In-Office
We repeat what we don't resolve
Lisa Sidorowicz's style
š Warm š Listener š” Solution-oriented š Open mindedWhy Lisa Sidorowicz chose to be in the helping profession
I enjoyed teaching high school for six years before I felt called to return to school and study Core Belief Engineering. I loved working with my students, yet I knew I wanted to help people in a deeper and more lasting way, guiding them toward real transformational change. At the age of twenty-three, I began my own journey of healing from an abusive childhood and from the weight of extensive generational trauma. That personal path shaped not only who I became, but also how I understand the inner worlds of the people I work with today.
I first turned to traditional therapy, which helped me recognize my deeply embedded emotional reactions and the repetitive limiting patterns that had followed me for years. While that understanding was valuable, it did little to help me truly change my self-limiting behaviors and emotional dysregulation. Then, almost by fate, I came across an advertisement for Core Belief Engineering, and my first session changed my life in a way I had never imagined possible. From that moment there was no looking back. My soul called me to change careers and dedicate my life to this deep healing work, to helping others get unstuck, and to supporting them in finding lasting peace, self-love, and inner freedom.
Lisa Sidorowicz's approach
Core Belief Engineering is a transformational form of counseling that identifies beliefs as the main psychological factor influencing our behavior. Have you ever wondered what drives our behaviors? Our thoughts. And what drives our thoughts? Our emotions. But what drives our emotions to begin with? Itās our subconscious beliefs. So if we want to free ourselves from being stuck in repetitive patterns or mental/emotional blocks, we need to focus on the root level: our deepest held subconscious (and conscious) beliefs.
Our automatic reactions and disproportionate emotional responses are symptoms of deeper unresolved issues. And those unresolved issues or traumas have resulted in the formation of subconscious beliefs that continue to run us. Most of the issues we experience as adults have their roots in the core beliefs we created early on, before we were conscious (including prenatal and generational/ancestral beliefs).
In other words, the core beliefs that we formed in response to incidents we donāt remember when we were not yet conscious are the engines fueling our current thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Our repetitive, habitual feelings and self-limiting patterns are being run automatically by our core beliefs ā whether weāre aware of them or not. Child-minded beliefs, such as āIf mommyās mad, I must be bad,ā are running beneath the level of consciousness. Thatās why, no matter how much we read and reflect and affirm and work on ourselves, we canāt easily affect them on the conscious level. Core Belief Engineering was created specifically to identify, examine, and re-engineer even the most soul-crushing core beliefs.
CBE works with the mind as a compartmentalization of different āparts,ā each with its own function, beliefs, feelings, decisions, coping strategies, defense mechanisms, etc. Core beliefs are created in response to emotionally loaded or traumatic experiences. And those experiences are frozen in time in compartments in the subconscious mind. Our younger selves are suspended in time, still experiencing their painful feelings as though in real time. This is why we can instantly feel emotionally much younger when weāre triggered. Weāre triggered right back to the ages we were when the original traumas happened. In other words, dissociated parts of us are frozen at certain ages and continue to perform their protective functions unaware that the child they are protecting has matured into an adult who is being held back by this protection. Thankfully, itās possible to free our younger selves from the trauma theyāre still living. Itās possible to dialogue with the parts of us that are stubbornly committed to protecting us from hurt and pain (while unknowingly causing us more hurt and pain). Itās possible to educate and update these parts and help them find new supportive roles in our subconscious mind. And itās possible to upgrade and evolve all of the unhelpful core beliefs into positive, supportive, self-honoring guiding principles. All of these beautiful, healing experiences are built into the CBE process resulting in transformational change.
What you can expect from sessions with Lisa Sidorowicz
A CBE session begins with a clear contract of your desired outcomes. We start by focusing on what you want to accomplish in that particular session and by forming an agreement that articulates your specific goals. This step helps create direction and intention so the work stays grounded in what matters most to you. From the very beginning, the process is collaborative and centered on your needs.
The heart of the session is a guided inner dialogue. A CBE Belief Change Process is not simply a mental exercise or a guided visualization, and it is not something done to you. It is done with you, as a clearly laid out journey into the workings of your own mind. Step by step, I guide you to communicate with the deeper aspects of yourself in order to uncover the core beliefs that are perpetuating the behaviors and reactions you want to change. I help you ask questions internally and report the answers you receive, and most people are surprised at how easy and natural this feels.
