How I Work
Our Work Together
Imagine yourself standing at the base of a mountain, ready to embark on your journey to the summit. You have trained for years, and you are an experienced climber. You know the techniques. But you also know that you can't do it alone. You need a Sherpa.
A Sherpa is a skilled and experienced guide who knows the mountain like the back of their hand. They can help you navigate the terrain, carry your gear, and keep you motivated on your journey to the summit.
I am the Sherpa for your personal and professional life. My expertise in human behavior and change allows me to help you find the best route. Like a Sherpa, I can see the obstacles and hardships that lie ahead. I will help you carry the emotional load when it gets tough and keep you motivated when you want to give up. Together, we will reach the summit!
I have worked with hundreds of clients as a coach and a counselor. No matter how good my interventions are, no matter how much research is backing them, the only thing that actually works to facilitate change is the relationship.
Building a strong relationship is vital for achieving success in our work together, just like with mountaineers and their Sherpas.
In addition to the relationship there are two things that are necessary for change:
ᛃ Change takes time. Time to build the relationship. Time to establish new routines and habits. Time to change the wiring of our brain.
ᛃ Commitment: To the relationship, to change, and to the process.
This is why I designed the New Beginnings Program and the Shift Program. These programs create a commitment to a number of sessions, giving us the time to establish a sturdy foundation, delve deeper into your goals, and collaborate effectively to bring about sustainable and impactful changes, whether you are looking for wellness coaching or psychedelic integration.
One last important thing: change is a process. Sometimes things get worse before they get better. And that is scary. I'm here to help you through the scariest parts of that journey.
What Coaching With Me Looks Like
Cultivating the Coaching Relationship:
Our journey begins with building a strong and authentic coaching relationship. I prioritize creating a genuine, accepting, and empathetic environment where you can freely express your thoughts and emotions. Through deep connection and genuine understanding, we'll establish a solid foundation for our transformative work.
Illuminating Your Goals and Desires:
With a strong foundation in place, we'll delve into the core of your being to unearth your true goals and desires. These may not be the goals you came in with. Like the saying goes, “Fish don’t know they’re in water.” We'll explore what ignites your passion, aligns with your values, and resonates with your soul. By honing in on your deepest desires as well as those obvious realities you might not be able to see, we'll ensure that your goals are meaningful, empowering, and in alignment with the life you want.
Crafting an Empowering Action Plan:
Once your goals are crystal clear, we'll co-create a powerful action plan that harnesses the connection between your mind and body. We'll design practices and interventions that leverage the transformative potential of somatic techniques and mindfulness. This action plan will serve as your compass, guiding you towards tangible progress and growth.
Embracing Ongoing Support and Evolution:
Transformation is an ongoing process, and I'm here to provide unwavering support as you navigate the twists and turns of your journey. We'll regularly assess and adjust our approach, fine-tuning your action plan to ensure its effectiveness. I'll be by your side, offering guidance, encouragement, and accountability, as we work together to overcome obstacles and celebrate your victories.
Through our transformative mind-body coaching, you'll experience a profound shift in how you perceive and interact with the world. You'll tap into the innate wisdom of your body, creating a balance between your thoughts, emotions, and physical well-being. Together, we'll unlock the boundless potential within you, leading to a life filled with authenticity, fulfillment, and a deep sense of purpose. Get ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery and transformation that will forever shape your mind, body, and soul.
My Philosophy
My healing philosophy is based on Interpersonal Neurobiology, a multidisciplinary scientific approach that recognizes the importance of three key elements in our overall well-being: the mind, the brain/body, and our relationships.
Interpersonal Neurobiology highlights the fact that our brains are constantly changing based on our experiences and environment. This means that by focusing on our thoughts, our physical well-being, and our relationships, we have the power to rewire our brains and create lasting change.
By integrating our mind, body/brain, and relationships, we can develop greater self-awareness and empathy, improve our emotional regulation, and build stronger, more fulfilling connections with others. As your inner transformation coach, I will guide you through the process of integrating these key elements of your life, so you can achieve your goals and evolve from the inside out!
My Story
Hi, I'm Dr. Elizabeth Shuler, but you can call me Liz. I am a transformational coach, yoga instructor, and Reiki Master with over 14 years of experience. I specialize in helping individuals heal from trauma, manage chronic illness, and create a life they love.
My journey began in the wide-open landscapes of Wyoming, where I experienced trauma at a young age. This trauma, combined with genetic predispositions and injuries, had a huge impact on my mental and physical health. It was in the midst of all of this that I discovered the transformative power of Yoga and Reiki.
