Who am I?

Curious to know a little more about me? Here are a few stories and numbers that reveal something of who I am – and what has shaped the way I see and work with the world.

My official professional biography is just below.

Karolina with a K ▸
My first name carries a part of my Viking heritage. My mother is Icelandic, and in Iceland, tradition holds that the first grandchild receives the name of their grandmother or grandfather. My grandmother’s name was Karólína 🙂 And one important detail: there is no “C” in the Icelandic alphabet!
ATCK ▸
I am an Adult Third Culture Kid (ATCK) a third culture child grown up. Franco-Icelandic by birth, I grew up in England and was educated in the British system until the age of 15. The result: a hybrid cultural identity, shaped by constantly moving between worlds. For a long time, I searched for my place, with that persistent sense of being from elsewhere and from nowhere. Discovering the book Third Culture Kids (David C. Pollock, Ruth E. Van Reken and Michael V. Pollock) gave words to my experience, and everything became clear. Today, I move with ease between cultures. I embrace a plurality of perspectives, build bridges between different frames of reference, and turn cultural diversity into a strength.
2 + 6 + 46 + 70 ▸
I have always moved between cultures, perspectives, and ways of doing things! 2 nationalities, 6 countries of residence, 46 countries of professional and/or personal experience, and clients from over 70 different cultures. So many journeys, perspectives and contexts that shape the way I work today.
Ibasho ▸
Ibasho… is a Japanese term meaning “to be in a place”, and it also carries deeper notions of identity, authenticity, and “being where you belong”. It is a space that is at once unique and multiple, where we can feel good being ourselves and connected to others. For a long time I searched for my place, both personally and professionally. For me, it is essential to discover and strengthen one’s “ibasho”, whether in a professional context, in one’s private life, and especially when we evolve and interact in multicultural environments. Our ibasho shapes and influences how we see the world and how we relate to others. Finding one’s ibasho requires stepping back, developing a sound knowledge of oneself, and understanding one’s environment and others. It enables us to be in harmony with ourselves and those around us.
The crow ▸
Thanks to the crow, I surpassed myself. I have been practising yoga for several years. Without claiming to master any advanced postures, I was motivated in achieving one in particular: the crow. I tried again and again, convinced that I lacked strength, core muscle, or technique. Then my yoga teacher offered me a precious insight: I was totally capable of it. What was holding me back was not my body… but fear. That moment of realisation was a true awakening. My obstacle was not physical, but psychological. By learning to work with that fear, rather than fight it, I unlocked confidence I didn’t realise I already had. Today, I can hold the crow pose and with it comes the quiet pride of having moved beyond a limit that existed mostly in my own mind.
Plumber, detective, chameleon… ▸
…not exactly what I dreamed of becoming as a child! And yet, these are the words people often use to describe the way I work. By nature, I’m deeply curious. Like a detective I explore situations by observing, connecting the dots and looking from different perspectives to uncover what often remains unspoken. I enjoy seeing both the bigger picture and the small details that make all the difference. At times, I’m also a plumber: I go where things get stuck, name the difficult conversations when needed, and help unblock what prevents ideas, relationships or collaboration from flowing. And then there’s the chameleon: the ability to adapt to different people and contexts while keeping a 360° perspective and a systemic view of the whole situation.

And from a more conventional angle, here is my professional biography.

I have been working in and with organisations in France and internationally since 1997. I began my career in operational and later managerial roles in marketing and communications, experiencing organisational complexity from the inside — the pressure, transitions, constant change and inevitable paradoxes.

In 2012, I chose a new direction and became a certified professional coach, trainer and facilitator. Since then, I have been supporting individuals and teams as they navigate an increasingly complex and ever-changing world of work. My life and professional journey have been deeply shaped by multicultural experiences. I have spent much of my life moving between cultures, learning to see situations through different lenses and to embrace multiple perspectives.

Half French, half Icelandic, I grew up in England and have spent more than 15 years living abroad, across the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, England and Kenya. Today, I am based between France and Germany.

Helping individuals and teams find their place, unlock their potential and move forward with clarity, while building bridges between cultures, perspectives and people, is at the heart of what I do.

My Education and Training:

  • Certified Transactional Analyst in the Organisational Field (CTA-O) (2024)
  • Team Coach Practitioner – Intact Academy (2021)
  • Certifications: DISC (2022), Lumina Spark (2026)
  • Systemic Approach (2019–2020)
  • Appreciative Inquiry (2020)
  • Senior Executive & Leadership Coach – Institute of Leadership & Management (2016)
  • Professional Coach Practitioner – Académie du Coaching (2012)
  • Cultural Adaptation (2011)
  • Masters in Management – École Supérieure de Commerce de Grenoble (1998)

Who am I?

My approach

Ethics

individual coaching
co-development
Team coaching
Transactional Analysis
TAILORED LEARNING journeys
supervision