A CBE process is a transformational day-long dive, usually averaging six to six and a half hours, into the parts of yourself that have seemed hidden or unreachable. The process is powerful yet gentle, and absolutely fascinating to experience. It not only helps you re-engineer the issues you are working on, but also brings real understanding of why you have been the way you have been. You discover what specific core belief systems have been unknowingly fueling your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, and how those patterns first began.
During the process, we explore when and why your particular issue started, where it came from, and all of the strategies, mechanisms, and triggers connected to it. We discover the full contribution of the part we are working with and help it move into a more productive and supportive role in your mind. Most people are blown away by what they uncover and develop a deep appreciation for the brilliance and creativity of their own inner system. The experience often brings relief, insight, and a sense of being truly understood from within.
The process has a specific beginning, middle, and end, and it is complete when genuine change has occurred. We continue until all contributing limiting beliefs have been re-engineered, the presenting problem has been resolved, and inner harmony has been restored. People often describe feeling resolved, internally supported, solid, whole, empowered, and complete in a way they have not felt before.
CBE is not a quick fix, but a deep and lasting fix. Sessions support you in forming a healthy relationship with yourself based in love, trust, respect, and wholeness. The results include enhanced freedom and choice, increased confidence and inner strength, greater peace of mind, and an easier relationship with emotions, intellect, and intuition. No two sessions are alike, because every person and every inner world is unique.
I work with clients on a day-long basis, with the average session lasting six to six and a half hours. While many people choose to do their session as one deep dive, I also offer flexibility for those who prefer to split the time into two or three smaller sessions. Whatever works best for the client is what guides our structure. After the session, clients integrate the work over the span of a month, and we then meet for a review session to celebrate the changes and explore next steps. Sessions are monthly, and most people report dramatic change and improved self-esteem within just a few meetings. More embedded conditions can take longer, yet CBE remains a short-term therapy because the work is so deep, thorough, and embodied. Clients do the healing and then go on to fully live their lives.
Lisa Sidorowicz's experience working with the Jewish community
I have enjoyed working with the Jewish community for the past nineteen years, and that experience has shaped me both personally and professionally. I still remember my first meeting with a Hasidic couple when the wife was about to become my client. Without thinking, I extended my hand to shake the husbandās hand. They glanced at each other with warm smiles, and the wife said with gentle humor, we have a lot to teach this one. That moment became the beginning of a meaningful journey of learning and connection.
Over the years, my clients truly have taught me a great deal. I am now well versed in Jewish laws and customs, beliefs, and holidays, and I have become familiar with many Hebrew and Yiddish words and expressions. Because of this understanding, no session time is wasted on explaining cultural or religious concepts. Clients are able to speak freely and naturally, knowing they will be understood within the context of their values and way of life.
Lisa Sidorowicz's Book Recommendation Zone
- Emotional Fitness by Janice Berger
An excellent book on the healing power of validating and feeling our emotions - The Biology of Belief by cellular biologist Bruce Lipton
Discusses how our cells are shaped by our beliefs - Codependent No More by Melody Beattie
The original work on codependency. Still powerful today
Approaches
- Attachment-based
- Birth Preparation
- Core Belief Engineering (CBE)
- Couples Counseling
- Inner child work
- Life Coaching
- Tapping & Emotional Freedom Technique
Concerns
27 years in practice
Degrees
- B.A (Honors) English Literature by Queen's University 1992
- M.A. English Literature by Queen's University 1993
- B.Education by University of Toronto 1994
Certificates
- Core Belief Engineering Practitioner by College of Core Belief Engineering 1998
- Core Belief Engineering Master Practitioner by College of Core Belief Engineering 2011
- Core Belief Engineering Associate Instructor by College of Core Belief Engineering 2001
- Core Belief Engineering Lead Instructor by College of Core Belief Engineering 2011
- Core Belief Engineering Evaluator by College of Core Belief Engineering 2015
Average costs per session
$175 - $1400
Payment Methods
- Free consultation
- Credit Card
- PayPal
What people have to say about working with me:
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Working with Lisa was (literally) life-changing. The CBE approach of working with the subconscious is deeply powerful and meaningful, and has lasting effects, reaching well beyond the issues I brought to her, to impact the whole of my life. Lisa was deeply invested in my healing and her determination to move me from my pain and stuckness went far beyond other therapeutic interventions I have experienced. I could not have asked for a more thorough and more systematic process of change and growth. I will always be very, very grateful to you, Lisa.
