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Meet Clare
My name is Clare Byster. I am the creator of The Bear Path, where I offer life mentoring, coaching, and animal-assisted learning experiences designed to help people reconnect with their strength, resilience, and sense of direction.
I have always been fascinated by human behavior and the science behind why people think, feel, and respond the way they do. Throughout my life, I have navigated my own share of significant challenges and transformative experiences, giving me a deep understanding of what it feels like to face uncertainty, overwhelm, and the need to rebuild. Those experiences, combined with a lifelong passion for supporting others, have shaped the work I do today.
For much of my adult life, people have naturally sought me out for guidance, support, and perspective during difficult times. Since 2023, I have had the privilege of dedicating myself full-time to helping others find their calm, build resilience, strengthen healthy boundaries, and navigate life's challenges with greater clarity and confidence.
Before establishing The Bear Path, I served for many years as a Police Officer and later worked as a support worker. These roles provided firsthand experience of the pressures that can accompany high-stress environments, as well as a deeper understanding of trauma, anxiety, depression, PTSD, domestic violence, and the importance of compassionate support. My work has also given me
valuable experience supporting neurodivergent individuals and people of all abilities, always meeting each person exactly where they are, without judgement.
I work with adults and children from the age of five, creating personalised one-on-one sessions tailored to each individual's unique needs and goals. Whether you are feeling lost, facing a significant life transition, struggling with confidence, or simply seeking a new direction, I provide a safe, supportive space to help you move forward.
Based in the beautiful Lockyer Valley, Queensland, I offer both online and face-to-face sessions. My property is home to a variety of animals, including horses, dogs, cats, chickens, guinea pigs, and cattle. Many of these wonderful animals play an important role in my work through animal-assisted learning and support. Their ability to create connection, build confidence, encourage self-awareness,
and provide a sense of calm never ceases to inspire me.
At the heart of everything I do is a simple belief: you already carry the strength, wisdom, and direction you need within you. Sometimes, when life becomes overwhelming, we simply need support, perspective, and a safe space to rediscover them. You do not have to walk the path alone. Together, we can uncover the way forward with strength, clarity, and intention.
Why "The Bear Path"
For as long as I can remember, especially in my younger years, I was known as “Clare Bear.” What
began as a simple, affectionate name given by my parents, was later echoed by friends, teachers,
coaches, and those who helped shape my path through life even through to today.
It was never a name used unkindly. It always carried warmth, care, and a sense of belonging.
Naturally, that connection grew into a fondness for bears themselves, their imagery, their
symbolism, many plush toys I played with and something deeper I couldn’t quite name at the time.
As life unfolded, I experienced (as we all do) moments of joy and celebration, alongside a multitude
of challenges that tested me in ways I still marvel at. During some of the more significant periods of
struggle, the bear took on a deeper meaning for me. It became more than a childhood nickname or
symbol of comfort, it became a guide.
In recent years, particularly through 2024 to 2025, a powerful image stayed with me: a bear standing
firm on a hill, a wild storm raging all around it. The wind howls, the rain falls, yet the bear remains
steady. Its thick fur absorbs the chaos, the storm moving around it but never penetrating its core.
That image became a reflection of how I needed to move through uncertainty, grounded in my
truth, steady in my being, allowing life’s storms to pass without losing myself within them.
This vision was also shaped by the memory of a dear friend who passed in late 2024 just prior to an
extremely pressurised time of life for me. This man embodied a rare combination of gentleness and
immense physical and inner strength, someone who moved through the world with kindness,
grace, and a quiet, unwavering power and a stubbornness that also held a security. In many ways,
they carried the spirit of the bear, and that legacy continues to live on in how I choose to walk my
own path.
The bear, for me, represents a balance I deeply value and strive to embody.
It is strength (both physical and inner), the resilience to endure and the courage to stand firm when
it matters most. It is also quiet confidence, a presence that does not need to prove itself, because its
power simply is.
And yet, the bear is equally a symbol of grace. Despite its size and strength, it moves with intention
and gentleness. It is patient, grounded, and deeply connected to its environment rarely acting in
haste and resting when required.
It represents love and protection, particularly the fierce yet tender care of a mother. A bear is both
a place of safety and a force of protection, nurturing and guiding with deep commitment and loyalty.
There is wisdom in the bear, too. An instinctive knowing, when to act, when to rest, when to stand
firm, and when to retreat. It honours both solitude and connection, walking alone when needed,
without ever losing its bond or connection to others.
Not everyone is drawn to the presence of a bear, and yet it cannot be ignored. It leads not through
force, but through a calm, grounded authority.
Over time, I’ve come to understand that while “Clare Bear” may have begun as a playful nickname,
the spirit of the bear is something far more meaningful for me. It is a way of being that I resonate
with deeply, and one I continue to learn from and grow into.
The spirit of the bear has helped me on my journey and I dream to pass this spirit onto others to be
able to walk their journey with strong hearts and bold steps and embrace the spirit of the bear on
their journey.
‘The Bear Path’ leads to places of deep connection and heartful living.
