We recently connected with Katrina Cava and have shared our conversation below.
Katrina , sincerely appreciate your selflessness in agreeing to discuss your mental health journey and how you overcame and persisted despite the challenges. Please share with our readers how you overcame. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
At the peak of my true start as an adult, caring for my mental health, I had a therapist ask me, ‘What is it that you do for yourself?’ At that time in my life, I was probably about 29. I had just become a widow and was dealing with that title that I never felt I was (I was legally separated for years), but was very much in the trauma and pain of the loss, and watching my two young daughters battle with that too. So when I was asked that question, there was really no response. Life then was pure survival. I worked full time and was a mom at such a young age that my identity was truly just a single mom surviving in the world. Knowing I was creative and that I loved to write, I had mentioned the interest in taking that up again. But I had stopped because I was over reading the sad things I was writing—or really, the reliving of it all. So, I tried to dabble in more of a creative realm. As a child, I played the piano and loved to draw, so trying to attempt a creative outlet seemed fitting. I started making bath bombs and candles. Bath bombs were difficult because there’s such a science to it. And as a candle lover, I went full force in that route, and it’s been such a joy to create and make items that people seem to really enjoy, and that I get to make beautiful products for a living.
In a less glamorous sense, I have had to do a lot of living and failing to get to the point where I am at in my healing journey. I moved to Georgia at the end of 2019, and with moving to a new state not knowing a soul, I figured that should be the time that I get to know and care for myself most. So, I went to therapy, and shortly after started taking medication. There was a lot of shame in the fact that I was taking medication. My father never took mental health matters seriously when I was a child. To him, it was a stain on who he was as a man and parent, so when I finally pulled the plug, I felt like I was failing at life. But I knew I needed it and that it wasn’t a failure on my part. I didn’t want to live another 30 years trying to control my anxiety and depression the way I had. I became more familiar with PTSD, and with my experiences, it wasn’t necessary for me to try to manage it alone. I could get help. So, every day when I take my medication, I am seriously so thankful for it. I am so happy that I have a doctor who is so kind to me and listens to my needs and concerns around medication. I am truly just so thankful.
Therapy has been a huge source of my (never-ending) growth. I have been dabbling in many different forms of it and have had some great experiences that have helped me take ownership, see parts of myself that I had declined to see prior, grow up, and has given me hope that I can develop the tools to be better equipped to handle any and every possible situation. I am nowhere near healed. I would be a fool to think so, but I believe in myself now. I have had to be more aware of people’s feelings, which has brought awareness of pain I have caused, and that obviously doesn’t feel good to admit, but I do truly recognize flaws of myself that without making excuses were imprinted in my bones to be like. Doesn’t justify anything but it has helped me understand patterns. Unfortunately, I had acquired some of the worst parts of my parents because (as my therapist says), I didn’t know any better. But I do now. I am learning. Every day I am learning. I am bettering wrongs, looking so deeply into myself and I am learning what it means to give myself grace and compassion. On days when I feel shame, I have to remember that I am actively making efforts to not repeat the past and to end the cycles. Being a mom, I am fighting tooth and nail to stop the generational cycles to make sure that it ends with me. None of which could be done without the love of my daughters.
So, to say I have “overcome” these challenges, I don’t know. I don’t know if you ever stop feeling anxious or if PTSD truly ever goes away. But I know I am doing all I can, and I know that I am learning to trust and not build walls up out of fear. I am really excited to get to continue to experience this growth and the ability to take full control on my emotions and life.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
What began as a therapeutic outlet in 2018 soon transformed into something people were eager to purchase. I initially started in my apartment kitchen, and for six years, I continued working there before opening my first creative space and store. Within the first year, I had my products in a store on Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles – a true dream, considering I grew up in Los Angeles, where I spent my childhood and young adulthood shopping and exploring.
Shortly after that, I began getting into more stores, and before I knew it, my candles were in 40 stores worldwide. When I opened my storefront, my intention was to utilize the workspace more to grow my brand. A dream of mine is to see my products in stores like Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Bloomingdales. I was solely focused on my dreams and hopes, but then I started considering what I wanted the store to be and look like, and everything changed.
When my vision for the store and what I wanted it to represent came about, everything quickly shifted. I knew I wanted to provide a space different from what I had seen since moving to the South. I aimed to create a safe space for everyone in the Athens community, a space that represented them. When I first moved to Georgia, I couldn’t relate to a lot and never felt like I belonged to some capacity. So, my desire was to open a store that held items made by marginalized groups. I researched brands, got to know other business owners and makers, and we started from there. Once we opened, we quickly met and were asked by local Athens makers if we would be interested in carrying their items. Since I had started that way, I knew that was something I would be passionate to offer. Before we knew it, we had 25-plus local makers in the store.
With that, the local makers in our space have established a lovely community of like-minded artists, and I offer them assistance with their branding, business strategies, and whatever else is possible to help them grow and expand outside of Sisters of The Moon. I have found immense joy in that part of my work. I love helping each maker and seeing how they take off from there. Seeing each of them work so hard and build their business has been a very beautiful experience.
The store has not only helped me but also our lovely clients to create a loving community. Last year, we hosted over 35 gatherings and classes, most complimentary for the Athens community. We created Monday gatherings where we discuss certain topics, check in on each other, meditate, journal, and explore tarot and oracle cards. I have made so many friends that have truly turned into a chosen family because of Sisters of the Moon. It is truly a community hub, much more than a retail store. Since day one, I have wanted it to be something that people feel is their own. A place where they can feel safe, share their feelings, and feel supported to whatever capacity they need, and it has 100% been that. This is just the beginning, and I hope to continue providing such a space for Athens but to grow it into something bigger.
We had our first makers market in November called the “All are Welcome Market,” and we are hosting our first spring market with the same name on March 2nd and 3rd at Athentic Brewing Company from 12pm-6pm. Our events showcase local makers in our community from marginalized communities, along with highlighting other brilliant businesses and resources that provide a safe experience for those communities as well. Again, another part of this business experience I am so excited to see grow.
What makes this business and the store special is that everything is intentional. From the decor to family pictures of those who have passed on, I wanted to create this space with safety and love in mind. If I know anything, I know that all who enter here feel that instantly. This store is magical. It’s like its own entity. I acknowledge it as such and greet, thank and say goodbye to it because it matters to me that much.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Don’t give up. Ideas will constantly shift. You will evolve, and change means growth. You don’t want to be in the same place for long. One of the most challenging aspects for a small business maker is comparison. When I started six years ago, I was constantly aware of all the businesses that were more established than mine. I had to always remind myself that I am just starting, which was hard because I wanted to be where they were. But time needs to happen, and your skills will grow during that time. Look at the businesses you look up to and aspire to be like, using them as a muse. Staying consistent on Instagram is vital. The more you post, the more people will know about you and understand what you are doing.
Manifesting has been a huge help in my success. From the start, I have known what I wanted. I am not there yet, but all the things I have envisioned for myself and the brand have come to fruition. I want more, but I trust that where we are at is where we need to be right now. I know you’ve heard the phrase “fake it till you make it.” You have to do that in your head. Don’t think of your work as a hobby, a side hustle, or just something you do for fun. This is your business. You are a business. Always think of your wants and desires as things you already have. Again, look at the people/business you want your brand to be like and examine everything they do. Anything is possible if you want it bad enough.
Invest in packaging. Elevate your product/brand to a degree that you are comfortable with. You don’t have to spend a lot, but making it look that much more professional will be more eye-catching to your customers and future retail stockists.
My advice to any maker or small business is to have fun. You are an artist; engage with your customers, tell them your why, share your story, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. There are no rules for us, and that’s why it is so beautiful to do what we do.
How would you describe your ideal client?
Sisters of The Moon proudly supports marginalized groups, and the majority of our products are crafted by women of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and women-owned businesses, including over 25 local Athens makers featured in our store. Our ideal client champions these groups; there’s really no gray area about it. Our clients not only possess open minds but also share a common desire to enhance their well-being and spiritual practices.
We genuinely have the best customer base – everyone who walks into our store leaves as a friend. The shop has become a haven for many, including myself, providing a safe space to embrace one’s true authentic self, whatever that may be in the moment. Here, judgment is nonexistent, and only love prevails. I expect our clients to embody the same spirit of acceptance and positivity.
Contact Info:
- Website: shopsotm.com
- Instagram: @shopsotm
