Hello, my name is Nadya.

I am a Jungian psychologist, art therapist, and artist based in Laguna Beach, California.

 

My journey into the inner world began long before I trained in psychology - through the lens of a camera and practice of Tibetan Buddhism.

 

For over a decade, I worked as a photographer. What moved me most was witnessing a subtle transformation during each photo shoot. When my clients would often see not just an image, but a reflection of something true and beautiful within. In many ways, this was my first experience of holding space.

 

Alongside this, since my early twenties, I have been deeply engaged with Buddhism. Vipassana and later Tibetan buddhism: attending retreats, visiting monasteries in northern India, and studying with lineage teachers. This spiritual foundation quietly supports my therapeutic work, offering a sense of inner spaciousness, compassion, and awareness that I try to bring into every session.

 

Born and raised in Russia, I moved to Los Angeles at 32. Life has rarely followed a straight line but I’ve come to believe that the path we walk is often the one our deeper Self has always known. California, in all its complexity, tested and transformed me. It gave me warmth, challenges, priceless connections, the space to meet myself in new ways and grow.

 

7 years ago, I returned to a childhood dream and began to paint. It quickly became a vital part of my life.

 

When the pandemic paused my photography career, I turned inward and started to follow more deep call. I completed a year-long program in art therapy, followed by two years of graduate training in Jungian psychology. Since then, I’ve never stopped learning and practicing.

 

My path has always been about guiding myself and others - from literalism to the symbol, from inner fragmentation to a deep meaning, from intellectual understanding to deep felt-sense.