Justin really gets you results. He is a fantastic life coach and counselor! I was battling with a 'sense of failure' as a father/husband/person due to what I thought was from financial pressures and a lack of empathy, accountability with my was breaking down my relationship with my wife. His counseling experience and deep knowledge of behavioral therapy identified a possible 'Complex Relational trauma response' disorder that my wife showed signs of displaying. Justin helped me understand her trauma response and how I was reacting to her issues with my own issues which triggered her fear, abandoment, frustration, mistrust, and gravitation to conflict which induced my own defensiveness reactions and anger. He provided me with my own personal tools to deploy on a regular basis. These helped me be nice to myself and appreciate my purpose and that I was actually doing my best to improve myself and provide love most importantly. Some of those solutions and tools such as meditation, mindfulness, self awareness/development created personal behavioral changes and coping strategies I now feel better about myself . A relationship tools I really liked was his own self developed 'Oh-Five-X Repair Framework' ( a one page document) which has provided us ability to create a safe place for trust, healing, and recovering from past trauma and experiences in our relationship and personal pasts. I've developed a deeper understanding and awareness of myself and Justin's actionable tools and strategies are much more than what most other life coaches or counselors can deliver. Its his ability to land these strategies/tools on point and get you to understand how to employ them to get better/improve/develop yourself With this guidance I've noticed I've become more empathetic, less reative and more self caring so my family can continue to heal, and our relationship and welfare of ourselves beniftis our family. Justin gets change happening and you get great value for your time and while gaining a true caring friend and an exceptional life coach in your corner. read more

I worked with Justin as a relationship counselor in my last relationship. Justin was great at setting up the right space for us to figure things out, and that goes for all dimensions -- mental, physical, spiritual and emotional. He set a tone that made us look beyond ourselves, towards an us. He challenged us to imagine the relationship we wanted while helping us never lose sight of reality as it is. He was also skilled at helping us pivot when the connection was severing and communication was getting derailed by one of our more dysfunctional patterns. In those moments, he would interrupt the process and guide us to feel deeper down. Here we'd often uncover what was driving the seemingly intractable issues we faced. In his sessions, he made sure all paths led back to the love we had for each other. He had an uncanny ability to discern when we were speaking from our heads not our hearts. When conversations devolved into tit for tat or some lower rung on the communication food chain, Justin would be a step ahead and steer us towards a more loving, honest space. I can remember times when he would allow things to play out to their own dead end, and then work with us to find a path back to compassion and love for each other. And a few times, when it would get too heavily charged, Justin would guide us to use mindfulness practices or breathing exercises to regroup. Justin has all the skills a couples' counselor needs to help a couple, and he is very thorough and dedicated to his work. In counsel with Justin, you get the feeling you're working with someone who is hard at work doing their life's work. read more

I originally came to Justin for life coaching around a practical transition, changing my work and moving from the US back to Europe. During our time working together, both my father and my mother died. What began as support around decision-making became something far more personal, and I trusted Justin with all of it. His skill as a counselor and life coach, being steady, attentive, and deeply human, made it possible to navigate both practical change and profound grief in the same space. Through this life coaching process, I developed a greater capacity to stay present with emotional reality without rushing to resolve or manage it. Working with Justin made a lasting difference in how I move through loss and transition. read more

We went to couples therapy for almost 2 years with Justin. Generally, you know a therapist is working if you're getting better. There was no progress for the whole 2 years. We have had progress now that we stopped using him. One HUGE issue is that Justin would gas light one of us into thinking they have mental issues when they clearly do not match the diagnosis or symptoms (he is not a licensed psychiatrist btw). He would also ignore the another person's abusive and gas lighting tendencies as long as they act like a victim and praise Justin. if you complain to Justin that what he is doing is not working, he essentially acts defensive and will side with the other person thus enabling all their bad behavior. If you're experiencing something similar, with no progress for a long time, Justin might be the problem. Do yourself a favor, move on. read more

We've worked with Justin as a work and relationship coach. He was highly recommended by a close friend we trust. My partner and I have been life and business partners for many years and have struggled through waves of getting out of sync with each other. Working with Justin, we've developed the ability to get out of our negative patterns much more quickly and the tools and insights he's shared have increased our resilience and ability to reconnect and move forward. We appreciate that Justin recognizes our strengths and builds techniques for us tailored to these strengths. We've had sessions with Justin when we've been in rough patches as well as when we are in sync. During smooth times our sessions have focused on increasing connection, improving communication, and spiritual growth. Justin is incredibly present, is an amazing listener and tuned in to our body language and energy. Working with Justin has been very nurturing for our relationship, our work, and our connection as a couple. read more

Justin's ability as a counselor and overall life coach is incredible to say the least. The short of it is he has helped me immensely. Even that doesn't grasp how impactful this work has been. My anger and propensity to frustration with myself, others and the world overall was destroying my life. My relationships with those I loved and who loved me were deteriorating. My relationship with the world around me was deteriorating. To the point where I didn't care and was on a fast track to making decisions in moments of anger or just moments of overwhelming emotion that would be unable to be taken back once done. I was unable to move forward in life or at a bare minimum have a joyful life. Everything needed to feel my wrath, it was awful. Through my sessions with Justin I have been able to take this gigantic backpack off and gained a great understanding of what to do when I pick the pack up again. Because I do occasionally pick it up again, I'm human and I've come to understand it's okay to not be perfect. It's just the imperfect parts of me that don't get to drive the car. Before my sessions with Choose heart when I did have this metaphorical backpack on (it would only come off during escapism activities and I always put it back on the next morning). The pack was overwhelming and suffocating. And! Everyone around me needed to know that I was suffocating. But now! I'm able to shoulder this weight more. The weight of everything just life itself and the natural trials that come with that are easier on top of all of my personal stuff. It's all just so much lighter in my heart. The tools, techniques and thought patterns I have learned through these counseling sessions have been life changing. I am so much more equipped to handle the waves of life and whatever may come with it through these counseling sessions. Justin is extremely patient, knowledgeable and adaptable. He is incredibly squared away and always shows up for sessions ready to work! It's amazing. His entire process from intake to onboarding to starting the work with a new life coach (which can be scary for me it was) is incredibly professional and stand-up. The whole communication processes with the front office and "housekeeping" items throughout is fantastic, easy and welcoming. It's incredible to have someone like this in your corner. I can't recommend this counselor enough, changed my life. read more