PS, Florida, USA
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CBE has changed my life. I feel more grateful and appreciative of life. The other day I messed something up at work but I was able to let it go and accept it. No self-beat over it. I am more open to things that can come and am more excited about opportunities. I allow myself to be the way I am and I have genuine love for myself and others. I am more my true self, more the real me. I have a deeper inner sense of calm. I can now move on from past events and live more in the moment. Iāve let go of the anger and resentment that was holding me back. Now Iām going more with the flow and living more in the moment. Iām more positive and confident that I can handle whatever comes up. Iām overall happier and calmer. I have more of a big picture perspective now. I donāt let myself dwell on the negative. Iām flowing with my emotions more. Iām more appreciative of what Iām good at. Iām feeling a sense of freeness to be. What I grew up isnāt covering me anymore. I feel a very strong sense of my own internal compass without being tied to the old. I can listen to myself. Itās lovely! This clarity gives me more of a sense of self, of being, of trusting myself. My beliefs about my value have bumped up. I feel I can own my value now. I used to feel like I was in a cocoon waiting to become and now I feel like a butterfly thatās free to fly. LS, Kelowna, BC
LS, Kelowna, British Columbia
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āAs a result of our work together, I feel deep self-understanding and peace.ā
AN, Michigan, USA
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The negative self-talk is gone and I feel much better!
LM, North York, Ontario
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Lisa, I called you because I wanted to know how to feel unstuck. I had been repeating a pattern for years of always talking myself out of what I wanted. I tried working on myself. I tried powering through. And then one day I read the quote that āeverything you want is on the other side of fearā and it resonated with me. But I couldnāt get there on my own. I feel so good I canāt even say. I feel peaceful. I am no longer stuck. I am now finding multiple exit doors in a room in which I thought there was none. When faced with stress at work. I know thereās a way out. I used to come up against a problem and panic that itās the end of the world. Now I know thereās a way out of every situation. Iām not tensing up waiting for a bad thing or a mistake to happen. I have no fear of not being able to figure it out. I feel smarter and more capable. I feel more confident and freer. I now feel that itās okay to want what I want. I feel deserving of wanting and having what I want. Iām moving forward looking for other career opportunities in other countries, and Iām interested in dating. And I have set specific goals and dates for publishing my novel. Now I know that happiness is not greediness. Happiness is something I deserve. My body used to flush with shame when I would recall moments in the past where I embarrassed myself or made a wrong decision or failed at something. I have entirely stopped doing that! I used to do it every day! Now I know Iām not responsible for other peopleās choices and decisions. And Iām not owning actions that arenāt mine. Iāve been more playful and not concerned about other peopleās reactions. Everything feels possible. I feel a big difference. I feel more in one piece. My mind is blown. Iām so comfortable. I feel sorted.
GN, Kanata, Ontario
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āFor the first time, I feel really free. I feel free to do stuff for myself and with myself. I am enjoying time with myself. I am writing in my journal and being my own home. I feel good hanging out with myself. No more mood swings. No sinking into the pit. My worst case scenario thinking is better. Now I stop myself and go into the mode of just figuring it out. Iām okay with whatever the end result of any situation is. I feel much more solid inside. Iām not worried. Iām not gutted. There is no hole inside me anymore. When I fall into a sad place, I donāt fall to rock bottom anymore. Iām still floating above the water. Iām not sinking anymore! I know that Iāll make it to shore. This takes some getting used to! Before, if I got upset about something, it would last forever. Now it doesnāt last. Now I switch back to positive and believe in myself. If something comes up, it doesnāt last long or pre-occupy me. Iām not running away from my emotions now. Now I feel my emotions and they pass through me like waves. Iām okay being by myself, which is new! I know what I like and donāt and what I want to handle and not. I see myself as my own home and will decide who I want to invite in. Iāve gone from being not picky to reorganizing my home and having hope and courage in myself that Iāll be okay ending a relationship that doesnāt serve me. I feel I can do anything. There are so many beautiful, genuine, good-hearted people out there. Why waste my time on anyone else? Iām coming from a place of empowered choice and loving it!
