FAQ
Questions before we begin.
A few simple answers about what coaching is, what it is not, how sessions work, and what some of the language on this site means.
Working together
What to know about coaching.
Is coaching therapy?
No. Coaching is not psychotherapy, counseling, medical care, crisis care, or diagnosis. Coaching can be reflective and meaningful, but it does not treat mental health conditions. Therapy is the appropriate space for clinical mental health care.
What happens in a session?
Sessions are conversational and personalized. We may explore what is present, clarify what matters, notice patterns, make room for different parts of you, and identify small practices or next steps.
Do I need to know exactly what I want to work on?
No. You can come with a clear question, a messy feeling, a transition, a relationship pattern, or simply the sense that something in your life wants attention.
Who is Lumanova for?
Lumanova is for thoughtful, self-aware people who want insight to become more livable. You may understand yourself well and still want to practice new ways of responding to yourself, others, and your life.
How do I begin?
You begin with a short request form. This helps me understand what brings you here, what kind of conversation you are looking for, and whether Lumanova feels like a thoughtful fit for your current season.
Plain-language definitions
What do these words mean?
What does self-awareness mean?
Self-awareness means noticing what is happening inside you. It might be recognizing your thoughts, feelings, needs, reactions, patterns, or the story you are telling yourself in a moment.
What does self-attunement mean?
Self-attunement is the practice of building a compassionate, collaborative relationship with yourself so that every part of you can work together in greater harmony.
What does integration mean?
Integration means allowing what you understand, feel, need, and value to come together in how you live. It is not about rejecting your inner child, your protective parts, or the patterns that once helped you survive. It is about helping more of you work together with compassion and care.
What are corrective experiences?
Corrective experiences are small moments that help your system learn something new. If you are used to abandoning yourself to keep the peace, a corrective experience might be saying what you need and discovering that you can remain steady through the discomfort.
What does nervous system mean here?
In everyday language, your nervous system is the part of you that reacts to safety, stress, connection, and threat. It is why you can intellectually know you are okay, but still feel anxious, frozen, guarded, or overwhelmed.
What does lived change mean?
Lived change means change you can actually feel and practice, not just understand in your head. It means your choices, reactions, boundaries, and self-talk begin to shift in real situations.
What does somatic mean?
Somatic simply means body-aware. It might include noticing your breath, tension, posture, energy, or physical signals so your body can be part of the conversation, not just your thoughts.
What are parts?
Parts are different sides of you that may want different things. One part of you may want to be brave, while another part wants to stay safe. The goal is not to shame any part, but to understand what each part is trying to protect.
What are adaptive strategies?
Adaptive strategies are habits or patterns that once helped you cope, belong, feel safe, or get through something. They may have been useful at one time, even if they no longer fit the life you want now.
What does bottom-up change mean?
Bottom-up change means working with your body, emotions, and lived experiences, not only your thoughts. Instead of only trying to think differently, you also practice feeling steady enough to respond differently.