Understanding human potential and uncovering the obstacles to get there is a way of life for me. It’s how I spend my spare time - meditating in tea ceremony, therapy trainings, self study, challenging myself always to continue growing and learning. My passion for exploring the human experience has been alive since a young age and continues to deepen. I was born in Estonia in a multicultural family and grew up in various places from Boston to Dubai to Tokyo. My years of travelling and growing up in international communities contributed greatly to the values that I hold close to my heart – acceptance, non judgment, openness, and curiosity.
Zen background:
During my clinical psychology studies, I became strongly passionate about the Zen approach. From there, I practiced over 500+ hours of giving zen coaching sessions, learning about the path of least resistance to our core self. This foundation of zen in my work now as a psychologist, fosters a strong base of compassion, clarity, honest communication, genuinity and authentic relating. Most importantly, a strong value for attuning to the present moment, where change can really happen, when we allow ourselves to be and feel where we are moment by moment, accept ourselves and take responsibility for our life. I still follow the zen coaching advanced trainings yearly and have a daily meditation practice of tea ceremony.
Embodiment background:
Through my own journey of being very disconnected from my body, feelings and emotions, and in the past having worked for a decade in modelling - I discovered the power of being in the body to heal stuck trauma and self-sabotaging patterns. Embodiment is now a central part of my work. Since then, I participated in many emotional release groups, Somatic Experiencing (SE), trauma informed trainings and mindfulness. I have a love for dancing and I am for the last few years part of a beautiful team, where we facilitate movement workshops, using movement and the body to release old stories, stuck patterns, tension, and to celebrate authenticity and connection from that space.
Tea:
Due to my love for tea, in therapy sessions you will always have the option for high quality fine loose leaf tea. But the way of tea - “chado” - is much more than enjoying a cup of good tea. It is a practice of making the ordinary extraordinary in our day to day lives, and living more presently and meaningfully moment by moment. It’s a way to bring respect for nature, for ourself, others and the space we’re in. It has been my daily mediation practice for the last 4+ years.
I’ve served tea ceremonies in a rehab centre “Hope” in Thailand for over three months, at a tea house in Amsterdam, at meditation centers. And each time I witness, how beautiful the simplicity of sitting together in silence with tea is, how it touches us deeply and tea has a way of opening the heart and allowing us to rest into the richness and preciousness of this moment. When appropriate, I like to use it in combination with therapy, because it gives the space to digest the information of life and connect back to what truly matters behind the busyness of the world and mind. There is a lot of truth and value in inner stillness, it’s where we can truly know ourselves and experience what it is to be totally, fully sensitive and alive to the beauty in ourselves and around us. In the end, what I try day by day, is to live each moment as beautifully as I can, meaning with as much love and presence as possible in the moment.