My partner and I worked with Justin in couples counseling and we both grew individually and as a couple! I would recommend his services to any couple who is interested in counseling support. I was not sure if I would like the virtual format for counseling, but since Justin offered 1 free consultation session, and he had such great reviews, I figured it was worth a shot and it paid off! Justin had us complete a questionnaire prior to starting our work with him and that was very helpful in terms of giving him insights on where to focus our sessions. Throughout our work, we were able to identify how our different perspectives and communication skills affected our disagreements and figure out more effective ways to problem solve together. Although I don't know what barriers may come our way in the future, I know that my partner and I are better able to work through difficult situations and can grow closer from these experiences. I am grateful for the opportunity to grow closer with my partner and for picking up some life skills that make me a better partner and also a better person all around! read more

Justin has been my guiding light through a dark time. With his counseling and guidance I feel like I was able to take this dark time and emerge with beauty and grace. Justin's strengths are his sincerity and his ability to inspire your own heart and intuition to begin to guide you. I consider him not only a counselor, therapist, or life coach but he was and is a mentor to me and I feel the universe sent me him at the perfect time to allow for me to find my true self and heal from the past while giving me the support to thrive in the present. I highly recommend him to anybody that reads this and it resonates with. This is your sign! I promise you, if you do the work , your inner true self will be revealed. read more

Justin and I worked together through about 12 sessions. I was dealing with a very fresh tragedy and by chance, found Justin. I don't know how I got so lucky because, in my own opinion of course, the things that are unique about him as a counselor and life coach, are not common and were very effective in helping me help myself. For example, he did not just listen, he actively gave me alternative ideas to consider, pointed me to various concepts, videos, talks, websites, books, and people of interest/inspiration. All these resources led to personal growth while experiencing the pain of fresh grief. I was not expecting more than objective universal/generic advice but he knew a lot about my culture and religion which I don't believe are his own. He has a deep understanding of the history that is part of my identity, and even taught me things about my own culture that I was unaware of. I would not think of that as necessary, but I think it added a tremendous amount of value and made me feel very comfortable in sharing and getting out everything I was harboring. During my sessions, I made it clear that I was interested in strengthening my identity instead of running from it, so it was very effective that he understood cultural and historical contexts in addition to understanding my own emotional challenges. If you just need some to listen to you, I think he can be that person, but I was so glad that he could offer so much more value than just helping me get things off my chest. I very much felt like I had both a life coach and a counselor all wrapped into one. Ill also mention that he starts off with a process to make sure he is the right person for you before you commit to multiple sessions. That showed me he is dedicated to helping you even if that meant you find a different person or other resources instead. One way I would describe him is intellectual and well read, which I appreciated as I wanted to be able to learn as much as possible. read more

I first approached Justin over two years ago.  I was looking for someone to help transition into the next phase of my life. Initially I brought a very career-centric lens to the process. I was looking for a big change, but had no idea what that might look like. I'm in the middle of that transition now, and because of this work, change is emerging naturally, from a place of heart-based authenticity, as opposed to head-first will. Justin possesses an incredible wealth of knowledge, from a wide range of spiritual teachings and practices, human biology and health, mindfulness practices, plus most importantly a deep understanding of the nature of the human heart.  He can meet me where I'm at, geeking out on science fiction and superhero movies to ease into or out of "the work".  He can also pivot on a dime deep into our feelings and the vitality of our humanity.  He brings a deep sense of empathy and respect to me as a client. Justin helped show me how nervous-system driven and detached from my heart I was. He recently supported me through my mother's unexpected passing in such a profound way. I can't express how grateful I am to have had his support, to have a safe space to truly grieve and to recognize the blessings that life gives, even in death.  This also gave me the strength to support my father and family through a really, really hard time. As a person, I'm more grounded and available for my friends and family than I've ever been, and I now enjoy slowing down to soak in my feelings in whatever form they show up. He's shown me how to feel into my heart, to do the hard work of feeling the miracles of grief, pain, joy and love that life offers. If this is the type of transformative work you're seeking, I whole-heartedly recommend Justin to help guide you through the process. read more

When I first reached out to Justin as a Life Coach, I was struggling with a sense of lost purpose in my life and career. I was feeling extremely burned out from my work, and had started to slip into an almost nihilistic state of being, despite being at the best place objectively that I'd been at my career and in my personal relationships. The day to day became hard to get through, and I found myself wanting to run away from my career often. Justin helped me transform two ways about how I lived. One, I learned to how to recognize, become familiar, and get close to the parts of myself that I was trying to cast aside. I came to realize that I was a in a constant state of self-judgement - especially about my career (why haven't I made it to the top of my field yet? why am I not good enough at x, y, or z? why aren't enjoying doing this work that I'm good at?) - and instead accepting that the judge was part of myself, I was trying to "judge" my way out of it which created incredible tension and exhaustion. Justin taught me how to sit with myself here, accept the judge as part of me, and ultimately realize that I had a choice to feel differently. This was absolutely transformative for me - for the first time in over a year, I felt sustained warmth & joy again in my day to day. Two, Justin helped me realize what I actually wanted to spend my time doing, and gave me the tools to self-accept and have the courage to take a chance on myself. I've made a large shift in my career as a result, with a lot more risk than my previous career path, but I haven't looked back and feel much more invigorated in the day to day. Justin has helped me work through this from the inside out, and has fundamentally changed the way I live my day to day. If you're going through something similar what I was, I can't recommend working with Justin enough. read more

I can't box in what Arya does with a single term like coaching, guiding, facilitating, mentoring, counseling, teaching, or simply listening - it's more like a genuinely caring presence that brings all of that, while creating a safe space for me to open my heart. While working with him I feel that we are on the same page, he really gets where I am coming from and that he is with me on my journey. With Arya's reflective clarity I was able to expand my ways of thinking & perceiving, shift priorities from doing more towards being and because of this I experienced that what I was looking for is already here. From here I was more capable of taking clear action to organize my life, career, relationships in a more fulfilling and successful way. Arya's unique balance of innate skill, deep personal experience, and diverse training makes him a true catalyzing force towards personal growth and conscious living. read more

