Ania Lidia Coaching

“I know you are tired of standing at a crossroad, afraid, confused.
Together we can make sense of it all and clear the path to your dreams. The best is yet to come”.

Therapy is proven to be a powerful, life-changing experience that can help you improve your mental health and overcome emotional challenges. It allows you to explore and work through emotions that have caused you pain and prevented you from finding peace and reaching your potential.

It is natural for people to feel nervous about therapy and opening up, especially because a lot of times we have buried our deepest secrets and painful memories for so long, and we do not trust ourselves that we can handle reliving those memories. So, what we do instead is, try to push those unpleasant realities away, forget and move on.

Instead of seeking therapy, we may use different coping strategies to numb ourselves, to escape. These include relying on substances to make us feel better, getting involved in gambling, pornography, co-dependent relationships, and filling the void by working a lot and pursuing material things.

“The more we try to escape the further away we run from our true selves… which still does not make “it” go away”.

Those painful memories appear in our dreams, and prevent us from feeling safe and being able to trust others, they affect our day-to-day, the way we show up at work, our relationships, and most importantly how we feel and think about ourselves.

We are triggered by people and situations; we overreact from a place of past hurt or we train ourselves not to feel. If we routinely numb our emotions, we are cutting ourselves off from experiences that we need to feel. Fear, sadness, anger, and other emotions that don’t feel good are nevertheless just as important as joy and excitement. If you don’t let yourself, feel sad, it’ll become harder and harder for you to be happy.

Therapy encourages you to get in touch with emotions and use them to your advantage.

You may think how on earth will I be able to open up to a total stranger.

Having worked with hundreds of clients over the years, I have been told that surprisingly, clients found it much easier to open up to me than their friends or family. One of the reasons why this might be the case is that I am not directly connected to them, I will not judge them and most importantly what my clients share with me remains confidential.

As a qualified therapist, I can support you: express your feelings and process them in a safe and supportive way so you can gain a deeper insight into the issues you face.

What specific issues therapy can help with?

• Anxiety
• Depression
• OCD
• Phobias
• Low Self-esteem
• Difficulty regulating mood
• Assertiveness
• Confidence building
• Childhood neglect
• Domestic and Sexual Abuse
• PTSD
• Trauma
• Eating Disorders
• Grief and Bereavement
• Relationship Issues and Conflict Resolution
• Anger Management
• Immigration-Related Issues
• Stress Management
• Addictions and more…

 Take the first step towards feeling better

How I work?

In my sessions, I use Integrative approach that involves selecting the techniques from different therapeutic orientations best suited to a client’s particular problem. By tailoring the therapy to individual needs, I can produce the most significant and long-lasting results.

* Person-centred therapy: A non-directive form of talk therapy that offers empathy and unconditional positive regard

* Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Focuses on making connections between thoughts, behaviour, and feelings. CBT assists clients in challenging and overcoming unhelpful behaviours as well as self-limiting beliefs. CBT provides effective tools to treat depression, anxiety, OCD, phobias, or PTSD

* Transactional Analysis (TA) is a psychoanalytic theory and a form of therapy which focuses on enhancing relationships with self and others. TA helps explore individual’s personality; how it was shaped. It is extremely effective in changing unhealthy patterns that limit our potential.

* Gestalt therapy: Focuses on the “here and now” experience of the client. It promotes a non-judgemental self-awareness that enables clients to develop a unique perspective on life.

What can I expect from the first therapy session?

For any new clients, I offer free 45-minute initial consultation on zoom which provides an opportunity for us to get to know each other and see how I can help you with your problems.

Once we agree, we schedule our first therapy session.

During the first appointment, I will explain how I work and what you can expect from the therapy.

We will discuss meeting times; confidentiality and I will address any questions you may have.

Keep in mind that therapy usually requires multiple visits, so don’t expect any instant solution to your problems on the first day.

During the first session I may ask you:

– What brought you to therapy

– What are your symptoms

– How is your appetite, sleep, work-life balance

I will also ask some questions about your history, including your childhood, education, relationships (family, romantic, friends), your current living situation, and your career

I always encourage my clients to ask questions; some of these can include

* How can you assure my confidentiality?

* How many sessions will it take to resolve my issue and for me to feel better?

* Could you explain what I can expect to happen in my sessions?

Together we will set goals for therapy, and decide on a specific therapeutic approach and length of the treatment.

Is therapy the right choice for me?
There are many reasons why people choose to seek therapy. Sometimes they want to deal with a traumatic experience from the past or learn to overcome anxiety or depression. Other times it’s in response to unexpected life changes, such as a relationship breakup or career transitions. Many seek therapy as they evaluate their lives and their purpose. Working with a skilled therapist provides insight, support, and coping skills necessary in dealing with life challenges. Therapy can help address many types of issues including low self-esteem, childhood trauma, PTSD, eating disorders, and grief. In my opinion, therapy is the right choice for anyone who is interested in getting more out of life.

How much therapy do I need?
The amount of time you spend in therapy is personal and depends on a number of factors, including your individual needs, goals, and resources. Length of therapy and recommended sessions vary by condition and treatment type, however, the majority of psychotherapy clients report feeling better after a few weeks/months. I have had many success stories with clients who had situational issues that only needed brief therapy in order to get unstuck or make an important decision.
It is worth mentioning that therapy is not only a way to solve emotional problems, but is also a way of living. In the same way, you go to the gym, therapy provides exercise for our minds, heart, and soul.

What’s more effective – medication or therapy?
Usually, therapy is recommended as the first line of treatment when it comes to dealing with emotional problems. One thing to remember is that there is no magic solution and working on your mental health takes time. Instead of treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our emotional problems and the behaviour patterns that sabotage our happiness.
In some cases, however (after prior consultation with GP or psychiatrist), a combination of medication and therapy may be the right course of action.