The founders

Hey everyone, I’m Joy Livera (originally Χαρά in Greek, which means Joy) and I’m one of the co-founders of selfsquared. I’m very excited to meet you.

Here's a deep dive into who I am and what makes me, me.

I’m passionate about the power of the mind and believe in achieving greatness through determination and simple, actionable steps. I love focusing on mindset improvement and optimisation, as well as on how a shift in perspective can truly change your reality.

Coaching & Psychology

Growing up with my mum, who was a psychologist, life coach, lecturer, counsellor, and best-selling author in Cyprus (which is where I’m originally from), my passion for psychology was sparked as I was constantly exposed to various psychological concepts and practical ways of dealing "life's problems".

Having a constant stream of psychological stimuli intrigued and inspired me to pursue a Psychology undergraduate degree (paired with Art) and later a Masters in Organizational and Social Psychology, at the London School of Economics (LSE).

Life pivots

At the age of 23, my mum was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and after eight months of treatments and being in and out of hospitals, she unfortunately passed away. This was a significant turning point in my life as I had not only lost my mum, but also my best friend, soulmate and biggest inspiration.
As if that wasn’t enough, at the age of 25, a couple of years after my life had already completely changed, I was faced with another pivotal moment - while vacationing in Greece during the summer, my dad was caught in the midst of inexplainable flash floods. After being declared missing for 24 hours, he was tragically found dead. As you can imagine, the consequences of this natural disaster brought about another shockingly unexpected period in my life.

Career

While my professional career started in the field of research, data and analytics in global PR, marketing and communications, it is undeniable that whether I like it or not, my personal experiences caused me to completely shift my perspective and whole approach to life.

Following a lot of self-development and constant application of psychological principles and self-coaching, I’ve managed to somehow deal with all of the above that life has thrown at me. This is truly what prompted and inspired me to start selfsquared. As difficult as it is to admit at times, I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and that it is down to us to change our mindset in dealing with the life circumstances we're faced with.

More about me...

Having gone through what I’ve gone through, I now strive to "make the most of it; life, relationships, and personal time". I do this through travel, active self-care and intentional mindfulness practice.

Some captivating facts about me: I have a ridiculous amount of shoes and bags in my wardrobe (which, before you judge, I do wear in waves). I’m also an artist and regularly create commissioned works and paintings.
While I am extremely organised and methodical (I love lists & admin-type tasks), I struggle with spontaneity and I find myself feeling vulnerable to criticism - both aspects that I’m actively working on improving on.

My name is Christina Athanasiadou and I am one of the co-founders of selfsquared. I’m so happy to meet you.

Here are a few (or maybe a lot of) things about me, since I always LOVE to overshare!

My greatest passion lies in observing those around me grow and realise their utmost capabilities. I love doing my part in helping my friends, family, colleagues and people across the world attain their aspirations, objectives and ambitions. The process of witnessing personal advancement in others fascinates me.

Coaching & Psychology

My journey with coaching and psychology started when I was 5 years old when my parents made the decision to enroll me in a children's coaching program aimed at enhancing my extroversion, sociability and creativity. Reflecting upon those years, I now recognise the profound impact it had on my personal growth.

By the age of 12, I began engaging in one-on-one sessions with an adolescents' psychologist, to help me deal with anxiety and sleep disorders. I enjoyed those sessions so much, to the extent that after two years I was convinced that I wanted to delve deeper into the study of the human mind and social behaviours.

Subsequently, I pursued my studies in Psychology and Brain Sciences at University College London (UCL) followed by a Master's degree in Social and Business Psychology at the London School of Economics (LSE). Undoubtedly, those were among the most memorable years of my life.

Career

Following my academic pursuits, I started my professional journey within the dynamic realms of the tech industry, spending a few years working in start-ups and larger corporations. With the above experience, there could not be a better time for selfsquared to be born and to start focusing on the areas of life coaching, career coaching, and fostering transformative shifts in mindset.

The areas I am most passionate about include cultivating self-esteem, managing relationships, fostering career advancement and nurturing leadership acumen.

More about me...

I love being independent and constantly figuring out effective ways to make things happen. My life mantra is: "You can always make it, no matter how many obstacles you face". I have often found myself in adverse situations, professionally, personally and emotionally and my positive spirit has helped me get through them and achieve goals that I never imagined before.

When not coaching, you may find me engaging in gymnastics and sports, as I was a professional gymnast for the first 15 years of my life. Alternatively,  I may be sitting on a plane, continually seeking out new encounters and discovering captivating destinations. I have spent most of my life in Athens, London and Los Angeles.

Some intriguing facts about me: I have an inexplicable fear of ketchup (yes, the tomato sauce) - don't ask why. I am weirdly good at imitating foreign accents and, lastly, a significant portion of my wardrobe is, amusingly, not truly mine.

While I love building connections with others, I am continually working on my ability to navigate conflicts and establish firm boundaries - an enduring personal struggle.