There is more to life than we can see. There is more to us than we can imagine.
-Alex Ioda -
My Coaching Story
My journey has been varied and productive. I was born and raised in a close, loving family in a small European country. My parents were people of great warmth and integrity who instilled in me a strong sense of compassion and connection to humanity. They taught me to appreciate the richness of human nature in all people, so it is no wonder that in my adulthood I chose a career dealing with the human psyche. After I graduated from Gdansk University with a master’s degree in clinical psychology, I emigrated to the United States and began working as a psychotherapist with children, adolescents and families.
Using this as a foundation, I went on to work in the Crisis Center of Bergen and Passaic Counties in New Jersey, conducting psychiatric evaluations for people in crisis, counseling them and their loved ones. During those years of seeing a wide variety of people dealing with a wide variety of crises, the inadequacies of the system became very apparent to me. While some valuable service to people is given in that setting, for the most part, the solutions offered were limited to psychiatric medications and/or commitment to psychiatric units.
A key discovery for me was that quite often people in crisis don’t necessarily have mental illness or a disorder. Yet the approach the system takes toward them is governed by pharmaceutical and clinical interests. We were instructed to offer medical fixes to many people struggling with not medical, but existential problems.
My Vision
-
Not every conflict within us is a sign of mental illness.
-
Not every emotional distress requires medications and treatment.
-
Not every relational problem has to lead to break up.
-
Not every conflict should be avoided.
-
In every problem there is a solution and every challenge has a gift.
-
There is an opportunity for growth in every difficult situation.
-
Every crisis has energy for transformation within it.
Today, many of us are caught up in the notion that situations and life are about managing and fixing things that are not going right for us. We are used to accepting that feelings of sadness, worries and stress are wrong, and when something is wrong, logically, it requires repairing and fixing. This can lead to the belief that we all have to fit in to expectations of others. We learned to forget that we are unique human beings and have our own life to live, our own path to follow. Sure there are many coaches and therapists whose work is centered around short term solutions, but my work is focused more on the transformational process to get long lasting and far reaching results.
My work is based on the conviction that we need stress and conflict to grow, to get in touch with our passion and purpose so that we may feel fulfilled and alive. And yes, sometimes it takes crisis to make significant and radical leaps to generate energy for meaningful changes in our lives. Partnering with me, you will be able to transform the energy generated by stress and conflict to motivation and empowerment.
As a client, you will learn to find your unique path to funnel this energy and foster growing feelings of fulfillment. It is not about learning to cope with stress, conflict, and crisis in order to keep the status quo. Instead, it is about a greater gift, purpose, and fulfillment, which so many of us seek today. You will have an opportunity to find relief and transform the debilitating and negative effects of stress into growth, conflict - into opportunity, and crisis - into fulfillment. The effects of coaching with me will transfer positively to many if not all areas of your life.
Interested in finding your own personal gift hidden in your current stress or crisis? Then call or email for a complimentary strategy session! Take control of your amazing life now!
My philosophy
My clinical work in the U.S. enabled me to realize that the problems we face almost always offer us a key to unlock the door to a new and better time of our life. It’s a matter of putting things in a healthy perspective and engaging in practical solutions.
Of course, people in crisis very often need help to gain a healthy perspective and to take positive steps toward solutions. So it became crystal clear to me that providing this kind of help must become the new direction of my work. And it quickly has become my passion. Guiding people as they transform their lives from painful and stuck to renewed and happy is so remarkable and fulfilling.
In a very real sense, my own life is now also renewed and happier than ever. Life is an endlessly fascinating voyage!
“From crisis, stress and conflict
To growth, opportunity and fulfillment.”
— Alex Ioda
Training and experience
I received my higher education at the Gdansk University in Gdansk, Poland where I earned my Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology with a second specialization in Work Psychology.
Throughout the years, I have worked as a counselor providing counseling services to adults, children, and families in New Jersey. While practicing psychotherapy, I attended multiple workshops and seminars including, “Evolution of Psychotherapy” and “Ericksonian psychotherapy”. I also completed training in Foundations of Ericksonian Hypnotherapy and hold a certificate in Hypnotism.
Currently, as an IPEC Certified Professional Coach, as well as an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, I continue to provide my services as a Crisis Counselor at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson, NJ.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
•IPEC Certified Professional Coach and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner
•Experienced Crisis Counselor
•Certified and trained Hypnotist
•State certified Mental Health Screener
•Toastmaster certified Public Speaker