WHO are you?
I’m a therapist and coach who loves witnessing others realize their full potential. Before embarking on my own transformative journey, I had spent most of my life working hard, striving, and achieving only to be confronted by a painful truth. The more boxes I ticked off “the life checklist,” the more empty and less fulfilled I felt. How could that be? This was a mystery that bewildered me to my core and left me so shaken up my body finally said, “NO.” Autoimmune issues, chronic fatigue, brain fog, gastrointestinal problems, skin issues, recurring infections, and finally a hospitalization with a severe kidney infection forced me to stop and listen to what was going on inside.
I had developed complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) due to narcissistic abuse early on in my childhood. My hyper-functioning had led to total burnout and collapse. I was confronted by many dark nights of the soul. This led to an awakening that provided me with the opportunity to integrate my shadows and realize my potential. Everything that tormented me—my depression, anxiety, dissociation, perfectionism, codependence, self-harm, harsh inner critic, work addiction, chronic health issues, and relentless feelings of shame and emptiness—transformed into rites of passage that led me to where I am today. I was able to brave the inner wilderness, build a home inside myself, and experience the full spectrum of aliveness thanks to the trauma therapy approaches I personally benefited from (and now offer). I could finally rest to take in my life and experience everything I worked so hard far. I could be present for all that I cared for. My relationships and my life were infused with joy, inner peace, and a greater sense of purpose, meaning, and adventure.
Thanks to my personal story, I’ve dedicated the last 10 years of my life to discovering and sharing what it actually means to do the deep work and get to the root cause of emotional, spiritual, and even physical suffering. I now see myself as a guide helping others transcend trauma, find aliveness, and become the person they were meant to be. I trained in an approach called Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy. It’s an evidence-based, trauma-centered, psycho-spiritual therapy model developed by Dr. Richard C. Schwartz. Today, I’m a Level 3 IFS therapist. I’m also informed in Somatic Experiencing and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. I am a certified Yoga teacher and have extensive training in mindfulness. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from New York University and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and Psychotherapy from the American College of Greece.
WHAT do you do?
I offer individual therapy and coaching sessions to passionate professionals, leaders, and entrepreneurs seeking to get to the root cause of their suffering and take their growth to the next level. My clients are ambitious, big-hearted truth seekers who want to release the constraints that hold them back and create deep, rich, meaningful lives. I integrate Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, somatic therapies, and Jungian psychology to help them experience genuine transformation. I also explore other self-optimization and biohacking strategies that take into consideration the connection between metabolic health and psychological wellbeing.
I’ve worked with countless high achievers who wake up each morning, put on their brave face, and chase joy and fulfillment on the outside. They have on the outside a life worthy of respect and admiration but on the inside an inner life that is depleted, dissociated, and disconnected from their joy and aliveness. They’ve ticked off many of the boxes of their “life checklist” only to discover they feel more empty, lost, and alone than ever. Secretly they’re knee-deep in the trenches fighting ongoing battles with their own minds and bodies. I call this the Walking Wounded Tribe (WWT).
You know you’re a member if being in your mind and body is like living in a war zone. You wish for more than anything to be at peace yet you also yearn to feel alive. Not just the adrenaline rush of the fight to survive or achieve or the high of the “hedonistic treadmill”—but true vitality. You are a natural chameleon adapting to any situation or relationship. You know how to put on a brave face but it’s exhausting and leaves you feeling like an imposter. You wonder what it would be like to be fully present and authentic in your relationships knowing you are enough—you belong just as you are. You live in a perpetual state of internal conflict and misalignment. You desperately need your insides to match your outsides.
Can you relate? If so, now imagine this for a moment…
How you would feel if you could go on a transcendental inner journey, heal your wounds in a safe, non-overwhelming way, and free up resources and powers that have been stored deep within you all along. What if you could not only become who you were meant to be but also realize the best version of your Self because of your trauma? What if your wounds are an initiation leading you to everything you could be and more? Everything you’ve longed for and more? Pause for a few seconds. Take a deep breath. Really take in that possibility.
I know you can do it just like I did along with courageous others I’ve had the privilege to work with.
WHERE do you do it?
I provide online therapy or online coaching. I have the honor of working with clients from all over the world. I use a secure, telehealth platform called Doxy to help protect clients’ privacy and confidentiality. I have found there’s no difference between meeting in person or virtually when it comes to the effectiveness of the Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy approach and other healing modalities. I’m born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and currently live in Greece, home to my family’s roots. I live here with my husband and two sons. We split our time between Athens and the countryside where the sun, sea, and groves of olive trees beckon us.
WHY do you do it?
In traditional psychotherapy and psychiatry, there is a huge emphasis on functionality. For example, a patient meets the criteria for a diagnosis based on the degree to which the symptoms impair functioning in personal, social, and/or work domains. What about those amongst us who are the walking wounded? We look like we are thriving yet we are struggling to survive in the psychospiritual dimension of life. Perhaps our traumas have propelled us upward on an ascent from which great feats of success have been attained in the visible world. All the while we suffer an invisible spiraling descent into the Shadow Underworld. The walking wounded are masters of their hyper-functioning, orderly, busy, external lives and slaves to their chaotic, unknown, mystical yet mystifying internal lives. These individuals need specialized trauma therapy and a customized healing process that honors their outward journey of achievement and their inward journey toward deep healing and transformation.
I became a trauma therapist and coach because this is what I was called to do. It’s a privilege to be invited into someone's inner world and to be entrusted with the most vulnerable, scared, dark, tender, raw, and primal parts of themselves. I'm honored each and every time I witness a transcendental journey as clients courageously descend into their unique underworld, heal their wounds, and come up the other side with the elixirs of joy, love, peace, and aliveness. I use Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy because for the first time I discovered an evidence-based, psychospiritual model that provides a map for the hero's journey based on courage and compassion. It is my belief that wounds are initiations and we have an innate capacity to transform our past tragedies and live out our unique personal myth.
contact me
I’m currently accepting new clients for individual online therapy or coaching sessions. If you’re ready to commit to deep transformational trauma work and unlock your full potential, please take the time to fill out this questionnaire thoroughly. All information will be kept strictly confidential. Be sure to check your spam or junk folder for my response.
“I achieved my major goals, turned my dreams into a reality, became a leader in my field, and, to my surprise, felt nothing inside. No joy, no passion—just relief that it was over and collapse. I thought there was something irredeemably wrong with me. Sofia helped me get to know the underlying constraints and wounds I was carrying in my psyche. She helped me let go of everything that was holding be back from experiencing more joy, freedom, and aliveness. I was able to recover from complex trauma and be present for my life at last. ”
“Before I found Sofia, I was struggling with a relentless inner critic and feelings of never being good enough no matter what I achieved. Sofia helped me get to the root cause of my suffering. She guided me to not only heal my trauma but also create a sacred home inside myself. I can now connect to myself and others with a deep sense of love, belonging, and calm. I feel confident (and relieved!) I can lead a fulfilling life and grow my self and business to the next level. ”
“I was pushing my body beyond its limits while juggling responsibilities and taking on new career opportunities. Working with Sofia, I discovered I spent most of my life dissociating, intellectualizing, and living from the neck up as a way to protect myself. I started trauma therapy to heal my mind-body connection and improve my health issues. I struggled with an autoimmune condition, migraines, brain fog, and chronic fatigue. Sofia helped me get back in my body, heal the underlying trauma, and master by emotions. I still cannot believe the remarkable improvement in my physical symptoms. ”