Hi I’m Vala
I'm a life coach, yoga instructor, cancer survivor, and someone who knows what it means to rebuild life from the inside out.
Having walked through my own seasons of challenge and change, I support people who are navigating illness, identity shifts, weight struggles, emotional overwhelm, and life transitions helping them find acceptance, peace, and a deeper sense of self.
Today, I see my experiences not only as challenges, but as unexpected gifts, gifts that have led me toward greater self-acceptance, calm, and joy.
Learning to Put Myself First
Growing up, I carried a deep sense of responsibility for the happiness of those around me. I believed it was my job to keep the peace, to be agreeable, and to make sure everyone else was okay.
It took me more than 35 years to realize something life-changing: I am my primary responsibility.
Learning to live more truthfully, to make choices aligned with who I truly am, and to place my peace and well-being at the center of my life has been one of the most freeing shifts I have ever experienced.
And I have learned something important along the way: Putting yourself first is not selfish, it is self-care.
Like the oxygen mask on an airplane (a cliché for a reason), we must care for ourselves before we can truly support others.
Healing My Relationship With Myself
For much of my life, I struggled with my weight and the quiet shame that came with it. My self-worth felt fragile, and although I didn’t fully understand why, I carried a persistent sense that something about me wasn’t enough.
I tried many diets, hoping they would fix what felt broken. They didn’t.
Eventually, I chose to undergo gastric sleeve surgery, a turning point that helped me move closer to the physical version of myself I had long imagined.
But what followed was deeper emotional work.
Food had been a coping mechanism, a way to soothe difficult emotions. When that option disappeared, I had to learn new ways to care for myself emotionally.
That work is ongoing and I believe it always will be.
Because healing is not a destination.
It is a lifelong journey.
A Turning Point That Changed Everything
In April 2020, during the early days of a global pandemic, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
I faced surgery, bilateral lumpectomy, and weeks of radiotherapy, much of it alone due to the circumstances of the time. But what surprised me most was not just the treatment itself, it was the recovery. That was the most challenging part, physically and emotionally.
And yet, I never experienced my cancer as a grievance.
From the very beginning, I saw it differently. I came to believe that this experience had entered my life for a reason, not as punishment, but as an invitation to look inward, to slow down, and to listen more closely to myself.
Over time, I began to see the gifts within the experience; a deeper sense of calm, vulnerability, and compassion. Cancer changed the way I viewed life, helping me recognize what truly matters and how I wanted to live moving forward.
That perspective became one of the foundations of the work I do today.
Discovering the Work That Changed My Life
Although I had always enjoyed teaching and working with people, it was during my cancer journey that I began actively searching for tools that could help me feel calmer, more grounded, and more connected to myself.
Around that same time, I began following the work of Michelle Chalfant, creator of The Adult Chair® model. Her teachings introduced me to a new way of understanding emotions, patterns, and personal growth.
What began as curiosity slowly became a path.
I started exploring coaching programs, Yoga, and somatic practices. One program led to another. One insight led to the next. I found myself drawn toward communities of like-minded people who were committed to growth, healing, and meaningful change.
Over time, this personal work became professional work. I formally trained in The Adult Chair® model and eventually became a Certified Adult Chair® Master Coach, alongside my training in Yoga & Yoga Nidra.
Looking back now, I can see how each step built on the one before it, guiding me toward the work I do today.
My Approach - Moving Beyond the Mind
What makes my work different is that we don’t stay stuck in the mind.
Many people come into coaching replaying frustrations, analyzing situations, or trying to think their way out of emotional pain. But real change doesn’t happen through thinking alone.
In our work together, we slow things down.
We create space to feel what’s happening beneath the surface, not just what you think, but what you feel.
Sometimes this looks like guided reflection and conversation. At other times, when it feels supportive and appropriate, I may introduce gentle somatic tools such as Yoga Nidra, breathwork or Yin yoga practices to help the nervous system settle and create a sense of internal safety.
These practices are not required, but they can be powerful ways to quiet the mind, soften the body, and allow deeper awareness to emerge.
This is where the Adult Chair® model becomes especially powerful.
Through the understanding of the Child, Adolescent, and Adult parts of ourselves, clients begin to recognize their patterns, understand their reactions, and gradually move into more grounded and thoughtful responses.
That awareness creates lasting change, not forced change, but sustainable change.
Still Walking My Own Path
Life has continued to ask me to grow in unexpected ways.
In recent years I found myself navigating one of the most uncertain seasons of my life, moving across continents to build a life with my husband, while waiting through a long and unpredictable immigration process.
There were months of uncertainty, decisions beyond my control, and long stretches of waiting without clear answers. At times, it felt deeply uncomfortable to sit in the unknown.
And yet, this season reminded me of something I had already begun to learn through earlier challenges:
We cannot control everything, but we can learn how to stay grounded through uncertainty.
It required patience, trust, and a willingness to surrender control, lessons that continue to shape not only my life, but the way I support others today.
Because the truth is:
I am still on this journey too. Still learning. Still growing. Still practicing the same tools I share with others.
A Final Word
If something in my story resonates with you, know that you're not alone.
And if you're ready to explore what your next chapter could look like, at your own pace, in your own way, I would be honored to support you along the way.
Warmly,