We recently connected with Yana Stockman and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Yana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career? If so, please share the backstory so we can fully understand and appreciate the moment and take in any lessons or wisdom that might be learned from your experience and story.

There was a moment. And I remember it with every fiber of my being—because it wasn’t just a career shift. It was a soul shift.
I was standing in my small apartment in Ukraine, holding a one-way ticket to the United States. One suitcase. One backpack. That was all I could take with me.

I remember pack lightly carrying tons of pounded of internal clutter, we often bring with us no matter where we go. Invisible luggage: doubt, comparison, fear, and the loud, haunting voice that whispered, “Who do you think you are?” It felt heavy, I was leaving behind everything I knew: my family, my language, my roots.
I remember the flight vividly. Thirteen hours of silence and spiraling thoughts.
Am I really starting over?
Do I even belong in this new country?
What if my education isn’t enough?
What if I’m not enough?
I was stepping into the unknown because I had been offered a position as a child psychologist in the U.S.- an opportunity that could change my life.
And then, when I landed, an immigration officer who looked me straight in the eyes and asked: “What is the purpose of your visit, Ma’am?”
He asked a simple question—but for some reason it strike my soul differently.
“What is your purpose now?”
Not just in the country. But in life.
In who I am when I’m stripped of everything I used to lean on.
That question didn’t just launch my new life in America—it launched the philosophy behind my entire coaching practice-minimalism and essential things that matter to us as ourselves..
I began to unpack—not just my suitcase, but my identity.
Letting go of the need to prove, to perform, to compare.
And from that inner decluttering, I carried my life’s mission: to help high-achieving women and professionals unpack the mental and emotional clutter they’ve been silently carrying for years.
Because I know how it feels to look like you’ve got it all together on the outside, while inside, you’re drowning in pressure, perfectionism, and pain.
My coaching is rooted in that moment. In minimalism. In essentials. In stripping life down to what truly matters.
So yes—my defining moment wasn’t just a career choice. It was the moment I stopped trying to carry it all and finally asked:
What if I could succeed by carrying less?
What if clarity came from being enough—not adding more by feeling less?
That’s why I pass on now in my sessions.
One suitcase. One purpose. One life.
And we get to choose how we carry it.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself, how you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft etc,

Absolutely. Because behind every polished bio is a path that’s anything but linear.
I’m Yana Stockman, an International Clarity Coach, Keynote Speaker, and Psychologist. But before I was coaching clients across 4 continents, andstood on stages and spoke about emotional clarity and life balance I was boarding a plane from Europe to the United States. I had been offered an opportunity through the University of Maine the School of International Social Work to come work in the U.S. with children in a secure facility—kids with complex mental and behavioral challenges. I saw the power of compassion and structure. I also saw how much our systems focus on survival—but rarely on thriving.
Over time, I was exploring entrepreneurial ventures, business operations, and confidant enough building something of your own after something kept calling me back. That original pull—the heart work, the healing work, the human work—never left.
So I listened, got brave and returned to my roots in psychology and social work—but this time, with a global lens and entrepreneurial spirit.
I began creating what would become the foundation of my coaching philosophy: emotional minimalism—the art of decluttering what’s in the way of clarity. Through years of lived experience, client work, and deep self-testing, I began blending evidence-based psychology with elite coaching techniques I gained from world-class programs at Wharton and Yale, and from mentors like Steve Chandler, Rich Litvin, and Tony Robbins.
No team, no investors—I built my coaching practice from the ground up. I built my own website. I started speaking at community ed events, local chambers, women empowerment circles—anywhere someone needed clarity, I showed up with it.
Today, I help high-achieving women and entrepreneurs declutter their headspace from mental noise and emotional overwhelm, so they can organize their heart space, think clearly, lead boldly, and actually feel the success they’ve built.
After 7+ years in practice and over 500 hours of coaching sessions, I’ve worked with people from all walks of life across four continents. My mission is simple: Clarity is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.
And if you’re reading this feeling like you’re juggling it all but still searching for something more aligned—you’re not alone. There’s power in choosing a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.

what type of products/services/creative works you provide,

I’m not in the business of quick fixes. I’m in the business of transformation. Through my one-on-one coaching sessions(see more here), I work with high-achieving women and visionary entrepreneurs who are ready to declutter their mind, organize their emotions, and find powerful clarity—not just for their business, but for themselves. We get honest. We go deep. And we build a version of success that doesn’t cost them their soul.
But my work doesn’t stop at the coaching room.
I also bring that same fire and depth to the stage. Whether I’m delivering keynote speeches, leading transformational workshops, or guiding immersive trainings (see me in action), I speak to the parts of people that are done with performing and ready to evolve. I don’t do fluff. I do real. And that’s why the room shifts when I speak—because I speak to what people often hide.
For those who want to dive in at their own pace, I’ve created self-guided products (check them out here) that blend psychology, clarity coaching, and emotional intelligence tools to help people reconnect with themselves on their own schedule. These aren’t surface-level downloads. They’re deep, intentional tools designed to activate real change.
And because impact shouldn’t be limited to one room or one person, I show up every day on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn—not just to post, but to educate, empower, and provoke thought. I use social media as a stage to reach the women who are scrolling between meetings and wondering, “Is this all there is?” My answer? No, it’s not. And I’ll show you the way through.
This isn’t just my job—it’s my mission.
To guide, to ignite, and to remind people:
You don’t have to do more to be more.
You just have to get clear on who you truly are.

