Fiora Touliatou is one of the coaches that we found this month and we did a little interview with her. She impressed us with her expertise and her large toolbox of holistic practices.

Her journey from holistic therapist to fitness instructor, and eventually, a catalyst for personal growth and empowerment, spans over 17 years of introspection and evolution. Listening keenly to the narratives of clients navigating through life’s challenges, she found herself bound by limitations, eager to extend a helping hand beyond the constraints of conventional therapy.

She discovered her resilience amidst rebellion toward limited mindsets, forging a unique path toward self discovery and enlightenment. Today, armed with a holistic approach that harmonizes ancient wisdom with modern methodologies, she pioneers a transformative coaching style that integrates mind, body, and spirit.

Her story is one of an individual who transcended conventional boundaries to carve a path of holistic well being. Here is what she said.

Meet Life Coach Fiora Touliatou:

Name: Fiora Touliatou

Pillar: The Spirit, The Mind, The Body, The Heart

Who is this coach for: Anyone who wants to transform themselves spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally, and live a life they love to live.

How they can help: By using various tools and techniques like Mindfulness exercises, meditation techniques, pranayama exercises, EFT, Ayurveda and other holistic practices.

First of all, how are you and your family doing after these Pandemic times?

My family is still recovering emotionally and mentally as they were very affected in regards to what was and is still happening in society.

On a personal level, my whole life turned upside down.

However, the whole experience of the pandemic was transformational for me in all levels.

It was what the shamans call the “dark night of the soul”.

I had my lows which gave me the momentum to discover new potential and bring myself up again.

I can now say that I am doing a lot better than pre pandemic times.

How did the coronavirus pandemic affect your clients? Did it affect you at all?

I was affected financially and emotionally as the pandemic had a huge negative effect on my business.

I lost all clients and income very abruptly plus I had to use all my savings and stay in temporary accommodation.

Although I had moments of anxiety and uncertainty, that didn’t stop me from moving forward.

I used online platforms and kept myself busy by making new connections with community groups, offered free coaching, received free psychology and business coaching.

By learning to work online, I discovered new opportunities and expanded my services and clientele.

Moreover, I used the quarantines as a time to focus, start my blog, rebuild my website and improve my social media content.

The most important also was that I discovered my coaching niche, which then led to creating my coaching packages and expand my vision.

What are the biggest lessons that you learned in this pandemic?

Be more resilient and always find a way to do everything, find solutions for every problem, minimise complaining and don’t sink into a negative mood.

At the most challenging times, you can discover new ways and opportunities.

We grow when we are challenged.

As long as we are alive, we can do better and explore new ways of living.

Moreover, constantly investing into your self growth is of one of the most valuable things you can do as for building resilience in life.

The Origin:

Tell us about you, your career, how you started with your coaching career?

Initially, my career started as a holistic therapist and a fitness instructor 17 years ago.

Due to the nature of my jobs, I was always listening to my clients when they were talking about their problems and challenges.

However, not only I had limited time to talk with them, but also I was only allowed to discuss or advise them about certain topics in regards to their wellbeing.

And because of my empathetic nature, I always wanted to help more and make a greater positive impact, so I felt limited in my capabilities.

However, after my coaching training in 2018, I realised that I could help even more, which made me feel so excited.

During the first days of the pandemic, I realised my niche is holistic wellbeing which made everything make sense, as all my different activities, skills and professional training came together under the same umbrella.

Therefore, I realised I could incorporate my holistic expertise as extra tools to empower my clients in their coaching journey.

What was your biggest obstacle that you had to overcome in your life that made you who you are today?

The biggest obstacle that I had to overcome in my life was growing up in a conservative family and a narrow minded culture.

As a youngster I was questioning everything as I was feeling out of place and suffocating.

As a teenager I rebelled and my breakthrough led me to a transformation.

Since then, I constantly keep learning, exploring and evolving.

Being the black sheep is a heavy burden to carry when you are young and you still haven’t discovered who you are.

But it is also a blessing in disguise as you learn to take risks, try new ways, discover your potential, do innovative things, not having the need of approval or external validation, walk a solitary path and build resilience.

The Coaching Style:

How do you innovate with coaching your clients?

My innovation is incorporating holistic therapies and practices with the intention of living a more happy, healthy, mindful and meaningful life.

Integrating ancient knowledge into our modern lifestyle is catalytic and deepens our human experience.

I treat each client as a unique individual who may have not discovered their full potential yet.