Working with Arya was an experience like I could never have imagined nor expected. Coming into the relationship, I was not a fan of "counseling" and only slightly more tolerant of "life coaches" who, in my past experience, would carefully listen to my issues, then offer a neat opinion on what to do, with some pages of homework due next week. But then I read about an interesting dude out in California with a different take on things so thought I'd give his way a try. Our sessions opened a new path of my thinking. As if there was a fork to take when making decisions, A or B, but now there is a new carved choice because of our work... a rigid "C path" that is still new and being explored, but it wasn't even on the map before. That's cool to me.  It wasn't about "tell me what troubled you this week" or "how is work going" or "let's explore why that specific event is causing you issues." It was more of learning about tools and about how humans interact with ourselves, our spirits, our environments and becoming more in tune with that and less in control of the outcomes of it all. Yeah, I know, it's way out there... If you're not ready for some heavy lifting then go to the next guy and put your name at the top of his homework sheet. This deep work is lasting and won't have you filling in bubbles on random personality quizzes... but you'll know more about yourself when you're done than you ever thought possible (and that will help you relate to the ones you love in a more full and enjoyable way, I promise.) I can't say enough about Arya. His genuine nature and caring attitude guided me on a fresh journey that was perfect for the moment in life that I needed right then. Daily I think of something he taught, always aware of keeping my aperture open and accepting, and I'm thankful for what he brings to this world. I'm so grateful for the time I got to spend mentoring under him and am happy to call him a friend and brother. read more

Before I met Arya, I was locked in tight spirals of anxiety, depression, and self hatred. I used to think of my life as stumbling through a dark room, looking for an object I had never seen before. I walked into this work looking for things I had no belief in finding. When I started working with Arya, what he offered was a gentle, profound deconstruction to a mental script. He challenged me to re-envision an imaginary isolated room as infinitely expansive terrain. He encouraged me to release the death grip on "what I know" and to be vulnerably open to everything I do not know. I was asked to seek self kindness in the same vein as self cruelty. This process left me raw. It took time to understand the pain I had to endure, and I eventually did. Over months, as I evolved, my view of myself and the world braved a fundamental reshaping. As a life coach, Arya is deeply receptive, sharply intuitive, wholly present, and personally invested. His keen insight into a person's innate nature is his subtle power. It allows him to shed light on ingrained layers of self-sabotage and seek ways to gently redirect to a more free, essential self. His sessions are a safe space to hold the full, uninhibited range of a person, including habits of shame, discomfort, or trauma that may otherwise never see the light of day. Arya has an unnerving ability to pick up on nuance, and he can easily adapt from moment to moment, holding you precisely where you need with care. What begins as micro-shifts, over repeated sessions, ripples out into larger patterns of personal change. I do not see Arya as a coach who will impose a "correct" lifestyle, tell you how to achieve something, or give you a rubric to follow. He is not interested in imposing beliefs, nor "good" or "bad" judgments. He's interested in bringing forth what is innate, genuine, and particular to you as the client, and this is how his counseling reaches a core level. It requests skin-grazing honesty and direct intimacy with your defense patterns, your stubborn beliefs, and your genuine wants. One of the traits I value most in Arya is his honesty. He wholeheartedly believes in his approach and actively practices what he preaches in his life. In this way, he relates to his clients with humanizing sincerity and empathy. He brings himself to the table while patiently challenging you to do the same. His candidness means he will call you out on your BS, holding you accountable for yourself rather than letting you take the easy way out. With kindness, he always encourages a more honest self to come forward. I have worked with Arya for a year and four months. Over this time I have become fuller and more self-honest, filling into spaces that are deeper and lighter. I am more personally empowered than I have ever been, and what I have learned is, there is much, much more to me than I will myself to believe. Today, I am better equipped to build upward in capacities that were impossible for me a year ago, and better equipped to handle when I find myself in familiar difficult places. The freedom offered in this work is a chance to ease the layers of confinement placed upon yourself -- who you are or aren't, what success looks like, what love feels like, how you should or should not be. At its simplest, the goal is to love, cherish, and foster 'you', unconfined by personal conditioning that has trapped you in place for ages. Over time, my relationship with Arya has only gotten richer. In my sessions, I look forward to laughing with him, crying, and everything in between. To me, this trust is the mark of a truly effective coach. Arya is my dear friend and trusted ally, and my gratitude is boundless. read more

Justin guided me through tough moments. He leads with the heart and is very knowledgeable in several, healing modalities. He's compassionate, open, caring and has a very grounded approach. I always felt safe to be in space with him. If you are in need of some counseling/coaching, Justin is a fantastic choice! read more

I highly recommend Arya (now Justin) as your life coach. I started seeing Justin in person after a very rough patch for myself. My father died, I went through a divorce, and my 16 year old son had become estranged from me. All of this happened within 18 months of each other, so I was lost, depressed, and felt -- if I felt anything -- purposeless. He met me where I was -- in pure intellect -- and helped guide me to a more integrated, heart first life. He was accommodating in scheduling and in adjusting to meet my needs; first in person, then on Zoom. Justin worked first with just my ability to feel, to take in what I was experiencing into my heart in order to open myself up to possible change or to acceptance of what is fully. Then, when I came closer to being able to do that more consistently and fully, he worked with me to open up to self-acceptance and self-chosen purpose so that I was able to move forward in the world and live a purposeful life while experiencing, in full, the ups and downs that it brings. After a little more than two years with Justin, I have begun the process of reconciliation with my son and am living a fuller, more integrated life. read more

To capture the capacity of support and genuine kindness that flows from Justin as our Relationship Coach would feel like trying to describe the vastest complexities of the Universe in a simple short statement, but I'll try at least. Justin has positively shaped and empathically listened to my conditioning and how it shows up, for good or bad, in my marriage--and beyond. He bestows an environment which supersedes typical neurological exchange; this promotes true heart-centered healing and perceiving. My capacity to love my partner has vastly grown and depended beyond my wildest dreams throughout our tenure together. I stumbled upon Choose Heart Counseling, Coaching, and Accompaniment during a very trying time in my overall Life. The whole team brings up my spirits (from the web design and scheduling contact to Justin's intelligence and ability to slow down a situation enough for us to taste open-heart experience). Indeed, my own Spiritual and Health practices have matured even more from the coaching from Justin. Through him, I have identified more with the capacity in me to evolve into the partner I have always dreamed of. I'm thankful almost every day for his work and support in my Life and marriage. I cannot recommend enough the Choose Heart Counseling, Coaching, and Accompaniment crew to anyone looking to dive, or move gently, into personal growth and enlightenment. read more