what problems you solve for your clients

I help high-achieving women, entrepreneurs and immigrants untangle the mess no one sees but everyone feels. The chaos behind the calm. The exhaustion behind the success.
You know, people often look at my clients and think, “She’s got it all together.” And from the outside? Sure. They’re running businesses, raising families, leading teams, showing up for everyone. But behind closed doors… it’s a different story.
Most common topics:
Mental & Emotional Clutter
Life Transitions
Lack of Clarity & Direction
Burnout & Exhaustion
Stagnation & Dissatisfaction
Internal & External Clutter
Self-Worth & Identity

and/or what you think sets you apart from others.

I’m not just a life coach. That term is far too broad.
I’m not just a wellness coach either — that feels too health-focused.
I’m not only a clarity coach — that’s too narrow for the deep work I do.

What sets me apart after walkign through deep personal transformation my approach . As a Personal Development and Emotional Clarity Coach — and that didn’t come from a weekend certification. It came from testing, living, and becoming the work I now share.

I help women entrepreneurs, immigrants, and leaders stop spinning in overwhelm and start living with emotional clarity and intentional success.

With a background in psychology and training in social work, I tested every coaching style, collected tools from elite programs like Wharton and Yale, and studied under some of the world’s most powerful voices in personal development.My style blends science-backed psychology, deep emotional intelligence, and practical clarity.
This isn’t mindset work that ends with “think positive.” This is holistic and emotional mindset coaching — where we look at the whole person: mind, body, energy, emotions. Because true, sustainable growth doesn’t happen when you slap affirmations on top of burnout. It happens when you get to the root — when you clear the emotional clutter that’s been running your show.
The lives of my clients — and my own — were never the same after that shift.
So what sets me apart? I’m not here to give you a to-do list. I’m here to help you come home to yourself — so your success no longer comes at the cost of your well-being.

What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.

Most proud, that I no longer hustle to be everything to everyone.
There was a time I wore my busyness like armor. Appear who could carry it all — the career, relationships, the expectations, the family. From the outside, I looked perfect. But on the inside? I was exhausted. Not burnt out — because I never let myself stop long enough to feel it.

Now, I help ambitious women and entrepreneurs trade exhaustion for clarity, perfectionism for peace, and pressure for purpose. They’re doing everything “right”… and feeling completely wrong inside.

Proud to make the word Clarity becomes a way of life — not just a buzzword in a vision board.
Through my work — whether it’s one-on-one coaching, speaking on stage, or guiding professionals through my social media content strategies — I help people declutter the noise in their head, the heaviness in their heart, and come back home to themselves.
So what do I want people to know about me and my work?
That this isn’t just coaching.
It’s for the ones who are ready to commit to themselves, trade perfection for peace.
This work will change you, but more importantly… it will free you.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Oh, I had to unlearn being the “strong one.”
You know—the woman who holds it all together. The one who never asks for help. The one who gets the degrees, doing multiple jobs, makes the dinner, smiles on stage, and still shows up with her lipstick on and heels high even when her soul is crawling.
For years, I believed that my strength came from doing it all. Being everything to everyone. And people admired it—of course they did. On the outside, I was thriving. But inside? I was tired. Not just physically, but spiritually exhausted. Like I was carrying a backpack full of bricks labeled “Prove Your Worth” and “Don’t Disappoint Anyone”.
I remember coaching a brilliant woman—an entrepreneur who broke down crying because she felt like she was drowning in expectations, carrying for everyone but herself. She whispered, “I just want someone to tell me it’s okay to stop pretending I’m fine.”
And it hit me. She was me.
I was guiding her to release the exact burden I was still gripping with white knuckles.
That Zoom call inspired me to make it fall apart. Not because something was wrong with me—but because I was finally brave enough to stop performing strength, and start showing up authentically.
I unlearned the belief that my worth was tied to how much I could carry through performing.
Today, that’s the version of me my clients meet. Not the one trying to be perfect, but the one who lives what she teaches: that clarity and confidence are born when you declutter the noise, drop the expectations and come home to yourself.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

I didn’t just “choose” this profession. It chose me, the moment I started decluttering myself I realized how much we carry through life, being blind and unclear about what our needs, dreams, and goals are. I get to meet brilliant people and beautiful hearts who’ve been stuck in survival mode for way too long. And I get to guide them back to clarity, confidence, and real peace. What a cool profession to be at?!
So would I do it all over again? In a heartbeat. Because every time someone tells me, “Yana, I feel like myself again,” I’m reminded—this work matters.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yanastockman.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/yanastockmanclaritycoach?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yanastockmanlifecoach
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanastockman/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNPSUdbQAHs-7_swYRfLfZQ
• Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gps-guidance-to-personal-success/id1513087897
• Other: Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2448318912126951/?ref=group_browse

  Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87wgmjBho6No8Srzas9l

  Speaker: https://www.yanastockman.com/speacking-and-events

  Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Yanalifecoach

Image Credits

Michelle Bennett
Meg Thue
Sydney Carlino