During our coaching journey, I assist and guide them giving them the keys and then it’s up to them to unlock the different doors.

Furthermore, the tools that I teach them can be used in everyday life, not only during the coaching journey, but for a further personal growth and discovery of a new life perspective.

What’s unique about your coaching approach?

My unique approach to coaching is a holistic approach, which comes from personal inner work and experience plus professional training and expertise.

These tools and practices that I have used for personal growth and self empowerment have further helped me personally to who I am today.

So what is a holistic approach?

Let me explain in more details…

First of all, the word holistic comes from the Greek word “holos”, meaning “whole”.

So the holistic approach is that as humans we are a whole unity: mind, body, and spirit.

As we know, in order to make changes in our lives, we need to be challenged mentally by changing our habits, mindset and develop new neuropathways.

But in order to do that in a more efficient way, we need to work on the emotional and physical aspects too.

According to holistic practices (such as Ayurveda, yoga and holistic therapies), negative emotions can get stuck in our energy system and seriously cause blockages to our overall wellbeing.

By incorporating holistic practices as tools into coaching, we can unblock our energy system, accelerate our growth, ignite our potential and fulfil our purpose.

In brief, it is possible to transform yourself and your life, as long as your take responsibility, be disciplined, be consistent, and do the inner work.

What benefits do your clients get after working with you?

Generally, my clients say is that after every session they go away feeling empowered, peaceful, joyful, inspired and optimistic.

One client specifically said: “every coaching session with your is a trigger for creating a life the way we want it!”

Do you use any specific tools to be efficient with your clients?

Mindfulness exercises, meditation techniques, pranayama exercises (traditional yogic breathing techniques), affirmations, tapping (EFT), somatic exercises from yoga, Ayurveda and other holistic practices.

The Impact:

If you had a super megaphone that, when you speak into, the whole world will hear your message, what would you say?

Be humble and stay humble.

Don’t take anything or anyone for granted.

Don’t let money, success, fame, arrogance or hate blind you.

Life is unpredictable and can be cruel.

From your lowest you can go to your highest and vice versa.

By staying humble, grounded and in your centre, you stay balanced.

It is in this inner balance where you can find peace and create positivity in your life.

So cherish every moment and be grateful for everything and everyone.

Be kind and help when you can.

What is the greatest lesson you have learned in your life?

I have two lessons to share.

One positive and one negative, which can be turned into positive.

The positive lesson is that I discovered my potential is unlimited.

Having a rigid and limited mindset can keep you living a linear life.

But that is just a mental block that can be lifted and then a whole new world of living is discovered.

The negative lesson is that life is unpredictable and everything can change from one moment to the other.

We are not able to control or hold on anything or anyone.

But what we can do is stay centred in ourselves, accept the changes and become resilient.

That’s why staying humble and being grateful on a daily basis is crucial.

Your final thoughts?

In this time and age, we should all focus on creating a better society and world.

If we can see the pandemic as a learning experience, that should be to be better humans with respect to others and the environment.

As coaches, we have the power, tools, technology and platforms to help people discover themselves and transform.

To change the world, we need to change ourselves first.

We need to take responsibility and do the inner work.

Be the change we want to see in the world.

Where Can You Find Fiora Touliatou?

If you liked this interview and you would love to work with Fiora on all of your pillars and create a life that you love living, go to https://www.backneckshoulders.co.uk and see how she can help you do that.

If you’d like to peak into her coaching, follow her Facebook and Instagram accounts.

And if you’d like to connect more personally with her, you can do that through LinkedIn or by sending her a direct message on her Email [email protected]. It was an honor having this interview with her.

Alexandra Dotcheva is one of the coaches that we found this month and we did a little interview with her. She impressed us with her expertise and courage.

Her story is one of radical metamorphosis, a symphony of courage and adaptability. From the symphonic stages of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra to the clinical settings of a registered nurse, she confronted the turbulence of career upheaval with unwavering resolve. Embracing the challenges of a shifting landscape, she embarked on a quest for holistic wellness and financial freedom, catalyzing a profound paradigm shift in her approach to life.

Her coaching philosophy transcends conventional boundaries, guiding clients toward holistic self mastery by harmonizing the quintessential pillars of existence. As she navigated the labyrinthine corridors of personal growth, she unearthed the essence of holistic confidence, a multifaceted dynamic from physical vitality, financial acumen, and spiritual alignment.