Through these practices, I was able to resolve trauma, manage chronic illness, and create a life that I wanted for myself. I am now passionate about sharing this transformative healing with others around the world.
Since 2015, I have lived abroad, starting in Jordan, moving to China, and finally ending up in Belgium. As an international school counselor by day, I worked with international students, parents, and professionals dealing with transition, culture shock, and burnout on top of all of the other life stressors that come along. As a coach and therapist by night, I saw many international professionals who didn't feel like enough, thought they were too sensitive, or who wanted to find personal and professional fulfillment.
This international experience has given me a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities that people face when living and working abroad. I have also had the opportunity to learn about and incorporate different healing and coaching modalities from around the world.
My coaching approach is holistic and integrative, drawing on my expertise in Yoga, Reiki, and Psychology. I create a safe and supportive space for my clients to explore their inner landscapes and discover their own path to healing and transformation.
If you are ready to embark on a journey of profound healing and personal growth, I invite you to join me on this extraordinary adventure. Let us navigate the intricate depths of the mind, body, and soul together, unveiling dormant potential and illuminating a path suffused with purpose, resilience, and boundless love.
In Some Ways...
In some ways, I hope you never got to know Liz, for getting to know Liz means that you've been at the bottom. Liz spends her time down there, walking around in the darkness, followed by a pack of injured animals, hooded with a long cloak that drags in the mud, and holding a lantern. Inside that lantern is an everlasting flame, which is reflected and dances in her eyes; a blue-green twinkling.
In some ways, I hope you never got to know Liz, for getting to know Liz means that you've been at the bottom. Down there the walls are covered with slippery moss, with water running down them, and you feel like dying. There are no souls down there, only haunting memories of insults and scars that won't heal; open wounds. No souls but one angel, someone who was born to recover others; someone who lives through giving others life, an anti-vampire if you will, who ceases the bleeding.
In some ways, I hope you never got to know Liz, for getting to know Liz means that you've been at the bottom. She will come towards you softly, gently; you'll first see a silhouette of something, then an outline of a human, with a round, open face. She might ask you some questions; she might not. She'll look at you with no pity whatsoever; she knows where you are, and how you got there, and how much of it is your fault, but she won't say it — she doesn't need to — she's merely there for you.
Liz carefully takes off her cloak and wraps it around you; you're shaking and crying; you secretly wish the cold and the wet will take you; you're embarrassed to look at her. She grabs some twigs and starts a fire; she rubs your hands; she puts her arm around you. Liz is not afraid of anything, or anyone; she is a protector. Even as you sleep she stays awake, watchful for the night-terrors, and when you start in a dread panic; she's there with you, holding your hand, even cracking a joke.
The next morning may as well be night because such little sunlight reaches down to the bottom. Liz asks you if you feel like helping her gather some sticks; you don't, but when you see her so diligently get to work, how spritely and spry she appears when fluttering around the forest floor, you can't help but help. She teaches you how to avoid the rotten, wild wood; how to leave those that have nesting animals in them. You gather branches for the evening's fire and at one moment, with your arms full of wood, you find yourself in a forest clearing with the midday sun shining on your face.
Liz teaches you how to strip the wood; how to dry it; how to make a shelter. She shows you how to take the damp moss and press it into the cracks and crevices of your camp, so the wind stays out. Your industry and creative insight inspire you to have a go at climbing the walls; you slide back down every time; your nails caked in mud; your fingers bruised and bleeding. Liz meets you at the bottom, still seeing with no pity whatsoever, but feeling the pain; her fingers bleed too in empathy with you.
There are days when you shun her; when you leave her to collect the wood and when you ignore her in a rude and vindictive manner; days when you hate her for not letting you die, for not leaving you alone. On such days she never engages in conflict with you; never seems to become angry no matter how much you try and provoke her. But you dare not insult her, because the fire in her eyes burns with a dignity and self-confidence that you aspire to feel; you respect her, and would fight for her.
The Spring comes and vines begin to grow on the walls. You're eager to climb them, to return to your former life; you can see yourself scaling the mountain; running to meet your family and friends with open arms. Liz tells you to wait, that the vines are not strong enough yet; give it some time. You listen to her and beg forgiveness for the times you didn't; she forgives you and you laugh together.
Then one day she says you can leave now, and you find the vines strong as if they're pushing you up. You're so overwhelmed with joy and light that you forget to look down. If you did you would see Liz breaking down in tears: the sadness she could never show you; the joy that you no longer need her. In some ways, I hope you never got to know Liz, but more so, I hope you did, as we are better for it.
~ Former Colleague