Hi, nice to meet you, I’m Elena.

I am a Mental Health Coach having completed my training at Headspace Training Institute, a program certified by the American National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching. Mental health has always been important to me, having grown up as a Third Culture Kid in Hong Kong and Shanghai where I was confronted with the intricacies of identity and belonging. My studies in Social Anthropology opened my eyes to the importance of receiving the mental health support we need in these times of growing mental health distress. More recently, I completed my Master’s in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at King’s College London.

Professionally, I’ve always wanted to experience as much as I could of what the world has to offer. I worked in Market Research then spent some time in teaching in Shanghai after my undergraduate as an English Teacher with young children. I worked at VICE as a video editor whilst interning as a teaching assistant at a special needs school. I dabbled in translation and throughout my student years worked in different roles (including a delivery person) in hospitality at more than 10 restaurants in London and LA. I started my own brand in fiber work so I have some experience with content creation and entrepreneurship. I have been a freelance writer for a lifestyle site for the last decade and worked my way up from unpaid intern to editorial contributor.

I grew up speaking multiple languages and found the mixture of cultures something of great richness but also at times a source of difficulty. This led me on a long journey of self-exploration and discovery where I dabbled in many different professional and personal ventures in order to try and understand what a fulfilled life would look like to me. I have since worked in varying capacities in education, video editing, writing, market research, and hospitality. I spent time teaching young children English in Shanghai, whilst volunteering at a local orphanage as well as a few animal shelters. I worked as a teaching assistant at a school for children with special needs which was an eye-opening and beautiful experience. Having always had an affinity for visual media, I spent some time working at VICE Shanghai in video editing and learnt a great deal about the tenacity it takes for those behind the scenes. I have had many years of experience working in Food & Beverage in London and LA, meeting people from all walks of life, getting to the end of 12 hour shifts and chatting over family meals, and it is still an industry I hold an immense amount of love and respect for. In market research, I saw the impact of intercultural dialogue and how the world is increasingly connected whether we are aware of this dependence or not. I dabbled in translation and throughout my student years and started my own brand in handmade fiber garments so I have some experience with content creation and entrepreneurship. Today, I continue to write for the same online publication I started working with as an intern 8 years ago as a freelance columnist. This is all to say that I am passionate about the roles of exploration and experimentation in any and all things we do. 

These experiences have enriched me and help me connect with people from all walks of life. I have found that living through this, being within the happenings of different industries and fields, has taught me to respect and value the unique richness that every person has to offer. As much as life is rich and exciting, it can also be a confusing and overwhelming world to face. I am particularly interested in how issues specific to our time such as technology use, climate change and cultural shifts can be managed on an individual level through the intentional cultivation of actions and rituals that benefit our well-being.

Having lived in China, US, UK and currently, France, the understanding and importance of human experience has always been my point of focus and direction. The role of a genuinely listening ear in one’s ability to accept, discover and embrace the joy and fulfilment uniquely destined for them cannot be understated. In coaching, beyond diagnosis and treatment, the help of someone who’s ready to listen wholeheartedly and ask the right kind of questions may be just what you need to find the answers you’ve been searching for.

When I’m not geeking out about Mental Health I can be found either working on a route in the climbing gym or knitting in front of my favorite Chinese drama.