Gentle, Challenging, Approachable, Experienced, Dynamic
I’m Katarina Stoltz,
Holistic life coach and psychotherapist
I help international professionals lead confident, meaningful lives and create a legacy they’re proud of.
Gentle, Challenging, Approachable, Experienced, Dynamic
I’m Katarina Stoltz,
Holistic life coach and
Holistic life coach and psychotherapist.
psychotherapist.
I help international professionals lead confident, meaningful lives and create a legacy they’re proud of.
I know that when we become more aware of who we are and show up with our whole self, we start attracting what we want in our professional and personal lives.
How I Got Here
In my mid-30s, I was at the pinnacle of my career as a photojournalist, with my articles being published on the front pages of the International Herald Tribune and The New York Times. But despite this outward success, I realized that my life needed a radical change.
On the surface my life seemed glamorous, but I was slowly burning out. I didn’t like the person I had become, or how I was treating others. I had lost sight of what truly mattered to me.
That was the beginning of my own exploration into what was blocking me from living in alignment with my values and reclaiming my vitality.
In 2016, this journey turned into my calling, and I began my work as a life coach and psychotherapist.
How I Got Here
I do what I do because for a long time I felt incredibly lost. I was constantly seeking validation from external sources, yet I never felt truly satisfied.
In my mid-30s, I was at the pinnacle of my career as a photojournalist, with my articles being published on the front pages of the International Herald Tribune and The New York Times. But despite this outward success, I realized that my life needed a radical change.
On the surface my life seemed glamorous, but I was slowly burning out. I didn’t like the person I had become, or how I was treating others. I had lost sight of what truly mattered to me.
That was the beginning of my own exploration into what was blocking me from living in alignment with my values and reclaiming my vitality.
In 2016, this journey turned into my calling, and I began my work as a life coach and psychotherapist.
A Story About Me
I pointed my camera lens toward the family, but my stomach tightened, and I felt like I was going to throw up.
“Bloody paparazzi, stop taking pictures!” one of the family members screamed at us. We were a small group of about six photographers who had made it into the chapel to photograph the mourning families.
It was 2006, and I was working as a photojournalist for Reuters in Poland. As soon as I heard about the accident, I jumped on a train, leaving my father—who was visiting from Sweden—alone in my apartment.
A small family stood in front of a cross in the chapel outside the coal mine where the accident had happened just a few hours earlier. Twenty-three miners had lost their lives. This family had lost their father and husband.
The sound of sobbing made me shiver. They were vulnerable and exposed; the pain they were feeling must have been excruciating. The last thing they wanted was a bunch of photographers witnessing their suffering and capturing it in photographs. I heard a voice in my head speak in a strict, critical tone:
Are you going to show that family some respect and compassion, or make your boss proud and get your picture published on the front page of tomorrow’s paper?
I froze as I looked through my camera, jostled by another photographer as he got ready to shoot more pictures.
That was when I realized I would have to compromise my values to keep my job. In this cynical working environment, if I didn’t shut off my emotions, I wouldn’t be able to maintain the standard that was expected of me.
“Don’t be sad,” I often heard as a child.
“You’ll feel better tomorrow.”
Shutting down my emotions to fit in and be accepted was a skill that came in very handy outside that coal mine. I had become an expert at hiding my feelings and pleasing others.
I released the shutter button. My camera rattled off a quick series of photos—buzzing like a sewing machine. That sound helped me to distract myself. Like a robot, I packed my equipment and walked out into the dark winter night.
The next morning, my picture filled half the front page of a Polish national newspaper. I added it to the pile of my previous publications.
I don’t remember what I felt.
I have learned that when we shut down emotions like sadness and anger, we also shut down joy and passion.
Your Story
Don’t be sad. Make them proud. How you feel is not important.
Have you also absorbed messages like these that make it hard to hear your own true voice and values? It’s no surprise that all your professional success doesn’t feel as glorious as you thought it would.
Imagine a world where all feelings are welcome—sadness, anger, jealousy, hurt, and insecurity. Where emotions like shame and fear aren’t seen as weaknesses or limitations. Where you can freely experience emotions like these and embrace them.
That’s the world I create every day for my clients, whether in person or online. A world where you feel seen and accepted just as you are. So that over time, you begin to see and accept your whole self—knowing that you are enough.
Your Story
Don’t be sad. Make them proud. How you feel is not important.
Have you also absorbed messages like these that make it hard to hear your own true voice and values? It’s no surprise that all your professional success doesn’t feel as glorious as you thought it would.
Imagine a world where all feelings are welcome—sadness, anger, jealousy, hurt, and insecurity. Where emotions like shame and fear aren’t seen as weaknesses or limitations. Where you can freely experience emotions like these and embrace them.
