About me
Who I am, how I think and interact with others
My name is Sanna. I look at this world through the eyes of a sensitive optimist. I get inspired about motivating people and I'm also a perceptive, empathetic listener. Fairness, forgiveness and honesty are my core values.
I'm an MA in English philology, advanced solution focused practitioner of coaching and a shiatsu therapist. At the moment I’m completing studies in solution focused brief therapy. Ideas, tools and techniques from positive psychology and NLP also spice up my way of working and being. Shiatsu, taichi and traditional Chinese medicine have offered for me a holistic way of looking at life. They have opened my eyes to the importance of body-mind connection and reminded me of how essential it is to return to our bodies and not to get lost in our thoughts. I have always been interested in languages, our mind and how we express ourselves with the language we choose to use. I'm an experienced language trainer and I still get excited about working with languages and people. Since 2006 I've been teaching and training English and Finnish language, communication and soft skills for professionals in Finnish and international organisations. It has been a real privilege to co-operate and work with hundreds of inspiring groups and individuals on issues that relate to how we use the language in different communication situations.
I believe that difficulties are the key to our growth. Life rarely offers us only beautiful and positive experiences and tailwind. However, we all have the power to choose. We have the power over the story that we decide to tell to ourselves and others and the power to choose how we relate to the events that take place in our lives. We also have the power to change both ourselves and our perspective. We all have tremendous strength to weather the storms that life blows our way. When we stand firmly rooted, we bend like trees in the wind only to come out stronger after the storm has passed. We have the ability to not give in and give up and this is the heart of our resilience. However, sometimes something in us breaks. We then need each other both for support and for sharing experiences. Together we can achieve more. We act as mirrors for each other and with the help of language we can disentangle our thoughts from confusion. Unfortunately, our deepest wounds are often born out of our relationships with others but luckily we also heal in relationships. When we feel that we are heard, understood and accepted as the people we are, we can start healing.
I love to work with people. I'm genuinely interested in meeting new people and learning from each encounter. I'm passionate about exploring ways, in which we can do better in our life, how to find ways to flourish, how to achieve the goals we have set and how to fulfil our dreams. I'm curious and motivated about how we can conquer difficulties, how we can develop and grow both as individuals and as members of groups.
I'm a firm believer in our strengths, potential and in supporting the individual. Like most of us, I've lived through many challenging phases in my own life. I've struggled and I’ve been supported. I’ve learned the hard way about setting boundaries and burnout, how to overcome addictions, how to make mistakes and how to learn from them. I love people and always choose to believe the best of them. I'm looking forward to meeting you and facing you as you are today.
Studies:
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Lyhytterapiainstituutti (completion in Feb 2023)
Advanced Solution-Focused Practitioner of Coaching 2021, Lyhytterapiainstituutti
Science of Well-being, 2020, University of Yale
NLP practitioner 2017, VMT Koulutus
Shiatsu Master course, 2016, Suomen Shiatsukoulu
Shiatsu Diploma course, 2014, Suomen Shiatsukoulu
Master of Arts, 2005, University of Joensuu