A coach to guide you through heartbreak

SINGAPORE – Navigating heartbreak can be a daunting task. Research shows that the brain processes emotional pain similarly to physical pain, often requiring months or even years to heal.

However, