Story of the Cat

Written by Charlotte Shipley [she/they] MSW RSW

Jul 3

Illustrated butch ginger tabby cat with a cane. It’s wearing a denim vest, a lavender crown and a moon choker necklace. Surrounding the cat are tarot cards representing queerness, therapy, disability and Black Lives Matter.

At Positive Space, therapy is rooted in community, not conformity.

When we went through our rebrand, we wanted a way to represent the diversity of our community of clients and therapists.

To create the Forest Friends, each of our team members worked with illustrator King Freddie to provide input on their design. We are so excited to share these illustrations with you, and most of all, we hope you see glimpses of yourself in them.

**The Cat was inspired by PSC Therapist, Practice Owner & Clinical Director Charlotte Shipley [she/they]**
**MSW, RSW**

Read Charlotte’s Therapist Profile

In this blog post, Charlotte shares more of the Cat's story and the symbols they wanted included in the illustration:

“I chose a domestic cat because cats have always been my protectors. Throughout my life, they have been a steady, loving, and often hilarious source of comfort. To me, cats embody beautiful duality. They are soft yet fierce, deeply self-compassionate, unapologetically confident, and wonderfully unconcerned with meeting anyone else’s expectations. They are discerning, boundaried, curious, affectionate on their own terms, and unafraid to ask for what they need. Honestly, I think we could all learn a little something from cats.

It was important to me that my Forest Friend embodied both vulnerability and grit. I have lived with a physical disability since birth, which means I use a cane and other mobility devices to navigate the world. Disability has taught me that strength isn’t the absence of softness. It is learning when to be gentle with yourself and when to push and lean into my toughness. I wanted my cat to reflect both of those truths.

I also wanted to weave in pieces of my identity and the communities that have shaped me. Peep the little nods to sapphic culture through the denim vest, lavender crown, and septum piercing. Surrounding my cat are tarot cards, representing both my spiritual practice and my belief that meaning is often found through reflection, curiosity, and symbolism. King Freddie thoughtfully created each card to represent different values, experiences, and parts of my life that have helped shape who I am.

I hope my forest friend reminds you that you can embody dualities. That our differences, our identities, our disabilities and our stories aren’t things to hide or 'heal', but things that make us beautifully whole. I hope my cat reminds people that healing isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about coming home to yourself, with confidence, compassion, and perhaps just a tiny bit of the zoomies.