ABOUT ME

TAME your MIND, MASTER your EMOTIONS, OPEN your HEART

My journey here took a painful experience to wake me up to what really matters, and to who I really am.

I was born into a less than perfect family. As I grew, I slowly disappeared underneath layers of conditioning, unhelpful beliefs and distorted visions of myself and the world. I had to develop thick skin! I put up a wall around my heart and disconnected from my feelings and my body. My belief was that I am indestructible. I could do it all alone.

And I could. I did it all alone. I had everything I had wished for. A wonderful man, a great job, good life by all conventional standards and two beautiful children. But I wasn’t happy. I lived in my head.  ALL. THE. TIME. And it was pretty messy up there. I was self-critical, judgmental and extremely anxious and was seeking recognition and fulfilment from outside myself. I felt empty, scared and lonely. What was wrong with me?

Hey, I’m Silvija

I’m a recovering anxiety-driven over-thinker and perfectionist turned calm, confident and authentic.  The discovery that changed my life were mindfulness and somatic practices that I’ve now been practicing daily and exploring  for many years.

They sparked in me a deep personal transformation and my passion to share them with others who are looking for a different and  profound way to  get in touch with themselves and reach their goals.

FLOW is my favourite word. My own quest is to find flow in everything – my way of being, my way of thinking and especially in my way of interacting with people.  When I am in a flow, I am fully present, connected with my intuition and unconditionally compassionate.

This flow, however, wasn’t always part of my life …

And then it hit me. A burn-out. It felt like I was falling apart. The image I had of who I was fell into pieces. It was built on rotten foundations. 

It was so hard and scary to face and accept what happened and to start rebuilding my life. I had to walk the path, step by step, into a life I didn’t even know I could have. I started to believe life can be different and that I too can change. I consciously began to change my damaging thought patterns and beliefs. I befriended my emotions and my hurts. I finally felt my body again! I opened my heart and for the first time after a very long time I felt true joy and calm that came from within. I finally felt good enough.

I didn’t do it alone. I asked for help. Because you know, my friend, asking for help takes real, freaking guts. And it is so worth it!

This is how my passion was born. To help others walk their path. Because I believe change is possible and we are the only ones who can create the life we want.

If my story resonates with you and you want support and guidance, I would be honored to support you on your journey. 

Hi, I’m Silvija

I have been practicing mindfulness for many years.  I believe it is the most powerful tool that can help us live with greater calm, ease and balance.

It has sparked in me a deep personal transformation, that has resulted in positive change from the inside out. I am passionate about sharing it with others who are on their own journey. I know from experience how hard and lonely, as well as liberating this journey can be.

My heart felt belief is that people don’t need to be fixed.  At our core we are all whole and simply amazing. When we are able to connect with ourselves, we are all resourceful and creative. 

I fell deeply connected with my intuition and nature. My own quest is to find flow in everything – my way of being, my way of thinking and especially in my way of interacting with people.

When I am in a flow, I am fully present, unconditionally compassionate and my thoughts and actions are aligned with who I want to be.

This flow, however, wasn’t always part of my life …

My journey here took a painful experience to wake me up to what really matters, and to who I really am.

I was born into a less than perfect family. As I grew, I slowly disappeared underneath layers of conditioning, unhelpful beliefs and distorted visions of myself and the world. I had to develop thick skin! I put up a wall around my heart and disconnected from my feelings and my body. My belief was that I am indestructible. I could do it ‘all’ alone.

And I could. I did it all alone. I had everything I had wished for. A wonderful man, a great job, good life by all conventional standards and two beautiful children. But I was not happy. I lived in my head. ALL. THE. TIME. And it was pretty messy up there. I was self-critical, judgmental and extremely anxious and was seeking recognition and fulfilment from outside myself. I felt empty, scared and lonely. What was wrong with me?

And then it hit me. Burn-out or break down. Brene Brown would say ‘The Awakening’. Well, who cares about the labels, for me it felt like I was falling apart. The image I had of who I was fell into pieces. It was built on rotten foundations. 

It was so hard and scary to face and accept what happened and to start rebuilding my life. I had to walk the path, step by step, into a life I did not even know I could have. I started to believe life can be different and that I too can change. I consciously began to change my damaging thought patterns and beliefs. I befriended my emotions and my hurts. I finally felt my body again! I opened my heart and for the first time after a very long time I felt true joy and calm that came from within. I finally felt good enough. 