KP, Mississauga, Ontario
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Initially, I looked at your website and thought no way, it will be too intense, too much to confront all at once. But it wasnāt like that at all. The three sessions unfolded easily and naturally. The shame Iāve felt for decades is gone. Iām not stuck in blame. I donāt take on other peopleās stuff. The self-hate is gone. My negative self-talk is gone. Iām nicer to myself. More self-care. And no more mindless shopping! Itās like the difference between waking up on the right side instead of the wrong side of the bed every day. Iām calmer under pressure. Now when I get angry, Iām able to think and be conscious. I donāt feel triggered. I donāt go out of control or lose it. Iām a lot more flexible in my thinking and talking. Because Iām calmer and more level-headed, I have more credibility with my family. They listen to me more. Iām more interested in hearing my familyās opinions. Iām not judging myself about how right I am in a situation. Iām more concerned with learning than being right. I feel proud of myself. I can show my best face to people. Iām so surprised to feel this way. I never thought I could feel this good. I could imagine not feeling bad. But to be past bad and into feeling great is mind blowing! I no longer assume that Iām going to fail and stop myself before I try. Now I figure out what I want, look at the worst-case scenario and work through it. Iām way less stressed. Iām not worried about everything anymore. Iām able to make a decision, act on it and adjust along the way. Itās a whole new world! I feel 100% better.
AC, New Jersey, USA
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I am liberated from the guilt that used to run my life. I eradicated it and the self-beat. Iām more loving to myself and more at peace. I donāt beat myself up any more. I feel more complete ā not like an empty thing. I know myself more. Iām calmer, more relaxed and at peace. Iām creating my life now. Iām able to concentrate on the day and my goals for the week and not on the doom of the future. When youāre whole, you can do anything and be excited for the future! You put me at peace. You liberated me. And I applied this to my daily life, to my work, to my acceptance of myself, to my daughters ā every area. You helped me see my story and connect the dots and know myself. You opened a window and we put things in place, in order. Now itās complete and whole and there, not this effusive darkness inside me. And I can see my sisters struggling but I see them from the outside. Iām not in that darkness anymore. I got so much more accomplished with you as my guide, like a coach. You helped clean things up in me and Iām lighter and able to live my life through peace and calm. Lisa, it was worth every penny.
AG, Florida, USA
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My experience with CBE with Lisa has been an extraordinary one. I really like the amount of awareness it has given me about myself with all parts and every aspect of myself. It was such a gift to be able to recognize the missing pieces within myself and to now live with that beautiful sense of wholeness and completeness. I feel much stronger, confident, and much more committed to myself because of the CBE experience. Thank you, Lisa!
MR, New York, USA
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I had an extremely difficult life and had been to so many therapists, psychiatrists and had done a lot of self-searching. When I met with Lisa I was in a deep depression and had lost all hope. The first thing that took me by surprise and made me realize this is different and unique was at our first meeting, after hearing all my suffering, Lisa literally actually had genuine tears! That was the most incredible experience I had when meeting with a therapist and I knew this was going to be life altering and special. It was,... Lisa delved deep with me in a six hour session and my change literally started that day. I processed a lot of my trauma, felt lighter and a sense of renewed hope that I was going to be not only ok but the best I I could be! Since that session two years ago I now am a parent coach, coaching clients of my own and I am doing the best I have ever been in my entire life! For me to say something like that is amazing! I was literally at a point of suicide, depression and tried every avenue of help. I was out of options and felt a deep sense of utter despair and hopelessness like there was no way out! I am now a confident, successful woman with a bright future ahead! Lisa is an angel sent to me from God who not only has exorbitant wisdom, experience, unique and distinct methods but is also a genuine, kindhearted, warm and compassionate woman. She is what defines talented unique professionalism and a special heart combined. I now am recommending her to my own clients and words cannot describe the amount of gratitude and appreciation I have for someone who went all the way with me to help me to be the best I can be and grow to my fullest potential! Thank you again for everything. This has been so transformational, and I am in complete awe that one day with you was able to make such a positive impact on my life in a time where everything seemed so dark. You are an amazing woman!
