a crucial part of my daily life. Her guidance and wisdom were foundational for me to embrace a kinder view towards myself, and I am so grateful that our paths have intentionally crossed to the point where I now consider her a dear friend.
She is wise beyond her years and one of the kindest souls I have had the pleasure of meeting. You will be forever grateful to have her in your life, so if you are searching for more—more balance, more meaning, more fulfillment, more understanding—her programs will help you understand what you need to get you to that point.
Katie recently rebranded as Moon Mama, so read on to hear more about the inspiration behind the switch and how she likes to define self-care, and what that means for her personally.
You have been in the integrative and holistic wellness field for many years, but Moon Mama is a very new endeavor for you. Tell us more about the desire to create this brand new approach and what you hope Moon Mama will become.
Moon Mama has been a dream in the works for over 8+ years. My career started in the non-profit sector, followed by working in the corporate sector at a people development company. Both jobs were in the field of helping others with their lives in some way. But as time went on, I wanted to put my true gifts and strengths into my work 100%, and felt that the work I was doing wasn’t enabling me to do so. Building Moon Mama as a women’s wellness + coaching business is representative of my lifelong desire to help others to do and be their best and incorporates my lifelong interest in holistic health and wellness. Of all things that ebb and flow in life, these two things have been a constant. That’s how I knew that “YES!”, I need to build this company.
What do I hope Moon Mama will become? My desire is for it to be a holistic haven for the modern woman. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the external world with expectations, demands, and all the “shoulds”. MM is a sacred space for busy, ambitious women to recharge, find a moment of peace in this chaotic world, and most importantly to learn strategies for caring for her inner most needs. Currently, MM offers women inspiration and support to live a balanced and purposeful life through group coaching programs, 1:1 holistic life coaching and monthly wellness circles where women come together for greater self-inquiry, self-care and connection. All programs will eventually be offered both locally in Austin, TX and virtually. And eventually...it’d be a DREAM to host or co-host a wellness retreat.
What aspect of your work is the most life-giving for you?
We devote so much of our time and energy to working, and I feel very strongly that work should be fulfilling in some way. It should be adding something of value to our lives, and not always taking. The most life-giving aspect to me is the opportunity to work with the deeper intricacies of women and their real lives (not just what we see on the surface). Another life-giving aspect for me is the ability to work a flexible schedule and work from home. As an introvert, the ability to do this is very recharging for me.
Was there ever a time when you happily ignored external validation or outside advice about your business so that you could follow the True North that you created for yourself? If so, how did making that choice to follow Your Why impact not only you, but your business?
All the time. There was a time when I was focusing on 1:1 health + wellness coaching (and no group programs) independently. When someone close to me called the coaching business a hobby, I was lit on fire (and not in the positive way). How could this lifelong vision and passion of mine be a HOBBY and not a business?! Truth be told, there was validity to their point that 1:1 coaching is not a scalable business model. From then on I was determined to find a way to package my passions and strengths in a scalable way that benefited other women. I did not accept the fact that such a strong passion was only a hobby. I did not give up.
From there, I pivoted my approach and Moon Mama was born, expanding much beyond one-on-one coaching. Following my True North meant that I kept striving to help women live healthy, balanced and abundant lives. I am confident that when we find balance between the emotional and logical aspects of our passions, things make sense -- both personally and as a business.
You teach a holistic approach to self-care, which includes aspects of your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Can you tell us a bit more about this approach and how self-care isn’t just about taking a hot bath or booking an expensive massage?
Human beings are beautifully complex. You are beautifully unique, whether you fully understand that or not. There are numerous dimensions within each of us, including the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Real self-care is about caring for the self in ways that keep the varying dimensions in balance as much as possible. This doesn’t mean balanced as in everything is even all the time. It means that you are tending to your innermost needs regularly, which helps you to feel balanced. It means listening to the various areas of yourself that are calling for your attention, and nurturing them as you would a child. With this holistic approach to self-care, we feel more at ease, peaceful and complete. Taking a hot bath and getting a massage are wonderful forms of self-care, but the depth of self-care goes much beyond that.
I know that through your work with Moon Mama you are wanting to specifically work with women who are going through life transitions (recently engaged, married, pregnant, new mom, new career, etc.). Why do you feel like working with an Integrative Life & Wellness Coach is especially important during these times?
