Hi I´m Lahela!
I´m so happy that you are here!!!
My name is Lahela (formerly Vicky) and I´m 37 years old. I was born and raised in Germany, but currently live in gorgeous Portugal.
I´m a Quantum Mind Body Therapist™️, plant-based Holistic Health Coach, cosmopolite, dog lover, ocean girl, language talent, sun seeker, smoothie fan and forever learner.
I love trying out new recipes, listening to all kinds of music all day long, dancing in my living room, singing in the car (although not very good lol), checking out trendy fashion and reading about investing and crypto.
My foundation is the true Jesus. He is my guide, my compass, my path.
Going from a very privileged and seemingly perfect childhood to tumultuous teenage years to a quest of finding out who I AM underneath it all and what I envision my dream life to be - beyond disability, labels, degrees, accolades and trauma.
Some people used to call my life a reality show lol. And yes it has been quite the ride! However, I´m grateful for (almost) all of it, for it brought me here.
My journey created my alchemy which is what makes “the ability coach” so unique and a heartfelt mission for me.
Read on to find out more about my journey!
“I am not blind”
When I was 3.5 years old I suffered an epiglottitis (inflammation of the epiglottis) following a seemingly inconspicuous cold. I was unable to breathe for a while which led to a NDE (near death experience) and in the aftermath to the diagnosis of quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy (CP).
That meant all of my four limbs were heavily affected and uncontrollable for me at the time. As a result I was wheelchair bound.
I was also blind.
Vision impairment is one of the possible side effects of CP. I was almost 100% blind and only able to differentiate between light and dark.
After months in an artificial coma in the hospital, my journey of recovery began.
Years upon years of intense therapy followed - from physiotherapy to hippo therapy to blind therapy to psychomotor gymnastics to learning to play the piano for my fine motor skills.
And I successfully got out of the wheelchair and manifested my eyesight back. 100%.
I started attending a “normal” school and things took their usual course.
Here´s where my list of life shattering events could have ended.
But unfortunately it wasn´t.
“Keep smiling!”
When I was 15 years old, I was raped by a friend of my parents. A married “family man” who was 30 years older. I was also impregnated and had to have an abortion.
My family helped cover up these crimes and we never spoke about any of it. Neither with a professional therapist nor behind closed doors.
It was as if it had never happened.
Left alone with the trauma and with no emotional support or acknowledgement, my 15 old self wasn´t able to process these experiences.
For over 15 years I deeply suppressed these memories. A deep disconnect from my body. Disassociating to be able to function and survive.
La vita é bella - isn´t it?
Just a few months later we moved to Italy due to my father´s job.
New culture, new language, new school and new friends that I had to adjust to.
Phases of massive confusion and overwhelm would alternate with desperate attempts to just function and being a “normal” silly teenager.
To the outside world my life seemed adventurous and exciting. So much opportunity, chances and growth. And while there was all of that, there was also so much loneliness, sadness and (self-)rejection. Constant questions repeating in my mind, that I could never find answers to.
On top of all of it, I was navigating the Cerebral Palsy.
Terrified to explain to my new classmates why I was walking weirdly and falling at times without ever really understanding myself what was going on with me.
Journey of self discovery
After I finished school I successfully completed a Bachelor´s and later on a Master´s degree in Denmark and France. I traveled over 40 countries, many of them by myself. I learned several languages fluently.
I created an independent and happy life. Everything checked – everything perfect.
Or so I thought.
While I had achieved all these visible accolades – and I am not saying they don´t “count” – I was still searching. Always on the run, always escaping, always looking outwards.
I was extremely uncomfortable in my body (but doing everything to ignore these feelings). I was using alcohol (A LOT), comfort (animal) food, cigarettes and casual sex as coping mechanisms.
I was extremely unhappy and stuck in all my jobs. The house of cards called family had already begun to fall apart ever since my parents´ divorce.
In 2019 I began to dig deeper, question the stories I had been told and I had told myself.
I was desperate for change. And I realized that I had to look within myself.
I started to reflect A LOT, uncovering limiting beliefs, changing my diet to vegetarian and then to vegan, quit smoking in 2020, quit alcohol in 2021.
I found my mentor Liana Shanti in 2020 and have been working with her teachings ever since. Unconditional love, sovereignty and a deep connection with the true Jesus are core pillars.
Healing on an emotional, mental, physical, spiritual and most importantly - energetic level – layer after layer so the authentic self can emerge.
I started to uncover the suppressed memories of emotional, narcissistic and sexual abuse.
Realizing that I had grown up and lived in illusions, lies and toxicity and that I had played my inauthentic part. Connecting the dots. Removing so much toxicity and freeing myself from narcissistic relationships.
Reclaiming my energy, my power and my life.
Personal projects
Advocacy - Awareness - Education - Research
I created “Voice for Disability Abuse” to bring awareness to and education about the issues of negligence, violence and abuse towards people with disability. Research shows that the numbers in those areas are rampant.
Since many people with disability can´t verbally or properly express their thoughts and feelings or they don´t have access to a safe person their abuse goes often unnoticed or unheard.
On “Voice for Disability Abuse” I share research and educational resources on this matter. Advocate for those who cannot advocate from themselves! Check out Instagram for more information!
Podcast Alarm!
In April 2024 I was invited to speak on Michele Danuzar´s Podcast “Exceptional & Thriving”!
Michele is a mom of 4 children including one child with special needs and shares her inspirational story of navigating family life.
I had so much fun talking to her about my story with Cerebral Palsy and my healing journey. Make sure to check it out on Spotify!
