about nina strauss

”My silences had not protected me. Your silences will not protect you…. What are the words you do not yet have?"

Audre Lorde

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Woman with short gray hair and bright lipstick wearing a black turtleneck and gray sleeves, holding the collar up to her face, and wearing a large blue ring, against a dark background.

I grew up Being told I could be anything i want - yet it’s taken me 20 years to finally ‘do my work in the world’.

Such is the hold that patriarchal conditioning, survival mechanisms, and (transgenerational) trauma can have on a person. Then again, I suppose you could say I’ve been doing ‘change work’ all my life…

Growing up in Bavaria, Germany, a fairytale land as idyllic as it is restrictive, I knew I wanted to be in the field of human development - ‘but not in a normal school’ =). I went on to earn MA’s in InterCultural Communication, Children’s Fantasy Literature, and SelfDirected Education. Determined to raise liberated children, I moved countries in order to homeschool, navigating both alternative and mainstream education (and a marriage that couldn’t survive my non-conformity).

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I picked up my first ‘self-help’ book in 2004, and have since trained as a Life Coach with Barbara Sher, and devoured countless books and trainings on anything the supports meaningful change - from nutrition to trauma resolution; from the Enneagram to Cultural Therapy.

If I were to find the golden thread to my hummingbird life, I’d say it’s a fascination with how our personal and cultural stories interweave, and how healing one can help heal the other.

There are still days where I wonder if any man can truly accept me for who I am. When the thought of sharing my voice with the world terrifies me. When the political shitshow we’re witnessing make me want to punch a wall.

But I’ve decided that even if my voice trembles, I will not stay quiet any longer.

love notes

  • “Nina has a drive to make the world a kinder place. She is a careful and sensitive listener, and her ability to think creatively "outside the box" is astonishing.”

    Vera B. Artist, social worker, 30 years of community living experience

a bit more about me…

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I LOVE CATS SO MUCH!

Their independence combined with warmth and furriness and snugglines just makes my heart melt every time :)) Especially my own 2 cats :)

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I WROTE A THESIS ON HARRY POTTER

As part of my MA in English Literature, I explored how universal human values are transmitted through children’s fantasy literature, in particular the worldwide phenomenon that is Harry Potter. Looking back I can see how this was part of my wider search for a different way of learning and being in the world.

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i am a total book nerd

I am just so deeply curious about the world and am reading books on almost any topic concerning consciousness, personal development, alternative education, nature, traveling - you name it!

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I LOVE being outdoors

I've taken up some of the things I used to enjoy doing, such as hiking, biking, and more recently skiing and ski touring. I just love love love wild swimming and am lucky to live in an area with many different natural lakes.

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I love live music

There's nothing that moves me quite like live music - I'll happily travel across cities or countries to experience my favorite artists in person. Rock music forms the core of my musical passion, especially blues rock, punk, and alternative sounds, though I keep my ears open to all sorts of musical adventures. My love for this art runs so deep that I work at a local blues club a few nights each month - purely for the joy of being immersed in that raw, authentic energy.

If you want to create conscious change in your life and the world, and would like some companionship along the way, I’d love to connect.

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