Her coaching is one of a kind. With meticulous attention to detail and an unwavering commitment to client empowerment, she illuminates the path to transformative change, offering a beacon of hope in an ever evolving world. Here is what she said.

Meet Life Coach Alexandra Dotcheva:

Name: Alexandra Dotcheva

Pillar: The Spirit, The Mind, The Body, The Heart

Who is this coach for: Anyone who wants to improve their overall health, upgrade their mindset and finances, elevate their self confidence, and overcome anxiety.

How they can help: By using various tools and techniques, time management, and coaching based on extensive personal experience.

First of all, how are you and your family doing after these Pandemic times?

We are doing very well and can hardly complain, thank you.

Along with the unexpected hindrances, the pandemic presented a valuable opportunity to test and refine our beliefs and life philosophy in terms of personal determination to cope with challenges, question the multitude of unfounded claims and unwarranted mass censorship of opposing views by the authorities, and persevere through the crisis by holding onto ethical principles and critical thinking that seemed to have become abandoned almost everywhere we turned.

I am proud to note that the approach we chose in dealing with the situation allowed us to stay truthful to ourselves by refusing to succumb to intimidation without true scientific analysis of the pros and cons to the “solutions” that were imposed on ordinary citizens on a global scale.

How did the coronavirus pandemic affect your clients? Did it affect you at all?

Many people, of course, found themselves at a crossroads in life and needed a great deal of encouragement and reassurance in their abilities to redefine their purpose, rebuild their careers, and reestablish their long term pursuits.

It was heartbreaking to see people losing loved ones, their livelihoods, and then the isolation, stress, anxiety, depression, and humiliation they were put through in the meantime.

The pandemic affected everyone.

In my case, once I managed to get some grasp of the situation, as my boyfriend and I continued seeing and helping very sick patients (him as an emergency room nurse, and me as a home care nurse), it only made me focus even more firmly on my professional and personal goals, as I knew I had nothing to lose.

That’s what kept me going stronger, because, I’ve made of myself the type of person who likes proving conventional thinking wrong at every opportunity I get and, sure enough, there was plenty of opportunity to do so from 2020 through 2022, despite the risks involved!

I did lose several friends, not to the virus but to common sense, as they chose to follow the mass propaganda instead of ask questions such as, why experts opposing the then prevailing narrative that were leaders in their respective fields (virology, immunology, epidemiology, medicine, evolutionary biology, etc.) had been silenced, censored on mainstream and social media, fired from their jobs, or even jailed.

It was interesting, you know, because, just like me, several of these friends of mine came from former communist countries, so they should’ve figured out that, when opposing information got mass censored, that was exactly the information they needed to know.

But people tend to forget history rather quickly, which is why it always repeats itself.   

What are the biggest lessons that you learned in this pandemic?

I learned that the extent of government authorities’ submission to private corporate interests was far more significant than many were able to imagine prior to the pandemic.

It wasn’t exactly a surprise or a major discovery, of course, but the pandemic helped the corruption of politicians, of unelected heads of government entities, and of the drug companies’ leadership all over the world shine brighter than it ever had.

I also learned, well, we all did, I hope, that common sense could be a hot commodity when fear is employed to keep ordinary citizens under submission.

But the absolute worst was the mass censorship of scientists and leading health professionals who raised concerns about the ways the pandemic was being handled and the mandatory “solutions” that were imposed on us without any supporting scientific evidence of the actual benefits to these measures.

Lastly, I learned that there were still enough courageous people in the world who made it clear to the powers that be that enough was enough and accountability wasn’t a word to be erased from the dictionary as easily as some were hoping they could.

This last part solidified my belief that an individual can become more self reliant if she or he is willing to ask the right questions and prevail over fear in the face of unscrupulous authority.

The Origin:

Tell us about you, your career, how you started with your coaching career?

I am a Bulgarian who came to the US on a student visa in 2000 to earn my master’s and doctoral degrees in music.

I was a classically trained violinist from age six until age thirty five when I graduated from nursing school.

The decision to put myself through nursing school at thirty two resulted from my realization that I wasn’t competitive enough to thrive as a musician in a market that had been downsizing since around 2006, as evidenced by the bankruptcies of quite a few American orchestras, including my employer at the time: the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, which went under water in April of 2011.

Fortunately for me, that was the year of my graduation and I already had a hospital job lined up.

Soon after I joined the workforce as a registered nurse, I began noticing how flawed certain aspects of the healthcare system were and how financially unsatisfied many of my new colleagues were.