Arya is amazing. He is an incredibly kind, smart, genuine, curious, open, generous, passionate, and present person. You can tell that Arya loves what he does and that he has a natural aptitude for his work and revels in it. When I began working with Arya I felt checked out from my life and didn't feel that I was enjoying my work, my hobbies or a lot of my relationships. I had spent years flopping back and forth between wanting to switch careers and wanting to move, and not feeling fully fulfilled in my marriage. Our work led to my husband and I deciding to make the leap and move away from the Bay Area, which had been our home for over 10 years. We finally finished up the work that we wanted to do on our home, sold it (for an amount that we are very happy with), and moved with more ease than I thought was possible. We couldn't be happier with our new home and the process of getting here. My husband and I have gained tons individually and collectively from our work with Arya. We feel so much more connected to each other and solid in our relationship. We are more real with each other than we have ever been and are supporting each other in ways that we didn't know would or could be so beneficial for us. We are looking forward to and are excited for our future. Through working with Arya, I have also decided to totally switch careers and feel confident and empowered in the transition and future that isn't totally certain or clear yet. Bye bye accounting, hello impact, connection, creativity, aliveness, purpose, growth... I now feel in touch with myself and empowered in who I am and what I am doing in the world. I feel an immense amount of gratitude for my life and joy in living it. My work with Arya has made a permanent impact on many aspects of my life and also on the lives of those around me. In short, working with Arya has been so much more than I anticipated it would be. I found Arya through yelp when looking for a financial coach for a friend. I wasn't looking for a coach for myself, but was immediately intrigued by his reviews and by the types of work that Arya does as shown on his website. To help me choose the 'right' coach, I reached out to Arya and several other life/career etc coaches and found his approach, demeanor and generosity to be superior. As a bonus, his rates are more than reasonable. Over the years I have worked with a handful of counselors/therapists individually and with my husband and the time spent with them and the outcomes were not all that effective, helpful or pleasant. We can't say enough positive things about having Arya in our lives and recommend him to everyone that we know. Arya is an indispensable part of my arsenal and I feel incredibly fortunately and thankful to have him on my side. read more

I have been receiving life coaching from Arya for about a year and the positive impact his services have had on my perspective and in turn my ability to navigate through difficult obstacles in my life while remaining clear on my intentions and goals has been huge. After our very first session I walked away with the overall impression that this person was very competent as a counselor and a life coach, and also as an authentic human being. He is an excellent listener and is very focussed on my goals and intentions as an individual. He gave me great and valuable insight into my personal process that has helped me pursue the life that I've always wanted to live. Arya also takes the time to check in with me via text in between our visits and offers me tools when I feel stuck. That feels very practical to send him questions about my daily experiences that maybe don't occur to me while I am meeting with him in his office. I feel very lucky to have someone like him in my corner and I would recommend his services to anyone who is working on trying to better themselves. read more

I've started and stopped writing my review of Arya many times over the past several months. How do I even begin to reduce the work we've done together and a person like Arya to a few sentences in a little box on Yelp? He is far more than a counselor or life coach, although he is definitely those things. I came to Arya about a year ago not because I was having any major life crisis, but because, like many people, I was feeling some sort of existential angst about how I was showing up in life. I felt like I had done everything I was "supposed" to do but life still felt fairly flat and unsatisfying. I was the kind of person who wanted to understand and analyze everything, mistakingly thinking that if I just "figured it out" I would find happiness. I also struggled with feeling like I had another, wilder, more authentic person inside of me who was pacing restlessly, unsure of how to get out of the cage, or even what the cage was. The early days of working with Arya were confusing and unsettling - he was gently and intelligently leading me through the process of breaking out of who I was, noticing and consciously examining my old thought patterns and whether they were serving me. But he patiently stayed with me, and eventually, I trusted myself enough to stay with myself, too. The bottom line is, I am a different person now than I was when I started working with Arya. It's like each cell in my brain reoriented themselves and now function more smoothly, without the junk and debris they were stuck in previously. It's hard to articulate all of the impacts Arya's coaching has had on my life. Overall, I show up more clearly as myself. I am not overwhelmed by my own thoughts or emotions. I can deal with difficult things without shutting down and giving up. I can speak to others about what I need and want. I trust myself and the world a lot more. I am much more comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity because I realize that my "ok-ness" is not based on something out there, but what's inside of me. I've grown and worked through many challenging moments, uncovering deeper and deeper "layers of the onion," understanding who I am, what I believe, and what I am capable of. All of this has translated into better friendships, a deepening and evolving relationship with my fiance, more confidence at work, and most importantly, a reintroduction to my own creativity, vitality, and authentic contribution to the world. Arya, as a person, is unlike anyone I have ever met. He meets you exactly where you are - I am endlessly impressed by his ability to intuit and perceive what you're showing up with, so he knows how to meet you. He is attuned to subtle shifts in your energy - even ones you are not even aware of. He fully experiences your journey while still standing in his own space on his own journey - he has laughed and cried right along with me many times and has told me that our work together has helped him understand and grow in his own journey, too. He is a real person in there with you, not some analyst across the room unpacking you like a specimen. He's available (is responsive over text) while maintaining his own boundaries, which inspires you to show up similarly. Bottom line, I can't say enough about Arya and what he can do for you. If you have too many voices in your head and aren't sure which one is real, or if you feel like there's something just out of your reach that you're capable of, or if you just feel flat and angsty, call Arya. If you want to show up brighter, more vital, and more at ease in the world, call Arya. read more

Have you ever tried to unscrew a bolt with a spoon or a knife? it can work, it will take time and extra effort but you'll get it out. That's how I was living my life... until I met Arya. Arya will teach you the tools in how to live a more fulfilling life. You'll get love and vitality from places you didn't think it was possible, you'll learn to love the "unlovable" parts of yourself, you'll savor the edge of those uncomfortable situations that make you grow. Those are a few of the things Arya has thought me and I'm grateful for them. Arya is an amazing life coach with an uncanny ability to identify those rough edges that we normalize and learn to live with. He cares about his clients and about life in a contagious way. It's amazing to have someone like him in your life. I was feeling lost, anxious and numb in life when I started my life coaching work with Arya. If you relate to those feelings let him show you a new path in the way you live your life. What Empowered Journey has to offer can transform how you receive the experience of life. read more

