Empowering Busy Humans to Live and Work With Purpose and Meaning
HOW WE'LL WORK TOGETHER, ie THE PROCESS
It's as much about the Journey as it is about the Destination. It's meant to be embraced, enjoyed.
Though it can sometimes be unpredictable, it always flows and always is beautiful. It always works FOR you.
"Liva is the consummate professional in her approach to coaching and, beyond that, provides a unique prospective as a true international executive in several key market places such as New York, London and Paris. She is a true citizen of the world with emerging markets personal experience and an acute sense of what makes you improve your ability to develop your talents.”
— FOUNDER & CEO OF AN INVESTMENT BANK AND STRATEGIC ADVISORY GROUP, NEW YORK CITY
01/
You're ready, now what?
The first step when you're ready, is to have a 30-min. "chemistry" or "blitz" conversation. It's totally free, this one is on me. It enables me to see if I can really help you, hence "chemistry". And "Blitz" because hopefully you'll experience the benefits of working together there and then during that short span of time. I'll explain to you the basics of safety, trust, authenticity and confidentiality during that session and you'll get to ask me the questions you have. We'll begin co-creating (see more about that in the 4th paragraph here)
03/
Guiding principle
I don't believe in separating "work" and "life." It is all interwoven and that is part of what makes us who we are. Although I am certified as an executive coach, my coaching practice can't be defined as "executive" or "life" coaching. My view is that what happens in one has repercussions in the other. So my approach is whole. You are whole. We are unapologetically whole.
02/
My style
It's my own. No BS but mindful. No coddling, no hurting. Safety and trust.
If you ask my clients, they will tell you I see beyond smokescreens and B.S. It's also because I leave no space for the latter in my sessions. I'm direct, I will go straight to the point but always remain respectful and mindful. I will challenge you and support you in taking those up. At the end of it all, you will grow and expand your realm of possibilities well beyond your usual perimeters.
04/
Co-Creation
My definition of coaching is definitely co-creation. I focus on the process to help you get where you want to go. I use active listening and minute observation. All senses will be activated, as will the imagination, sometimes through short meditations. You provide the context and take the steps. You are your own boss, my role here is solely to guide you.
TOOLS
Here are some of the more widespread tools/methods I use during coaching sessions.
SYSTEMICS
Systemics means approaching a problem as part of a system/ecosystem instead of only taking into consideration the one piece that constitutes the problem at hand. Put more simply, it means contextualizing and taking into account the whole system to which the issue belongs. It also means approaching it in a holistic way, paying attention to everything, including how you move, your breathing, your wording, mimics, etc.
MINIMALISM
Minimalism in my practice goes hand in hand with systemics as you remove all that is unnecessary for the system to function, thereby getting a very clear picture of what is going on and getting to the root of it.
STORYTELLING
How you tell your story not only affects you but also says a lot about you. Often, we tend to focus on story points that limit us instead of giving more life to those that empower us. I work with my clients on removing those self-limiting mechanisms to usher them into their power. The actual method is called "narrative practice" and it was created by Michael White. It allows to "dismiss the problem."
MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. It also is the art of paying attention to yourself and being gentle with yourself. When appropriate, I lead mini meditations during my sessions. I am also known for giving mindfulness tasks to my clients.
DESIGN THINKING
Design thinking is a process for creative problem solving. It utilizes approaches such as empathy and experimentation to arrive at innovative solutions.
Here are some of the tools/methods I use for integrative purposes during the sessions
BREATHWORK
Refocusing on our breath and the different ways we can use it is a powerful tool for grounding and supports stress management.
CREATIVITY
Creativity is a phenomenon whereby something new and somehow valuable is formed. The created item may be intangible (such as an idea, a scientific theory, a musical composition, or a joke) or a physical object (such as an invention, a literary work, or a painting). Creativity plays a key role in relationships, at work, at home and with oneself. It supports self-reinvention and, most importantly, in times of tech-everything, it feeds your soul.
MEDITATION
Meditation no longer needs be explained. Except, there are so many misconceptions flying around, it actually is helpful to recenter what it really is. It's an ancient practice of quietening the mind coming from Asia. It doesn't necessarily attach itself to a specific religion, it's more of a philosophy that one can embrace on their own. There are several types. The ones I use are from yogic inspiration and include body checks, among other things. The mind does not have to shut up, that's just not how it works, I'll show you how we can make meditation one of our best friends in personal and spiritual growth.
ENERGY READING
Come on now, it's not witchcraft. We have several brains in our body: the brain brain, that mooshy thing in your head that you work with constantly is the most well known one. There's the second brain that is the guts. The guts actually host a neuronal network of its own that impacts your moods and how you make decisions. When we say "gut feeling," that's that neuronal system firing up. And then there are the amygdala: they perceive things, sensations faster than the brain can compute. The brain is lagging behind and will wait for visible, tangible evidence before acknowledging facts while the amygdala has enough evidence already. That plus the gut neuronal system is what allows energy perceptions. After working together, you'll be able to tame and pilot your intuition too and read energies that match or are jarring with yours. Note that I won't be working on your energy but will guide you to work with it. I will read it to guide me through the process.
VISUALIZATIONS/MANIFESTATIONS
The imagination is a powerful tool that we often disregard when it comes to shaping our own reality. By that, I mean that humans have an automatic tendency to veer towards negative images when faced with a challenging situation. In fact, the imagination is a double-edged sword that requires a skilled and conscious mind to handle it for positive results. We will work with that too.
There are many more tools from ancient wisdoms around the world that I use depending on the situation at hand but there would be too many to detail here. I will always refer to what we are doing when we work together and I ask that you feel comfortable asking all the questions that come to mind.