I didn’t do it alone. I asked for help. Because you know, my friend, asking for help takes real, freaking guts. And it is so worth it!

This is how my passion was born. To help others walk their path. Because I believe change is possible and we are the only ones who can create the life we want.

If my story resonates with you and you want support and guidance, I would be honored to support you on your journey. 

I’d love to hear from you!

Please reach out if you have any questions about working with me or to get you scheduled for a free introductory coaching session.

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  • This moment is the only one we really have to be fully alive.
  • True happiness and peace can only be found within.
  • Loving myself first is a prerequisite for loving others. I know how hard this can be!
  • People are intrinsically good and doing the best they can in this moment.
  • Good enough is enough.
  • Let’s enjoy dancing, playing and exploring. Life doesn’t have to be so serious!

My attitudes and beliefs about life are simple and they are at the core of everything I do.

My attitudes and beliefs about life are simple and they are at the core of everything I do.

Some may think I am naive, but I have tried many other ways of seeing the world and they all have failed me. I’m definitely still a work in progress but now I consciously choose to make each moment better than the last. I find that the attitudes and beliefs that I try to embody in each moment are the only way to bring true happiness, joy and calm into my life.

Paul

Silvija has been integral to so much important change in my life over the last few months. Her skills of active listening helps relax and open my skills of listening to myself and getting into touch with my intuition and body knowledge. She has helped me to realize and understand answers that lie within myself that I found I just needed to find the peace and stillness to slow down and listen to. I am so thankful for her excellent coaching technique and the work that we have done together and I look forward to all our future sessions.

Lisa

My sessions with Silvija have been life-transforming. We started off our virtual meetings in the middle of the nightmare pandemic confinement with the goal to develop and practice self-love. Week by week, we tackled one false thought after another in connection with different aspects of my life. Whenever I was explaining something that was bothering or upsetting me, she provided a very surprising mirror in which I saw things and connections I did not see before. And when words could not suffice, we practiced mindful somatic dives into my heart and subconsciousness. These have been incredibly effective and full of insights. We mindfully observed what was there, what it was trying to tell me and how to let it go in order to set myself free. And what remained in the end were self-awareness, self-compassion and self-love. 

Maya

Silvija has been a guide for me during some extremely challenging times. Through somatic work and coaching she showed me how to listen to my body, how to get in touch with my heart and calm my anxiety. I learned how to feel what I want and need and how to get my needs met.

What makes my heart sing?

My zen teachers, my two beautiful children. They are my mirrors, showing me what is still there for me to face and work with. They keep reminding me what being in a flow looks like.

My wonderful husband. He believes in me in all I do. I admire his patience and kindness.

Connecting with life. Walks in nature, yoga, meditation, QiGong.

My more ferocious side loves crazy mountain bike rides, climbing mountains and exploring exotic corners of our beautiful planet. Do generous portions of ice-cream count as living life to the fullest?!:)

Cathleen

Having spent several years hiring coaches who only worked on cognitive level my progress was slow. It was not until I began seeing Silvija that I started to experience deep change in my life and in myself. Through her mindfulness and somatic coaching she brought me in touch with myself. I learned how to get answers on a completely new level. I reached my goals that were truly in line with my values and my heart. It was a pleasure for me to work with Silvija. She is both caring and forceful, gentle and relentless. It was hard work but infused with lightness. We often had a good laugh about the peculiar workings of our minds.

Martine

Silvija helped me to communicate and bond with my children in a completely different way than I had ever thought possible. I learned mindful parenting tools that became a part of my life. I stopped yelling at my kids and have learned to take a pause before reacting to difficult situations. By responding to my children in a more accepting way we developed a wonderful relationship and connection. I can now finally parent in a peaceful and loving way. Silvija challenges and enlivens me each time we talk. She helps me to be my best self and to reframe the way I see my role as a parent.

Petra

I am feeling so grateful to have found Silvija as a coach. I felt stressed out, confused and very lonely as I tried to find peace with myself and harmony in my family. Silvija helped me take a step back, resource myself and craft a mindful approach to parenting that makes me and my children feel better about ourselves. My family is far from being »perfect« but I feel at peace with it and myself. Silvija is very intuitive, warm and compassionate. Her personal approach makes me feel safe and understood.

Training & experience