Justin is a patient, passionate, and reliable relationship coach. His ability to listen and break through communication barriers seems to come naturally and he makes us feel comfortable and empowered during our sessions. My girlfriend and I started sessions with Justin in June 2023 with no end goal but we just knew that we needed help. We were fighting a lot over small things and really couldn't have normal or tough conversations without it spiraling out of control. The sessions started out tough for me. I was resistant to the process and its effectiveness, but by starting the conversations and putting trust in Justin I opened to the process and it has been life changing. Justin has allowed us to create a space to talk about tough issues or feelings while feeling safe to do so which has deepened our communication and brought more stability to times when communication has broken down. The biggest positive change has come from the self-reflective work we have both done and how that has spilled over into our relationship. Justin has helped us to see things from a new perspective and has set a stage to focus on our own personal growth in order to thrive together in the "us". Justin provides useful resources such as breathing work, reading materials, and most importantly he is available. Justin's ability to listen fully and offer sound advice and understanding is incredible. He takes his work seriously and his passion for helping others is undeniable. Through the sessions with Justin I have found a new level of discipline, consistency, and responsibility in all aspects of my life. We continue to find immense benefit from our work with him in couples therapy as well as in one on one sessions and are grateful to continue our work with him. read more

Arya is truly a gifted counselor and has a unique coaching style. Arya's approach to the work showed me that change can start happening right away. It does not take dozens of sessions dredging through personal history; it is not your typical "talk therapy". What Arya offers is so much more meaningful than that. He starts from where you are and works with you in that moment. There was no pressure or rush or even need to get my back story and I started feeling results within the first couple sessions. Arya gives you the tools for self-empowerment, self-acceptance and teaches you how to allow your heart to open more fully. Professionally, Arya shows up by being receptive, compassionate, intuitive and flexible. He is very in tune with what is needed in the moment and willing to go deep into the work with you in a way that's challenging but inviting. Through Arya's coaching, I have created major positive change in my life. I went from living in a constant state of hyper-vigilance, fear and stress in an unhealthy marriage to working through a divorce, reestablishing my sense of self, moving across the country and rebuilding a life with my son and growing my career. I have learned to love and accept myself more, to experience life more fully and deeply. I am more in tune with myself and more connected with others. Arya's coaching has helped me to understand my patterns both at a higher level and in a deep meaningful way. I have developed the awareness to recognize patterns and now choose to create appropriate space to only take on what's needed and understand what I need on a deeper level. My favorite part about working with Arya is he is kind, compassionate and has a wealth of knowledge. He has done his own work as well so his guidance comes from years of being immersed in and practicing the heart-first work. I trust him to show & explain on a deep level what there actually is to learn and how to grow from it. read more

Almost exactly one year ago, I was unfathomably overwhelmed and misguided, looking through this same website to finally reach out for help. This was a huge deal for me. I legitimately felt like I had no other option but to do something, to find someone. Today I feel eternally lucky, and grateful to have found HeartPath enterprises. To have found Arya. When we first met I was one month away from turning 20 years old. Now, I am less than a month away from turning 21, looking back at this past year as the largest, most impactful year of my life yet. It has been A LOT. I felt so unstable, lost and heartbroken over my own life. All of the intense thoughts and feelings, spiraling myself into the vortex that was : way too much to be living and putting myself through all at once. Until I was taught how to 'choose appropriately'. This was one of the first of many life/self lessons Arya has given me as a life coach that made me think wow he is really good. There are really no other words until you experience it. Without the guidance and compassion from Arya, I couldn't say where or who I would be today. At times it was like I had no one, and that is a hard hole to be in. Maybe I would have felt broken for good and gone back home to Kentucky because I was scared. I didn't know if I was making all the wrong decisions, at times I felt like an imposter living outside of reality, scared of wasting my own life. I am repeatedly scared. But there is a difference in my fear from a year ago and today. It does not swallow me whole. I am empowered. I am standing with my own reality that I am creating with intention, truth and dignity. I have learned that being scared means you are aware. Even in this moment I am feeling my vitality. I am aware and caring of the fact that my head and my heart are separate, so that fear no longer breaks my heart. I break my heart open for this work. Arya has broken my heart open. To hold so much more(but not too much). The goodness and the uncontrollable. It has truly been an empowering journey. Right after I had first reached out through email, I got a voicemail back, we set up a consultation and I was asked to complete a questionnaire before we met. Looking back at these first interactions and the struggles I was mentioning, It is wild to see how far I have progressed and matured as a person. Learning to live heart first is a process that simply cannot be explained without the work. And I am confident and excited to have it with me through the rest of my life. To hold myself. While letting go of my old ways, and "reprogramming" my way of being. Though I am still the same person I was a year ago, just to a greater degree. Willing and excited to take on, and hold myself through the entirety of life; it's chaos AND its sweetness. Counseling with Arya once a week was my dedication to myself. If you don't take the time to slow down, sink in, reflect, and work on you this is a beautiful way. It is hard at first, but I personally did learn to be kind and loving to myself during this, through this commitment. My appreciation for Arya, and his dedication, and intensive knowledge/experience in his work will be in my heart forever - the relationship built is truly present, honest, and real. I feel that he is not only a life coach and counselor, but a dear friend and mentor. After a very full 11 months of meeting, I feel he knows and understands me, truthfully more than I have ever felt. This may be the first time in my life I have ever felt completely understood and seen. After every session it was like I was re grounded, and then as each session passed with time I felt more grounded for longer and longer until I realized that the grounded-ness will forever be found. I am so thankful for Arya. It feels as though I have a life coach for life. This work is worth it. I truly feel and receive the respect that Arya gives me, and I full heartedly have endless respect for him. read more

I am a professional who became a full time mom under a circumstance beyond my control. I was having trouble accepting my new life, and I turned to Arya to guide me through my negativity and disappointment. I worked with Arya for 8 months, and he gave me a safe place to be honest and truthful to my feelings. He's not a magician, and some of the concepts went over my head...but he gave me guidance to savor and experience my life for what it is. My situation is complex, and i'ts all a work in progress. But I think he gave me a tool to bring peace into my life, and I am thankful for that. read more

