As a primary care doctor, I am keenly aware of the close connection between our thoughts and our feelings and was therefore eager to explore Empower You Coaching with Dr. Bistra Vlasakova. Dr. Vlasakova provides a safe, confidential, and judgment-free environment for this challenging work. The experience was eye-opening to me. Guided reflection gave me the tools to start to identify my own deeply ingrained thought patterns that are contributing to a sense of feeling trapped and defeated at times. One of the key lessons I learned is that we give too much control over our happiness to others. Furthermore, I really was not fully aware that a lack of self-compassion is at the root of a lot of my personal suffering. Thanks to Dr. Vlasakova's passion for helping others achieve more fulfillment in life, I now have more awareness of my internal dialogue and better tools to become the architect of my happiness. I am glad to report that my new skills have made a difference already. I highly recommend Empower You Coaching.

Dr. V provided me with insightful feedback that has allowed me to formulate a life plan moving forward, both personally and professionally. Her ability to ask pointed questions and encourage self-reflection in a psychologically safe setting was very helpful. Dr. V's support during, and in between, sessions aided me in proactively focusing on areas of improvement and minimizing the impact of daily stressors. An added benefit for me, was Dr. V's deep understanding and experience working within healthcare, as she was able to relate to challenges that are endemic when working in a large academic medical center. I can comfortably recommend Dr. V if you are looking to take concrete steps towards leading a satisfying and enriched life.

Working with Bistra was a very eye opening experience. Being able to speak with someone who was non judgmental, non-biased and objective was extremely helpful. What I found the most helpful was her ability to help me look at the big picture during my times of anxiety to realize that many things in the moment were not as important as my thoughts were making them out to be. With this new way of approaching experiences I was able to find more calm, mindfulness, and enjoyment. Most of the time spent with Bistra was working on anxiety around being a working parent of three young children. She guided me to work on changing my thoughts on their behavior and to enable myself to approach situations with them from a broader perspective. This shift in thought has brought me so much more joy in parenting and connection with my kids. Bistra is an honest, kind, and thoughtful coach who truly cares about her clients and support them in their journey. I would recommend her without any hesitation.

I wasn’t certain that working with a life coach was right for me. Bistra/Dr. Vlassakova helped me clarify the reasons for my anxiety and encouraged me to reach inside and face my fears. She helped me ask the right questions and find the answers within myself. Bistra/Dr. Vlassakova asks tough questions, but in a kind and caring and supportive environment. Her words stay with me as I move ahead feeling more focused and confident.

I have never had a more positive experience than working with Dr. Vlassakova. I needed help in a time of transition where old habits and coping skills weren’t as effective as they had been. Working with Dr. Vlassakova I was able to overcome the difficulties of switching to a new job and was able to focus on how to better approach my future. She provided me with sustainable change that gave me my focus back. She is incredibly effective in her communication and is one of the most insightful people I have had the pleasure of working with.

Dr. Bistra is such an amazing coach as she genuinely cares about the well being of her clients. She goes above and beyond in making sure that an overall strategy is explored before deciding the next step. Her overall compassion shows no boundaries and I can tell as a fellow physician that she is an individual who takes pride in her craft and sees the best in every person that she encounters in her life I highly recommend her as a life Coach

Medicine is not just a career, it’s a lifestyle. There are moments when it feels so challenging and overwhelming, and dealing with it by ourselves can be frustrating and almost impossible sometimes. I’ve had moments like this, where my problem-solving capacity seems not good enough. However, there are people whose major goal is to help you overcome those challenges, people like Bistra. Bistra was a fundamental part of my support system while I was going through major changes in my career and personal life. She is more than a coach to you, not only is she a good listener and asks pertinent questions but helps you get an insight into the situation and choose the better approach to deal with it. She is considered and kind, a great professional and human being. I 100 % recommend you contact Bistra if you are making big decisions or just need someone who talks to about your career