LP, Montreal, Quebec
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I would describe my experience in one word: INCREDIBLE! The things I was able to accomplish working with you is absolutely mind blowing and things I never dreamed Iād be able to achieve. Iāve since been able to move mountains and achieve incredible things and I am forever grateful. From overcoming personal negative beliefs that were obstacles for me achieving things I wanted to do, to making a tremendous difference especially in my marriage where I am able to invest my energies into building my marriage as opposed to carrying a heavy load which was draining me physically, emotionally and mentally. CBE is life changing. It helps me move the past into the past without it controlling my life today. I worked a lot on changing the dynamics with my mother. I went from being dependent on her approval to more of a choice relationship. Where I get to set the rules of engagement. I felt the pain of letting her go and freeing myself in the process. I was terribly afraid of my motherās rejection, guilt and shame. Today I can tolerate her disapproval more. I was also too scared to speak my truth to her and tell her what I feel. Today it comes more natural for me to be assertive. CBE has definitely added vitality, joy and freedom to my life. I feel more in control than ever before! Thank you, Lisa!
FD, Halifax, Nova Scotia
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My life has changed so much since working with Lisa. I went from being anxious and tense most of the time to being calm and centered. I am able to feel my feelings and not be afraid of them and push them away like I used to. I got a promotion at work, which would never have happened had I not done the CBE work and reprogrammed old beliefs and habits. Iām able to understand other people and be more patient with them and donāt expect others to be perfect, or myself for that matter! All in all, it was an incredible, mind-blowing journey working with Lisa. And I wish this journey for every other human out there. Your life will change exponentially and you will be able to unlock your true self and potential. Thank you!!!!
SN, Calgary, Alberta
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Core Belief Engineering was just what I needed to help me initiate the changes I wanted in my life. At the time, I was dealing with emotional triggers and anxious thoughts that were seriously impacting the quality of my life. I could not handle my volatile emotions and felt that all my energy went into just managing them. Prior to the CBEās sessions, I have tired many modalities that did not help me make significant strides. CBE definitely did. The sessions were intense and dug deeply into the many layers of my past self. I felt the change taking place in the midst of the first session and slowly implementing over the period of the next few weeks. The volume of triggers and my reactivity decreased as my self-awareness grew. I am now steady and unmoved in my core, regardless of the circumstances. I can no longer relate to my past thinking and reactivity. The feeling of empowerment, as result of the sessions, is fantastic.
PT, Toronto, Ontario
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Working with Lisa was a revelation. Finding a way to be at peace with different parts of my being has quieted places that I had carried for a very long time. I used a great deal of energy, mostly subconsciously, but at times very consciously trying to let go of guilt tied to the past. My conscious mind knew it was time but it was always a struggle to stay focused on now and not slip into the places where I felt I had not been all that I might have been. Exhausting. This time to talk, while not always easy by any means ā to explore beliefs that I carried without even being aware of how they skewed my life, to experience relief at a very deep level of my being has quite literally enabled me to let go of so much hurt, grief, guilt, self-loathing that now my soul breathes in a freedom it has never known. This has given me a self confidence that I struggled for and a feeling of deep awareness that I am a person of worth and have gifts that can be shared without fear. I have stopped debating this and that and care far less about all the nonsense and am more comfortable making the little decisions which leads to tackling much bigger ones with confidence. I also find myself far more decisive and less combative too ā which is an interesting combination! Wish I could have arrived here sooner but am most deeply grateful that I AM here, it makes life much more interesting and more fun too. Lisa is very accomplished, she has great integrity and cares about the people she works with. If you got to the place of reading this and still are comfortable with what you are finding, Lisa may well be the right person for you at this time in your lifewalk.