I spent a little over a year working with Arya on a bi-weekly to monthly basis. My goal was to change careers to something truer to my personal pursuits - something I had wanted to do, but failed countless times. I could not get past the thought that what I did as a hobby could ever transform into something I'd do as a paid job, and I wasn't even sure that I wanted to make my hobby my full time occupation. But of course my number of working years only continued to diminish, and I desperately needed to figure it all out. My job at the time was sometimes interesting, but most of the time exhausting. Exhausting in the sense that besides being a lot of work, it was emotionally draining. Not enough resources, poor decisions made by upper management, and most of all, the vice president yelling at me and my colleagues publicly and privately. I felt trapped in this job because the next closest company where I could utilize my skills was at least 50 miles away, a hellish commute. And it was still the same type of work. I felt that in 30 years of doing the same thing, I would not have the skills to do anything else. My work with Arya was not a linear progression by any means. It was more like fits and starts. Some things we did, I immediately latched onto, while others I fail to understand to this day. Arya's approach is unlike that of any other counselor, life or career coach, in that you are confronted with peeling all of the layers of the onion down to the center, regardless of the tears along the way. It is hard work, and for much of the time I left our sessions having more questions than answers. But in a way, that was the point. When I reflect upon the year, there were several turning points. The first was the realization that I didn't need to do this alone, and needed to find my tribe. Arya calls this 'finding your pod.' I had forever felt alone because I didn't think there were others who would relate to what I was interested in. I started going to meetups, networking events and tradeshows, and indeed found people with the same interests, sometimes even more so than me. Another turning point was realizing that life is messy. We are constantly trying to assign structure, meaning, and certainty to what happens to us, when often there is none. We try to shortcut our experience by putting a label on it as quickly as possible. This is how the brain interferes with seeing what's actually there, built on all our past experiences, good or bad, always casting judgment. That helps us survive, but not thrive. I realized that I had had this expectation that my life was going to play out like some movie; like there was a thread running through it to some climax at the end. But we are not following the thread, we are making it. Owning up to 'me' is something that I had avoided doing. Once I figured that out, Arya helped me build more trust in myself and my identity. He helped me to not be afraid to let others see more of the whole me, rather that the person I thought they wanted to see. It was causing me to die inside. I created a personal website showcasing all of my wild pursuits, made personal business cards, and was entirely unapologetic about it. I applied to many companies that seemed like longshots. And they were. I continued to get either no response, or just 'no.' I could have become severely depressed by this, but I wasn't. I persevered. There is so much more I discovered about myself through this process. It was all really up to me to make it work, but I could not have done this without Arya. His voice in my head spoke strongly at the times when I needed it to. If somehow I'm wrong, and life is indeed a movie, the ending to this story is that I attended a conference for something I was really interested in, but felt like had no reason to be there. At the booth of a very interesting company that I had been following, I struck up a conversation with someone who encouraged me to apply for a job. I really felt like it was a longshot, but he saw my enthusiasm about the product and the industry, and thought I could be a good fit. I gave him my personal business card and website URL. Two months later, I got an offer from the company which I gladly accepted!!! I think it really helped that my new company saw me as a whole person, not just someone with only potentially-transferable skills. In those two months, Arya helped me not freak out about the interviews, reminding me that the nervous energy was more about me really wanting it, rather than me being afraid of showing up poorly. It took lots of time and work and painful moments, but it worked because Arya helped me break my old perceptions and reach into the perceived snake pit. I highly recommend combining Arya's counseling with daily meditation and journaling. I was not doing this for the first nine or so months of our work together, and it wasn't until I did that I achieved greater clarity and was able to hold myself more accountable to ME. read more

I've been working with Arya as life coach since late last year to help me better manage my reactions to stressful situations and my bias to jump to negative thought patterns. In speaking with him I am always impressed by his ability to pick up what I'm trying to say and articulate it back to me in a very clear and thought provoking way. He's been able to help me distill some key insights into my own thought patterns and the effects (both positive and negative) those can have on my experiences. This has enabled me to be much more aware and intentional with my thoughts and actions, build better habits and ultimately manage stressful situations more effectively. I would highly recommend Arya as a life coach if you are looking for an independent, thoughtful perspective to help nudge you in the right direction. read more

Arya helped me personally on my own career and personal journey, as well as me and my now-fiancé with our relationship. I find his coaching to be truly priceless, in that he has strength and wisdom and groundedness as a true spiritual and personal leader, exactly the rock that we all look for in life when we face tough challenges and need to love, believe in and push ourselves, all at the same time. While there were many feelings and tears that surfaced, hope, enjoyment, epiphanies and greater self awareness also emerged, as well as deep self compassion. Not only are his skills of inquiry powerful, but he is truly a beautiful human being filled with compassion and caring. I highly recommend that if you are ready to be a better version of yourself, that you have a conversation with Arya. read more

I have been a student of many healing modalities over the past 23 plus years and have met many many coaches, teachers, and healers of all types so when I recommend Arya it is from a place of long experience with the awakening process and the issues involved. At the first meeting i could tell he was a man who has been deeply involved in his own growth and practices. He was insightful, non-judgmental and totally supportive of my struggles with creating better habits in my life. Arya has an uncanny ability to see the real issues I am dealing with and design a brief process to bring my underlying fear-based patterns into full view. Between sessions he showed his level of commitment by emailing/texting reminders, encouragements, tips and links to other relevant teachings. I am totally impressed and recommend him highly. read more

I began my coaching sessions with Eka because I was mainly feeling frustrated and stuck in a job that was no longer satisfying. Little did I know that his coaching would change so much more than just my job prospects. They don't call it a life coach for nothing, and he has really helped me learn how to LIVE! At first, I was both intrigued and a bit skeptical of the League of Awesomeness website with its super hero theme. But I appreciated the sentiment, found it humorous (I'm a bit of a Star Trek/Star Wars nerd), and I thought it was an interesting take on the life coach idea. Plus I really resonated with what he was offering. So I thought, why not try him out? Upon meeting him I was immediately impressed with his focus, his forthrightness, patience, integrity, vulnerability and intuition (even though he wasn't wearing a superhero costume like I imagined). His approach is honest but kind. He drills down to the heart of the matter, he calls out the elephant in the room and makes it ok to say anything. In fact, he welcomes it, as it allows for an even deeper connection. It's obvious that Eka has done a ton of personal growth work himself, and brings forth and incredible variety of ideas and ways to dissect and improve any situation. No matter where you are coming from and what you are bringing to the table, Eka will meet you there and support you. Now that my 12 sessions are over, I feel my life has been jump started again. I am now empowered in a grounded and lasting way. I am optimistic about my future. I have unstuck my relationships, found new possibilities for my career and most importantly, I have infused fun, curiosity, creativity and connection in my life again! BOOTCAMP: On a side note, Eka also runs a holistic bootcamp, separate from his coaching, that I also took up after a few coaching sessions. I whole heartedly recommend doing them simultaneously, as the physical exercise helps embody the work in the coaching sessions. And he brings the same focus, playfulness and integrity to the bootcamp. I never thought I'd enjoy exercising so much! If you are considering a life coach, I would highly recommend Eka. Plus the first session is free, so you don't have anything to lose! Try it on!! read more

