Anni Lehikoinen

I am curious, sensitive and brave. I love retreats, to dance and to disappear in nature. Sensitivity paired with many passions and artistic way of perceiving the world has taught me acceptance and awareness. After completing my studies at an art-focused upper secondary school, I pursued psychology on a research track. Based on my bachelor’s thesis, I served as the lead author of an international publication examining the impact of young people’s temperament on their emotional responses in learning situations. I spent an exchange period in Greece, where I focused on the psychology of dying and themes related to refuge and displacement. In my master’s thesis, I explored how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can support treatment balance in type 1 diabetes. I have worked in psychological first aid at festivals across Europe. My professional experience includes working in a shelter and crisis center and at an adult psychiatry mood disorder clinic, and as a school psychologist with vocational and high school students. I have worked as an entrance exam preparation trainer, assisting entrance exam applicants to achieve their dreams while managing their well-being under a hard pressure situation. I have also provided training on themes related to meditative presence in interaction and human encounter in psychological first-aid work, and successful treatment of substance abuse patients and addictions in psychiatry. Currently, I am studying holotrophic, systemic and psychophysical therapy methods. I am particularly fascinated by how emotions can be stored and released through the body, how individuals relate to the vastness of systemic dynamics, and how liberating it can be to become aware of unconscious bonds that shape our lives.