So, now I had two problems to figure out for myself:

1. How to maintain perfect physical, mental, and emotional health long term without using pharmaceutical drugs that had multiple side effects.

2. And how to build cash flowing assets that were unrelated to my job so I could choose to work or not to work if need be.

In 2014, I started my real estate investing career, determined to overcome yet another learning curve for the sake of financial independence.

I wanted to create a living situation that offered more choices for personal development and financial growth.

The goals I set for myself this time around were unthinkable prior to 2008 when I hit rock bottom, both professionally and personally, and decided to completely change my life by getting out of the arts and going into science and medicine, before I ever contemplated adding real estate investing to my skill set.

By 2019, I was already an established nurse and real estate investor.

I was also a strong health advocate and had built credibility not only by teaching my patients how to achieve impeccable health, but also by practicing what I taught, which isn’t always the case among healthcare professionals who then wonder why their credibility among patients is low.

You see, you have to lead by example and allow yourself no compromises if you wish others to trust your integrity.

I have accomplished this by being a whole foods organic vegan, exercising vigorously 2.5 hours daily at least four days a week, and detoxing on a daily basis.

It isn’t hard, it’s just a matter of self discipline.

People at work and outside of work started asking questions with regards to my health practices, my financial knowledge and understanding of tangible assets, time management, and success strategies overall.

There were many, many questions from everywhere.

In 2018, a close friend of mine suggested I write a book, and I remember laughing at the idea.

The interesting part is that, prior to undertaking all of the above changes, I used to greatly struggle with low self esteem and poor self confidence for over two decades.

My victim mentality had prevented me from enjoying life for a long time when I gradually figured out that all the challenges I had overcome from 2008 through 2018 had measurably shifted my self perception and I had, in fact, become confident that I could solve anything life threw at me.

So, I had to ask myself, could it be that the people around me craved more confidence, too?

My father died from a hospital acquired meningitis infection on New Years Eve of 2019, and then the pandemic was announced in China the next month.

That’s when I decided to write my book: It Really Is Simple: A Holistic Approach to Self Confidence.

I spent the next two years working on the book and, once it got published in late 2021, the various podcast hosts that interviewed me at the time and many of their audience members began inquiring if I were, by chance, a life coach.

I never expected this development when I first sat down to write my book.

I had mentored several people on real estate investing, but I knew I had more to offer as a holistic confidence coach due to the system I had been practicing for nearly fifteen years that was now outlined in the book.

It worked on several levels, not just the financial life aspect.

That’s how my holistic confidence coaching business began.

What was your biggest obstacle that you had to overcome in your life that made you who you are today?

The biggest obstacle was by far my own defeatist mindset that I carried on over the course of twenty years and then had to make myself reverse as a responsible adult if I ever wanted to grow personally.

There was plenty to learn and overcome along the way, but it would all have been easier if it weren’t for my self degrading mental habits that caused a significant amount of emotional pain and suffering, much of which could’ve been avoided.

The Coaching Style:

How do you innovate with coaching your clients?

I urge my clients to envision their lives in terms of five essential life aspects right from the start of our coach client relationship.

Many people have a tendency to fixate on one life aspect, whether it is their poor health, poor finances, or poor relationships, while the other four aspects are ignored and all they need is a little help to see that every essential life aspect is connected to the one they find to be the most problematic at the present moment.

By showing my clients how to elevate each aspect (or pillar) of their lives, I help them see the value in working on all these aspects simultaneously and consistently in order to develop true holistic self confidence.

If they suffer from chronic anxiety, and many do, we integrate their anxiety by turning it into a highly motivating factor instead of treating it as an enemy to their sanity.

My clients learn methods for anxiety control via transformation through purpose.

What’s unique about your coaching approach?

Many holistic coaches focus primarily on physical, mental, and emotional health.

Some touch on relationships and career as well.

As someone who used to struggle with insecurity, poor self esteem, poverty, and lack of confidence for over two decades and who is now a successful healthcare professional, health advocate through personal example, and financially independent real estate investor, I am in a unique position where I can coach people on health optimization, career mindset shift, perpetual wealth building, and mindful relationship prioritization.

I work with my clients on all these aspects, as well as the spiritual aspect that, depending on their culture, goals, and dreams, helps guide their most important decisions by ensuring a clear mind and a highly inspired, motivated mindset.

What benefits do your clients get after working with you?

