About Me
How It Started
I was born and raised in Minsk, Belarus, during a transition time: soon after the USSR's collapse. It was definitely an interesting time to grow up in.
When it was time to choose a career and make plans for undergrad, I decided to study Hospitality Management, which I had the privilege to do in Switzerland. To be honest, even then, I knew this business wasn't right for me and that I wanted to study psychology instead, but I didn't think I had what it took at the time.
Having built a rather successful career in Restaurant Management in Switzerland, Hong Kong, and Vancouver, BC, I started realizing that although I had grown to passionately care for the industry, I wanted to make a more meaningful impact on the lives I touched.
Over the years, I have collected many life experiences, such as exposure to several cultures, multiple immigrations, navigating challenges in intimate relationships (including divorce), unpacking complex family dynamics, coming out as queer in my 30s, and changing careers.
I found support, meaning, and empowerment for all of these and other concerns during my own experience in counselling.
How It's Going
My personal journey in therapy inspired me to pursue a Master's in Counselling Psychology degree and become a therapist myself.
The challenges I have been exposed to over the years have increased my capacity for empathy and compassion for myself and others, as well as instilled a trust in myself that I have the capacity to overcome new obstacles on my path.
In my work as a counsellor, I am constantly humbled by the honour and privilege I have to be trusted to witness the vulnerability, courage, and resilience of my clients.
In my commitment to continued growth, I continue to regularly attend counselling sessions with my therapist. Think about it: your therapist has a therapist herself - your grand-therapist! Jokes aside, I take my personal growth seriously and, besides personal therapy, I attend group and individual supervision and consultations with colleagues, read academic journals, textbooks, and relevant literature, and attend trainings and conferences. Learning and growth in my field are infinite and I love that!
Some fun facts about me
I speak fluent Russian, Belarusian, English, French, and basic German.
Going on long bike rides, being in nature, experiencing art, and listening to music are my favourite ways to reconnect with myself and the world.
I spend my evenings with my girlfriend, bearded dragon Sushi, and cat Noodle.
I enjoy travelling and exploring new places through discovering the local food scene.