AS, Brantford, Ontario
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Before meeting Lisa, I had been on the journey of healing for a while and had tried quite a number of therapies and methods of self-help. What I found was that the results of those techniques were successful, but short-lived. A few months later, I would find myself either back to square one or at least in another predicament that seemed all too familiar and similar to the first one. It felt like I was just chasing the next bandaid for my āsymptomsā. And I was tired. Tired of searching, tired of trying the next method, and tired of dealing with the never-ending anxiety, the constant limiting beliefs, and the feeling of being stuck. I just felt stuck. Like I might just have to learn to live with all the thought patterns and habits I found myself so desperately trying to get out of. And then I heard about CBE. I was pretty skeptical. I had never heard about this path and didnāt quite understand how it worked. I decided to surf Lisaās website. When I hit a certain sentence, I was sold. āAre you still repeating the same old patterns and reactions despite self-awareness and attempts to change?ā I thought she mustāve been talking to me. So I booked a consultation. From the first hour of getting to know each other and discussing what I worked on, I knew I had landed a gold mine. I felt safe, heard, understood, validated, and most importantly, I felt hope. Hope that there might be something that can truly help me move on from the debilitating thoughts and anxiety. As the day of my first process loomed, I started to feel nervous. What if I just canāt do it? What if I cry? What if we find skeletons in my closet? What if it just doesnāt work on me? And then I joined the call. And my life hasnāt been the same since. It sounds cliche but I truly mean it. I was moved in ways I never knew I could be moved. My soul was touched in places I didnāt know existed. And my subconscious found parts of me that had been dying to be heard, ever since they were shut down. There was a point in the process that a wellspring was unlocked and it was just what I was afraid of. But it wasnāt what I had expected. I found my inner child reaching out for a hug, reaching for her long lost caretaker. And it was beautiful. It wasnāt terrifying or skeletal. It was safe. I was safe. And so was my inner child. Reuniting with my inner child has been the absolute best thing Iāve done for my mental health. Tapping into what she went through and helping her grow and heal has been incredibly wholesome. In our review session a month later, I was shocked at how many things I had actually told Lisa before the process- things I wanted to work on, things I would tell myself, etc. I was shocked because I truly didnāt feel that way anymore. Since that first process, Iāve done another one which has also impacted my ways that I wouldāve never expected, including my personal life, my career, and my relationships. I feel so blessed to have crossed paths with Lisa and to have received of her invaluable gifts. She has an incredible ability to make you feel safe, loved, heard, and cared for. I know CBE is not a very well-known concept but I only wish that more individuals would experience it in the ways I have. If youāre nervous or skeptical, tell her that. But make that call. I did and I would do it over and over and over again.
RM, New York, USA
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Working with Lisa had changed my life in a more profound way than I was capable of imagining before I started working with her. As a survivor of childhood emotional abuse, I didnāt even realize the extent of the damage. I came to Lisa because I wanted to be the best, healthiest version of myself and when I started working with Lisa, I was stuck in patterns I didnāt completely understand ( including social anxiety, anxiety in general, relationship patterns, issues with self worth and self esteem, and depression). With all my trust issues, Lisa earned my trust quickly with her warmth and keen ability to understand. With compassion, understanding, and a whole lot of patience, Lisa taught me the basics of a healthy mind, healthy communication skills, helped me grieve my losses, and taught me what constitutes healthy boundaries and guided me to look inside for the answers and understanding I needed for myself. Lisa not only helped me through my issues, she put her heart and soul into my work and put the emotional energy in to understand all of me. After a little over 2 years of working with Lisa, I have matured many emotional years. I now live a more conscious life and itās more freeing than I could have ever imagined. Lisa helped me find my self worth and heal the emotional wounds. I am now a strong, emotionally independent person with confidence, peace of mind and healthy and true relationships in a way that I never imagined was possible. I will forever be grateful to Lisa and the safe space she let me heal in.
DV, Washington, USA
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I met Lisa Sidorowicz in 1995 in a Basic course I taught in Toronto, Ontario. She continued on to take the Practitioner Intensive and achieved her Certified Practitioner standing in 1998. She has participated in numerous advanced and continuing education courses in both CBE and other methods. She achieved Master Practitioner and Lead Instructor status in 2011.. she aided me in restructuring the curriculum in 2010. She has become a peer and wonderful colleague to collaborate with. Her background in Education has further strengthened the organization. Her strengths are many. A few I will remark onā¦ Stamina to stick with her clients as they go through the longer processes with diligence, patience and gentleness; Dedication to her clients; Loyalty to the principles of CBE and to her clients and students; Professionalism; Integrity; A great ābedside mannerā; Flexibility and creativity; A warm, non-judgmental listener; Ability to work with both positive and negative feedback; A willingness to ask for help; A calm humility that comes only with experienceā¦
Elly Roselle Verified