Upon noticing that I was undergoing some extreme difficulty with my stress levels both in law school and in my relationship, a friend and fellow classmate suggested that I get in touch with Eka. I had noticed my friend's own transformation since starting school and saw how he came to approach the difficult task of higher education with clarity and strength--- so I decided to give Eka a try. During first session, I quickly realized that not only did Eka have much to teach me about opportunities for fulfillment in my life, but also that he was excited to help me discover myself and my true potential. Eka was both able to empower me to change my life for the better and provide tools to help me get there. Over the following few months, Eka helped me dive deep inside and open myself up. I learned things I knew but never realized about myself like where my true joys lie, how to conquer the overwhelming nature of stress and how to look at my ugly former relationship from new perspectives---eventually moving past it with significantly more grace than I had in the past into a better, more fulfilling life. After leaving the Bay Area for a year due to career, I came back and the first thing I did was get in touch with Eka to meet again and work through the many changes my life was undergoing. he has been a continual beacon of support both in bad times and good, and is truly gifted in the art of insight and inspiration. I recommend him to all my friends whenever they are feeling stuck and can't figure out how to get moving again. read more

I'm not sure how I stumbled upon Eka's coaching services but it is a blessing that I did. I have been doing weekly and most recently, bi-weekly 1:1 transformational coaching sessions with Eka for about 9 months. When I first went to Eka, I was seriously confused about my purpose in life, career direction I should take and the elusiveness of living a fulfilled and joyful life. I had been searching on my own for many years and finally came to the conclusion that I needed help to get myself to my self-created "next level". I can't even begin to put into words how Eka has helped me transform my life. He has brought joy back into my life, reminded me of the unending compassion and wisdom I possess, and introduced me to the body - mind - spirit connection that unlocked powerful changes in my life. He has given me the know-how to heal old wounds, rekindle the love for myself and others, and get more clarity on my career and vocation. Not to mention, redefining what it means to be creative and live my aliveness. To say I've changed is an understatement. I feel transformed by the work we have done together. And the most beautiful thing is that the work we do together evolves as he and I evolve. Eka is a true student of his work and never stops learning and mastering concepts so that he may pass them on to you or use them to support the sessions. The work never feels old or stale. "Life" coach probably falls short for what I would describe his work to be. "Being" coach rings more true as I think back over our work together. Eka is professional, astute, supportive, kind, compassionate and knows how to weave in lightheartedness and joy to life and our sessions. If you are feeling stuck in any way or feel like you need an ally, teacher and compassionate cheerleader, give Eka a call. There is nothing to lose :)! read more

A year ago, I worked with Eka as my "life coach." At the time, I was in an unhealthy relationship (even though I didn't see it), had a very stressful job, and had a compartmentalized view of my creative side. After coming down from the the initial high that comes from working with him, I've noticed that during the past year I've returned to the practices he taught, even after I fell out of the routine. I went through a series of small shifts and have moved into a new major phase: I have a better, more satisfying and less stressful job, I've shed the unhealthy relationship and have manifested the love and respect I deserve, and I have embraced all the facets of my creativity, forgiven my perceived imperfections, and have become at peace with myself. Eka embodies true integrity (seriously, look it up in the dictionary!) and working with him has not only been a great pleasure - he is a role model for those who want to Walk their Walk - it has also been a wonderful investment in my evolution as a human being. read more

Arya has helped me to cultivate a more open-hearted, heart-centered, and empowered life journey. (Yes, I am using some of the buzzwords from his website, but that's because they accurately describe his approach and gifts, in my experience.) I appreciate that Arya understands and empathizes with the intellectual complexities, existential crises, and general dysfunction inherent in modern life and culture -- and that he values and encourages the journey towards finding your authentic spiritual core. I think this spiritual core is part of the empowered journey of which he speaks: no matter how complicated and shitty life can be, we always have the power to access something true, beautiful, and good within, and we can condition ourselves to access this spiritual core on a regular basis. I always knew that I had the capacity to access something sacred and heart-centered in this life, but I never fully realized the transformative power of striving to consciously access this depth on a regular basis. I also didn't realize that striving to access this depth regularly was/is one of my deepest longings, and this was valuable to name and claim. I think Arya's biggest strengths are that he's smart (so he can hang with various iterations of intellectual rabbit holes), wise (so within those rabbit holes he can call out and call in when necessary), honest (it's clear that he's in touch with feeling and his own rewarding but difficult spiritual journey), and heart-centered (he cares deeply about grounding in and returning to the humanizing reality of feeling and the ultimate reality of Love). I could see Arya being helpful if you would like a compassionate listener/sounding board, are exploring habit and/or identity changes, coping with transition, or are searching for a renewed sense of meaning and spirituality. At the very least, it's worthwhile to complete his questionnaire online and try one session to see if he could be a good fit. What he does is a little bit different from traditional therapy or counseling; I think he's probably the the best fit for someone who's already done some work in therapy and is looking to deepen their journey towards healing and wholeness in some way, but regardless of your personal situation and desires, I recommend taking the survey, trying out the first free session, and seeing where it goes from there based on how you feel. The survey is insightful so even if Arya is not a good fit, you'll come away with some new insight after the survey and first session. Bon voyage! read more

*Eka delivers concise clear messages of self care that can be used on the spot. *I find his videos to be entertaining, creative, fun and empowering. *I implement the 5 minute Embodiment and the Wellness and Success activities weekly. * Results are more focused and energized.. * Results are an awesome empowered journey for life! read more