If they choose to commit themselves to the learning process, they will gain multiple advantages, such as:

1. Better understanding of etiology and pathophysiology of disease.

2. Application of fundamental health principles rarely discussed in doctors’ offices nowadays, such as nutrition that is unassociated with chronic diseases, fitness routines that take care of each body system, and detox regimens ensuring your body can adequately get rid of waste in the highly toxic environments that we currently inhabit.

3. Proper channeling of anxiety to reverse depression and overcoming the fear of loneliness that prompts so many people to make poor relationship decisions.

4. They learn to take full responsibility for the solutions to their problems, question and seek information when in doubt, and not settle for halfway solutions.

5. They are given confidence building tools and techniques to solve problems such as routine daily tasks and longer term issues, and given additional learning resources to challenge themselves and find out how truly fascinating life can be when seen from several different perspectives and create their own, unique approach through thoughtful planning and implementation.

6. Money budgeting strategies per personal financial goals, getting rid of credit card debt in order to acquire buying power.

7. Detailed introduction to the investor mindset and wealth building strategies.

8. Clients learn about long term financial planning and implementation.

9. We go extensively through relationship choices, priorities, and handling of current relationship challenges, goals, and limits.

Obviously, these are just the basics of the program because everyone has different goals, problems, and expectations of this program, so we tailor the training accordingly.

The coaching program is twelve weeks long.

Upon completing the program, clients have a one year access to a resource line where they can call, email, or schedule a video conversation at no additional cost so that when they have a pressing question, they can ask it, get some answers or new ideas, and then continue on their journey reassured and more confident.

My expectation is that clients would have multiple questions after we complete the coaching program, because that tells me they have taken matters into their own hands and are now well on their way to reshaping their entire lives of their own accord.

Do you use any specific tools to be efficient with your clients?

I am adamant about the time management tool.

Having met many people who have difficulty accomplishing goals in a timely manner because of poor time management, I have incorporated a time managing assignment into each module I teach, along with all other reading and written assignments.

The tool is a simple word file, nothing overly complicated, that gives the clients a detailed reference on how they actually spend their days.

As we add action steps during the coaching program’s progression, they get to practice time prioritization on a whole different level.

The Impact:

If you had a super megaphone that, when you speak into, the whole world will hear your message, what would you say?

No matter how bad your current situation might be, there is always another individual out there who has been through a situation worse than yours and come out stronger on the other side.

Do your best to find that person or an interview, a book, a video, anything they’ve shared.

Get inspired, learn from their experience, and keep going!

Trust in your ability to overcome the worst and never ever give up on yourself!  

What is the greatest lesson you have learned in your life?

The greatest lesson I’ve learned is that the person I should be able to trust most reliably is myself and that every intelligent and reasonably inquisitive individual out there should be able to trust their own best judgment.

This is the main concept I teach to my clients, as most of them struggle with poor self esteem and poor self confidence on multiple levels.

We learn that faith in oneself comes from uncompromising commitment to personal integrity through personal responsibility and personal accountability.

If you lack these ingredients in your character, everyone around you will find out the truth sooner or later, and the only person you would be deceiving is, ultimately, yourself.

It’s a high price to pay, too.

Your final thoughts?

First of all, thank you for letting me share some experience and, hopefully, help your subscribers in any way I can.

I would also like to share with your audience and readers what I tell most of my clients and mentees.

If you are facing a midlife crisis or feel at a crossroads, do not dread this stage of your life!

It is a golden opportunity to redefine yourself and recalibrate your goals, now that you are a wiser version of yourself!

If you believe that you’re being held back by problems in your current life situation, carefully reevaluate which of these problems you can actually solve with some effort on your part.

You will be surprised when you find out how much you can do on your own!

Read the books of those who’ve been there and done it!

While it’s true that your situation is different, learning about others’ struggles and solutions will motivate you to take yourself seriously and rebuild your self worth!

I wish you immense success in everything you undertake!

Where Can You Find Alexandra Dotcheva?

If you liked this interview and you would love to improve your overall health, upgrade your mindset and finances, elevate your self confidence, and overcome anxiety, go to https://www.holisticselfconfidence.com and see how Alexandra can help you.

If you’d like to peak a glimpse to her coaching, follow her Facebook, YouTube channel or X account.

And if you’d like to connect with her more personally, you can do that through LinkedIn or by sending her a direct message on her Email [email protected]. It was an honor having this interview with her.