Caitlin. 34
I got so much out of working with Irene, and our sessions significantly contributed to an intense period of personal growth in my life. I first reached out to her because I wanted to pursue a specific creative goal, but I could see how steps I needed to take along the way to that goal were triggering in a way that would derail me and make me spiral.
I'd done a lot of work on processing my childhood trauma in therapy in the past, but some triggers related to pursuing my passion were bringing up a lot of old stuff for me and holding me back. I felt like I'd get the same general advice repeated over and over in therapy, but it was hard to translate it into specific steps forward, and sometimes I ended up feeling like the logical takeaway was "okay maybe you just shouldn't expose yourself to these triggers" — i.e. maybe you should just not pursue that goal.
Irene's approach — combining knowledge of psychology concepts and a trauma-informed sensibility with practical strategizing and routine-building — was so invaluable to me. She helped me learn techniques to manage my triggers, set better boundaries, and change the way I talk to myself. All of her advice was tailored to my situation (my past experiences of abuse, my personality, and the super specific quirks of the creative field I've been trying to break into).
She was such an empathetic listener as I shared my experiences with her, and her weekly affirmations were very empowering. After years in therapy, the switch to getting some mental health-related support that was more goal-oriented was exactly what I needed. I felt like she was right there alongside me as I pursued this dream of mine, helping me come up with a game plan to get where I want to be. Looking back on the hopes I had when I first started working with her, I'm honestly shocked at how many of the things I was hoping to accomplish have come to fruition, and I'm so grateful to her for all her help!
Vaugn. 25
Undergoing the process of coaching with Irene has made discernible changes in my life in particular with the regulation of maladaptive emotional responses, connecting, and further diagnosis of seemingly unconnected experiences that pertain to my being in totality.
I struggled primarily with responding emotionally– often not my intention. Prior to coaching with Irene, I would wear my emotions on my sleeve, if I was irate it would show in multiple avenues from: my tone, micro expressions on my face, to stifled breathing. Prior to coaching, I would cope with these maladaptive emotional responses by throwing pity parties for myself or distracting myself with frivolous pursuits such as drinking or smoking. Therapy only helped so much, while it helped bring further awareness of my and other’s actions, reactions, etc. it did not help with or teach me how to navigate current issues such as imposter syndrome in regards to successes of others subconsciously belittling my own or facing new challenges such as honoring thyself amidst an ever expanding work and social culture.
I wanted to work with Irene as she helped to identify trends particular to me. The work with Irene began minimally, as if akin to the Butterfly effect– one small change eventually lead to an overarching theme of accepting and embracing change. There was not much change in my own personal schedule but rather including the work Irene recommended. I struggled with following through– starting it was easy but sticking through it proved to be more difficult than I thought. I found that these little actions were all conducive to becoming a better version of myself, not wanting to disappoint myself nor Irene I held steadfast to the program. I found that sticking through with the program, had cultivated a mental clarity that I have not had for some time since graduation. Prior to coaching with Irene I would experience a disconnect from one or more specific groups but now I feel more connected to my family, friends, work place, and to nature. This made me want to participate, get involved, and be proactive with my life rather than see it slip by to the sands of time.
I would recommend Irene as my coach. I would recommend Irene to someone who will put in the work and reap the rewards. I would not recommend Irene to someone who does not want it more than themself or Irene. Irene wants to see you succeed and be the best version of yourself, however you must also want that, work it, and chase that version of yourself.
Ngan 30
For what felt like nearly half my life, I searched for help, for direction, and for answers. I searched in friends, strangers, therapists, doctors, and many of them didn’t really know how to help me. They only knew how to diagnose me. For a long time, I lived in fear and disorient because I had a really rough childhood that stripped away my identity, especially during my formative years. As I got older and reached adulthood, a lot my insecurities and fears started to control me. I would always be in immense anger, depression, and anxiety. And oftentimes a combination of all these emotions would make me erratic. So much of these really malicious thoughts and values that I was brought up in started to really take over me and consume me. Sometimes I felt like I was losing control of who I was, what I wanted, and how to leave behind the things that did not serve me. I just wanted to get help. I needed someone who could give me some sort of direction or guidance on how to move forward, how to reclaim my identity.
I went to several different therapists over the last decade and till this day I still have not found a therapist that I could connect with. Sometimes I even felt dismissed by many of them; as if my emotions were dramatic or unrealistic. A lot of therapists, I felt, had invalidated my experiences and my emotions. Some could understand and comprehend what I was going through, but could not empathize. They could not see the severity of how my traumatic experiences affected my mindset and affected my wellbeing. When I first saw Irene, it was when I came across one of her TikToks. She talked about forgiveness. She talked about how forgiveness isn’t for everyone; we don’t have to forgive our abusers in order for us to heal. And that really spoke to me, because I grew up with really abusive parents whose violence ultimately changed my life and altered my personality, who I was, stripping away a lot of joy in my upbringing.
So I followed Irene on Instagram and found even more content that captured me. Browsing her work made me feel like someone finally sees me. When Irene and I first spoke, it was really easy for me to open up to her. Before Irene, opening up about anything was really hard for me to do. With Irene, I didn’t feel judged. I felt seen and heard. And, most importantly, I felt validated. There’s something about being validated that soothes the mind. I felt less resistant to her words and observations, because I knew that she truly empathized and understood me. It’s almost like she already knew me. And in those very first few moments of our exchange, many of Irene’s words resonated deeply with me. Her observations also brought me great sense of clarity. Irene was able to hold my hand and walk me back to who I was before violence and trauma altered me. I was always a really social, talkative, adventurous, and immensely outspoken, intuitive young girl. But my upbringing taught me to feel shame in all of that. So as I reached adulthood, shame and guilt made itself at home in my identity. Through Irene, I was able to recognize the little girl that had been hurt by her environment and by the people she was meant to trust the most. I was able to recognize that many of the voices, thought patterns, and values that I held as an adult were only those of my parents and other adults that projected their maliciousness onto me. I began to reconnect with the little girl that I wanted to be: someone happy, intuitive, and loving. And in the same moment, I also began to let go of the girl that I was brought up to be: someone jealous, angry, hateful, and self deprecating.