Working with Eka as my coach has has given me more energy, more confidence and more enthusiasm about life and it's possibilities. From the beginning he introduced me to practices that had impact. In fact, our work together helped me to approach a very stressful and intense project with ease that would not have previously been available to me. When working with him I feel supported by how present he is as well as supported by his laser focused ability to cut straight to the heart of what is getting in the way of my potential. He offers this fantastic balance of uplifting humor, mindful intention and organized professionalism (online scheduling, an online library of your session notes and homework assignments). I also feel supported by the homework he assigns and his check-ins. Eka and his "Hero's Training" life coaching program will help you to identify that there is gold inside of you and to let it shine unabashedly to the world. read more

I have had the privilege of taking classes and workshops with Eka Joti for about six months now - and I totally recommend him as a teacher, mentor, and coach on your journey of authentic growth and transformation! Eka is trained in an ancient method of Raja Yoga and tantra that is very applicable for modern life - for struggles with work, relationships, money, etc. - i.e. not just things one might encounter as a monk isolated on a mountaintop. He has also gone through a full training as a coach. In the time that I have been working with him, I've found my work with him very helpful in cultivating the energy, awareness, and connection to source needed to tackle the stresses of my daily life. He is very approachable and genuinely believes in what he teaches - taking class from him is a pleasure. HIs approach is low pressure and he encourages you to take from his teachings what works for you and leave the rest behind. I have not had the opportunity to do one-on-one coaching with him yet, but I've taken Aharaj / Warrier Vinyasa yoga classes with him, Dynamic Chakra Trance dance classes, and one Manifest Your Best workshop - I am also part of his League of Visionary Awesomeness (his email list), so I frequently receive tips and reflections to keep me feeling connected and inspired in between sessions. Here is what I wrote about his most recent Manifest Your Best workshop after attending: Eka's Manifest Your Best workshop was energizing, engaging, interactive, and fun- we as participants got to sample a variety of helpful practices and bring forward as many or as few of these practices as we wanted into our lives. I feel ready to enter the next phase of my life and am glad that I chose to come - I strongly recommend him as a teacher, mentor and coach! If you have a chance to attend one of his Manifest Your Best workshops, classes at the Hanuman Center, coaching sessions, or donation yoga classes in area parks, I'd say go for it! read more

I'm writing about my experience as a regular at Eka's Sunday yoga class at 7th Heaven in Berkeley, and a frankly life-changing experience doing one-on-one coaching with him over four months. For about three years, I tried everything under the sun for my stress, anxiety and low energy: yoga, meditation, psychotherapy, MBSR. Everything helped a little bit, but I felt like I was never gaining ground, constantly exhausted with graduate school, work and too many other commitments. Last spring, I ran across Eka's Warrior Yoga class at 7th Heaven in West Berkeley, and got a taste of his energy training. Wow. Despite having been a general skeptic about the concept of "energy work" it totally clicked for me. The exercises (called aharata or aharaj yoga) typically combine movements, breath and intention, and harness the mind and body's ability to heal itself and recharge. It feels like a mix of martial arts and yoga, and it's both fun and quite powerful. The result for me, even after just one yoga class, was a clearer mind, greater confidence, a feeling of groundedness and strong, even energy. Based on a great experience after two classes, I decided to continue with his 12-week coaching program, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It seemed like a big financial investment, but in retrospect there's no way to put a price on living well. I can honestly say Eka's coaching put me on a path to better mental health, energetic wellness, and greater overall life success. I use the exercises I learned from Eka along with other practices like yoga and meditation, and now have a great foundation for feeling my best, performing my best, and enjoying life more than before. It all sounds a little abstract until you try it...my suggestion is: if you think this sounds promising, try out his yoga class or sign up for a free consultation. You'll know very quickly if it's going to work for you. It did for me! read more

I began working with Arya six months ago, possessing only a limited understanding of what a life coach was. I had recently transitioned out of a job as an operations manager at a small environmental startup to develop a career as a music artist. I was looking for someone to provide outside accountability and assist me in developing and maintaining personal/professional structures and habits. Arya has helped me develop healthy, balanced structures and our work together has played a major role in propelling me forward in my career in a relatively short amount of time. Since we began working together I have gone on a national tour with a well-known band, built a team from the ground up (band, manager, artists, videographers), written and produced a music video, played a number of shows at popular local venues, and put out a couple of singles that have gained a significant amount of traction online. Aside from the assistance and support on a professional level, Arya has prompted me into deep self-discovery and a sense of peace and groundedness that I didn't previously have. Arya is kind, compassionate, extremely intuitive and always present. I have felt seen and deeply understood in our sessions, which on its own has been a priceless part of my experience working with him. I would highly recommend Arya to anyone in need of coaching support on a personal or professional level, as well as someone who doesn't necessarily feel like they have specific pressing needs but is interested in finding a deeper sense of fulfillment and balance in life. read more

Eka has been my coach/teacher/mentor/friend since about April of this year, and I've been attending his workshops here and there since March. You could say I'm seeing results. I'm fortunate to have had several igniters pass through my life; beings who, without fail, catalyze the enhancement of brilliant light authentic Me. With Eka, there is the opportunity for a deeply sensitive and well-trained soul to witness my systematic and skillful approach toward Me. But really, I must make it clear that I am doing all the work, though Eka is certainly working very hard to help keep it that way. I'm allowed to miss my targets and be unconscious when that feels present; the perfection of my being is already being perfectly held. By me! The beauty is that, as soon as I let go there is a true forest of heart for me to be aware of. There is this kiln I am standing in; it gets hotter everyday, as I learn to cherish its heat. This specific journey with the guidance of Eka that I began in the spring of this year has morphed and reshaped itself several times and continues to do so. At each moment, I've been invited to witness these changes and alter the container through which I am viewing my process. Eka has a great way of using language to encapsulate things that are hard to say, and has subtly helped me do that to voice my truest truths. And as for my greater journey of which this one is part, I am coming to know what it really is to intentionally walk a path of love, with increasing knowledge of my inner most being. Eka has been teaching me fantastic techniques to speed up my healing processes (Aharata, trance dance). After several months of travel and a hectic college life, I feel the positive impact these practices have on my body and mental attitude/acuity. My body knows what it means to love and be in joy. Well, we are getting there everyday. Thank you Eka and all of your teachers; and to all those searching for a catalyst or the cataclysm of their true potential, try this one. read more