That’s the world I create every day for my clients, whether in person or online. A world where you feel seen and accepted just as you are. So that over time, you begin to see and accept your whole self—knowing that you are enough.
How Can This Become Possible For You?
I believe everything starts within. If we want to create a world full of kindness and compassion, we must begin by showing it to ourselves.
My aim is to guide you back to your essence—to help you return home to the person you were before the world told you who you should be. That is where you’ll find genuine answers to questions like: Which job should I choose? Where should I live? Should I stay with my partner? What truly brings me joy?
I invite you to embark on a journey of self-discovery—to peel back the layers of conditioning so you can hear your true voice.
Becoming more of who you already are and finding joy in what you already have will help you feel a deeper connection to yourself and others.
I understand that you may feel afraid of what you’ll uncover or worried about what others might think. But I want you to know that whatever you discover, every part of you is welcome.
Our sessions will be entirely focused on you and your needs—an opportunity to get to know yourself on a profound level. It’s a space where you can learn to build a more loving and authentic relationship with yourself and those around you.
Book a consultation to discover how I can support you.
My Journey, Experience, and Qualifications
I began my career in television and film, working as an assistant director and producer at SVT, the Swedish national TV station, in Stockholm. Combining my passion for real-life stories with my love of travel, I transitioned into photojournalism, working for Reuters News Agency in Warsaw and later as a freelance photojournalist based in Berlin.
While my career as a photojournalist was successful, it was also draining. Eventually, I took stock of my priorities and realized that reconnecting with my true self—the one who thrives on helping others—was the key to living a more fulfilled life.
After taking time off to reflect on my next steps, I retrained as a life coach with the ICF-accredited Creative Consciousness and founded Katarina Stoltz Life Coaching in 2016. I later deepened my expertise by training as a psychotherapist with the IGG Gestalt Therapy Institute in Berlin.
Being fluent in Swedish, English, German, and Polish, I bring a unique cross-cultural perspective that supports meaningful and lasting transformations for my clients.
I draw inspiration from Michaela Boehm’s non-linear movement method, the principles of Gestalt therapy, William Bridges’ teachings on transitions, Brené Brown’s insights on vulnerability and imperfection, and the works of Peter A. Levine, James Kepner, and Bessel van der Kolk on the body and trauma.
When I’m not working, I cherish time with my husband and daughter, enjoy visiting my parents in the Swedish countryside, and have long phone conversations with friends around the world. I also prioritize continuous professional development and attend an annual retreat to recharge and reset.
Hello,
I’m Katarina
I began my career in television and film, working as an assistant director and producer at SVT, the Swedish national TV station, in Stockholm. Combining my passion for real-life stories with my love of travel, I transitioned into photojournalism, working for Reuters News Agency in Warsaw and later as a freelance photojournalist based in Berlin.
While my career as a photojournalist was successful, it was also draining. Eventually, I took stock of my priorities and realized that reconnecting with my true self—the one who thrives on helping others—was the key to living a more fulfilled life.
After taking time off to reflect on my next steps, I retrained as a life coach with the ICF-accredited Creative Consciousness and founded Katarina Stoltz Life Coaching in 2016. I later deepened my expertise by training as a psychotherapist with the IGG Gestalt Therapy Institute in Berlin.
Being fluent in Swedish, English, German, and Polish, I bring a unique cross-cultural perspective that supports meaningful and lasting transformations for my clients.
I draw inspiration from Michaela Boehm’s non-linear movement method, the principles of Gestalt therapy, William Bridges’ teachings on transitions, Brené Brown’s insights on vulnerability and imperfection, and the works of Peter A. Levine, James Kepner, and Bessel van der Kolk on the body and trauma.
When I’m not working, I cherish time with my husband and daughter, enjoy visiting my parents in the Swedish countryside, and have long phone conversations with friends around the world. I also prioritize continuous professional development and attend an annual retreat to recharge and reset.
Katarina helped me in ways I could never have imagined!
“Before working with Katarina, I felt kind of lost. It was hard for me to make decisions and I was lacking clarity about what I wanted to do professionally. Katarina made me feel really heard. She gave me feedback at just the right moments, which helped me understand myself better. Her reflections were crucial for me to see things I couldn’t see or understand before.
After working with her, I have learned to appreciate my growth and to navigate complicated times. I now have tools and strategies I can call on when I need to access my inner strength. I am grateful for having found Katarina, she has helped me in ways I could never have imagined.”
Anabella
Executive Recruiter
Ready to discover what’s possible for you?
Book your free consultation today and take the first step toward the life and career you truly want. You don’t have to figure it all out alone.