Elina Kadaja: You don’t have to suffer from anxiety!

More and more people are getting help from trauma relief.

It is often very difficult for people to really understand what is going on inside them and to express their feelings and emotions without harming themselves. As a result, anxiety, general dissatisfaction and muscle tension build up in the body.

Elina Kadaja, one of Estonia’s leading trauma relief therapists, explains how people can use easy-to-learn practices to free themselves from burdens and bring positive change into their lives.

Photo: private collection

Elina, tell us a little bit about what it is that you do now and how it helps people?

My experience over the years has shown me that people who have the desire and willingness to change their lives for the better can achieve trauma freedom. For example, my clients who have suffered from anxiety disorders, mood swings, or who are searching for a sense of purpose in their lives are calmer, happier and more joyful after sessions with me. This is the kind of feedback I get all the time, and I’m genuinely pleased that my work is making a real difference to people’s lives.

Most clients come to me through referrals. Initially, you come for one session and usually continue with them, because you need continuity to acquire a new self-regulation pattern. Using simple but mindful practices in the future, it will be possible to relax in the home environment, and this is a necessary skill to acquire for life.

Techniques of trauma release breathing, mind-body teamwork and knowledge of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system have not been very common in Estonia so far, so in many ways it is a pioneering work. I’m delighted to be part of it.

Can you give some concrete examples of how you have changed people’s lives?

The process of trauma release is first and foremost a work with oneself, not a one-off exercise but a journey. To be successful in this, you must be determined and believe in yourself. As a result of the sessions, unnecessary but entrenched mindsets start to change and are replaced by a positive attitude towards life.

For example, I have a client who is a very successful businesswoman, but she was unable to make the relationship work. Entrepreneurship tends to be a very rational field that can easily overshadow feminine mystery. During the sessions, we worked with her on releasing tension from the body and on acquiring new behavioural and thought patterns for the nervous system. In the process, he learned to deeply relax his body and mind together. After a while, his new partner arrived and today I am happy to say they are engaged and have a baby.

There are many more similar examples of my clients whose lives have been reinvigorated and breathed new life through trauma release practices. Taking control of your life and feeling valued, as well as appreciated, is the foundation of happiness. I am pleased to say that the interest of Estonian people in self-development and mental health has been growing. Our people are brave and are increasingly brave enough to seek help.

Photo: private collection

How did you get to trauma release in the first place? What has your own journey been like?

Travelling around the world since my university days, and thus learning about myself as well as different cultures and self-development practices, has led me to this calling. A keen interest in achieving inner freedom and the ability to manage my life consciously have been the keywords that inspire me. Regulating your emotions and nervous system, feeling valuable and confident are essential to truly enjoying life and fulfilling yourself.

Of course, this is not a permanent state of happiness for anyone, but working on oneself is an ongoing process. So who doesn’t have periods in their life when their self-confidence wavers or the waves just crash over their head and they get a bit too much of everything at once? Having acquired workable practices that have helped me to overcome difficulties, it is now my sincere wish to help others in this regard. We all want to be better and happier people, but we have to understand that we are our own guides in life.

How can people reach you?

I do regular group sessions as well as personal counselling. All the information can be found on my Facebook page. If you are more specifically interested, you can also contact me directly by writing to elina.kadaja@gmail.com.

Photo: private collection