★ Your purchase is complete
Thank you. Your map is on its way.
You just took a gentle, meaningful step toward your journey.
Your copy of The Map Before the Journey has been sent to the email address you used at checkout. Open it when you're ready. There's no rush, and there's no wrong way to begin.
Guided by STARS
You don't have to feel certain to begin
Seven days · One page a day · 10–15 minutes
What happens next
Three simple steps to get started
Take a breath. Everything you need is already on its way to you.
Check your inbox
Look for an email with your download link. It usually arrives within a few minutes. If you don't see it, peek in your spam or promotions folder.
Download and save
Save the fillable PDF somewhere easy to find. Type right into the pages, or print it and write by hand, whichever feels most like you.
Begin with "START here"
Set aside 5-10 quiet minutes to read through the "START here" page and get oriented. Tomorrow, begin Day 1. Ideally, begin about a week before your first session.
The route ahead
Your STARS Framework™ at a glance
Over seven gentle days, you'll draw your own map: who walks with you, what steadies you, and where you hope to go.
Support
Gather the people, pets, and comforts that help you feel safe.
Trust
Loosen your grip on expectations and make room for what comes.
Awareness
Build a simple daily practice of noticing, breath, and presence.
Resource
Cultivate calming anchors you can return to anytime.
Set Intentions
Find an intention that feels true, held lightly, not perfectly.
Also inside: your one-page STARS Plan to share with your provider, a session-day guide and card to carry, a page for your support person, an after-session card, and an insights log for integration.
A note from Mary
Thank you for choosing yourself
By choosing to prepare with care, you've already begun. I created this workbook from years of guiding clients, and from my own healing journey, and I am so glad it has found its way to you.
Go gently. One page a day is plenty, and it's okay to pause or come back to a page later. There is nothing to get right. Let these pages be your map, so you can walk into your session with more intention, support, and care.
With warmth and trust in your path,
Mary Fortunato, MA., M.Ed, LMHC
Need a hand?
Didn't receive your workbook?
Give it a few minutes and check your spam or promotions folder. If it still hasn't arrived, just reach out and I'll make sure you get your copy.
Email MaryThe Map Before the Journey is a preparation tool designed for use alongside a licensed prescriber, ideally with a therapist. It is not a substitute for medical or mental health care.