Gosh, because transitions can be messy. But there is so much beauty in them. Life transitions mean we have more choice on how we’re going to lay out the next steps of our lives. Transitions mean we go through a personal journey where we learn to let go of who we were, or the way something once was, to embrace the beauty of the present and what’s yet to come. It’s the idea that to make space for something new in our lives, we have to let go of the old. It’s the time to put down the footing to a life we love.
It’s common to cling on tightly to attachments, beliefs, or expectations that have failed us. New chapters of life can royally suck sometimes, but they provide the most beautiful opportunity to step into the next higher version of yourself. That thought is invigorating, isn’t it?
Working with a coach can help you get clear on what’s next for you, and how to go in and through the process as gracefully as possible.
And, just to be clear, coaching is also for those who are in a good place already, but want to optimize themselves and their lives even more. Regardless of where you are in life, a coach helps you to learn, grow, and reach new heights. A coach is like your personal champion in life!
Finding a coach who is the right fit can be key to having a successful experience. What questions are important to ask if we’re starting that search for ourselves?
In one-on-one coaching, the right fit is everything. It’s rare that people just stumble upon a life/wellness coach and say “sign me up!”. Coaching is very relationship-driven, so you want to make sure you get a pretty immediate sense of trust and authenticity when you first meet or talk to a potential coach. In coaching, both parties are on the same playing field (in benefit of YOU winning!), and it should feel that way. Some questions to ask would include...
What type of coaching do you specialize in? Is it career coaching? Health & Wellness Coaching? Business Coaching? Life Coaching? All coaches bring a unique set of skills, training and perspective, and not one coach will be the same as the next. Find out what their specialities are and ask yourself if they’re aligned with your needs and expectations.
What is the coach’s style and does his/her approach match what you’re in the market for? For example, is the coach pretty hands-off after your sessions together, or do they provide ongoing contact and support during the program? Setting these expectations in the coaching relationship is important upfront.
What is their background and training? The coaching field is lightly regulated, so there’s no set of strict requirements or a specific licensure that a coach needs. Ask about their training and background so you get to know what makes them a good coach.
When in doubt, ask for client references. All good coaches should be willing to connect you with previous clients of theirs.
Through your own personal journey to banish negative self-talk, learn more how to truly love yourself, and become more self-aware, do you have any favorite a-ha moments that stick out to you?
Oh gosh, there are so many that I could write a novel here. I’ll keep it short, and people can join one of my programs or workshops to dive deeper into these topics. My favorite a-ha moment regarding negative self-talk is that this voice is not you. This is the voice of ego, your “inner roommate.” It’s like a lifelong relationship with someone else that you have to learn to manage. There are a number of strategies to help combat this voice but the main thing to remember is that this voice is not really you. You can let it chit-chat your ear off, but do not believe everything you hear.
What books, podcasts, blogs, people have been most influential to you personally as you discover your own self-care practice and work with others to define their own?
I’ve read numerous books from the self-help section starting from the age of 14 that have helped me more than the words on the page can describe. A few favorites from my adult life would be The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer, When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron, and The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. But the greatest book of all is my journal — all of them. No matter what, we always have to turn to ourselves and learn to manage that relationship, so those words are the most important.
When helping women with their own self-care practice, we start by looking at the areas that are causing the most discomfort in some way. These are likely the ones that need to be tended to first. From there we build in new habits and behaviors that suit her personal needs.
So then I have to ask: What does your own self-care practice look like? What activities have you found to be really beneficial?
Quality time alone, almost daily, is fundamental to my well-being. Without a doubt, I prioritize 7-9 hours of sleep a night. I nourish my body with a lot of water throughout the day, and strive to eat a clean diet that fuels both my body and my mind. These sound a bit basic, but without meeting our fundamental needs (like in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs), how can we self-actualize?
Equally as important as the above, I never let something bother me for too long without talking about it. I reach out to people I can trust (hint: friends, therapists, a coach!) to talk through anything that doesn’t sit right with me. I never brush anything too far under the rug or else it’ll come out with a vengeance.
Want to know more? Eager to connect with Katie? Here's how:
Get started with her Recharge Your Spark (free!) Guidebook here.
Email her directly at katie@moonmamahaven.com
Work with Katie:
We can work together in a number of ways. If you’re interested in 1:1 coaching, we start with a complimentary 20-minute phone call to get to know each other. Head on over to www.moonmamahaven.com to sign up, or email me directly. I’d love to hear from you.