Now, my energy isn’t spent battling myself anymore (as much as I did before). Now, I spend much of it cultivating and fostering an environment and headspace that allows me to grow and recapture the young girl I once was who wanted to talk to people, wanted to share with others, and wanted to love and uplift others. Ever since meeting Irene, I’ve felt more love enter my life. I have a heightened sense of self that allows me to articulate my needs and my boundaries. I have regained the courage I once had that allows me to stand up for what I believe in and for others. And, above all, I have taken many steps toward a fulfilling and much happier life. A lot of therapists in my past created an environment that made it only possible for me to seek help and betterment through them. So, when I left their office, I would return to the depressed and anxious Ngan that I had been when I entered their office. It was always a pattern that heavily relied on that therapist to guide me forward. The great thing about Irene is that she doesn’t make me feel as if she will be the only person I can learn from. She has given me so many tools and guides on how to empower myself, especially in times when all I have is myself to rely on. Through her validation, I’ve regained trust in myself, my intuition. This has helped me to move forward in my life and my search for self improvement in a lot of ways I never thought I could. I rave about Irene wherever I go, and recommend her whenever I see my friends or people I care about. Every time someone asks me how my summer went, I can always feel the brightest smile fill my face, because I think about all the weight I’ve let go and all the light and clarity that I’ve gained from my journey with Irene. Nowadays, I wake up every day and approach life with a kinder and brighter outlook on what the future holds for me, what opportunities await me. I trust my abilities and my ambition rather than doubt them and negate them.
Melissa. 33
I have struggled with depression and anxiety since high school ended. When I was growing up I had to hold in my feelings for the sake of others. I needed to be strong for my family and help no matter what and as a result my needs were always pushed to the side. I no longer cared what happened to me as long as people around me were happy. After many years of trying to manage my mental health on my own—I had a, “What's the point?” attitude. I got to one of the darkest points in my life and knew I needed to make a change. I started to see a Therapist and Psychiatrist, and I was put on my meds which has helped me immensely. Yet I still felt like I was missing some structure that therapy couldn't provide for me. With Irene I was able to solidify a schedule, try new techniques I wouldn't have done on my own or without her help. Such as breathing exercises, manifestations, and deep thinking meditation. Irene was dedicated to being there for me with support and techniques. I knew I could count on her if I needed something. I would highly recommend Irene as a Self Empowerment Coach if you are someone open to different styles that you may not have tried before and could use someone to hold you accountable to your mental health and life goals.
Cole 32
I am so glad to be working with Irene on developing strategies to manage my life as a neurodivergent person. Irene is able to hone in on the challenges I am facing and provide thoughtful advice immediately due to her depth of knowledge. She clearly cares so much about helping folks navigate their lives and has thought so much about these topics. She is able to listen carefully, direct the session towards the heart of the matter, and offer advice that really helps. The Embarks that she creates after each session are really exciting to see and help me retain the information.
Nicole. 28
I had experienced some traumatic relationships in my young adult years and due to that and growing up in a single parent household, I developed major anxiety and codependency issues. I felt as if I had fully lost myself in the stress and anxiety I was experiencing. I didn’t know how to cope or even begin talking about what I was feeling. I would try to workout to keep myself distracted, I read self help books, and listened to podcasts but nothing really helped let alone stuck. I would do things once, then never continue because I didn’t see the point. I had even tried therapy but for some reason, I never truly clicked or felt safe with any of the therapists. I knew I needed some type of professional help which led me to seeking out Irene; I wanted to go about helping myself in a different manner, in a way that was more specific to the things I was dealing with in my life.
I truly enjoyed working with Irene, her approach is open and encouraging and overall more unique to anything I had ever experienced before. She helped me re-align with my true self and taught me how to go about calming my anxiety not only in life but in my relationships. She showed me that I’m able to show up for myself and how to prioritize “me” more. I’ve spent so much time in my relationships focusing on the other person, constantly revolving my emotions around theirs; Irene taught me how to value my own emotions and how important it is to validate yourself and feelings. Walking away from my experience with Irene, I feel as if I’ve finally learned the importance of being your own person within a relationship.
Irene’s approach is unique: She’s direct but in a caring way and she wants you to put in the work for yourself. She constantly checks in with you on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis to see how you’re doing and depending on how much accountability you want, she will check in on how you’ve been doing with the routines she sets for you that week. She told me that I could come to her about anything whenever I needed and although I didn’t take advantage of that at first, I began feeling more comfortable reaching out to her when something would trigger me or I’d feel an anxiety attack start to come on. It made a big difference that I’d be able to send her a little message and she would immediately respond with an exercise for me to help calm me down and bring me back to myself. You can tell she cares not only about what she does but about you as her client from the very beginning. She takes the time to learn about you, how you deal and respond to things, the things you struggle with, takes note of every detail to the point you feel seen and heard, she works on the very specific triggers you may struggle with, and implements processing and routines to help with those pain-points . Throughout the whole experience, she challenged me with breathing, yoga, and manifestation exercises that I never would’ve done on my own or would’ve thought how impactful such simple things can have on your mental state when introducing them into your daily routine.
I would highly recommend Irene to young women who are looking to reconnect with who they are outside of the things they’ve experienced in life and who have struggled with codependency issues within their relationships.
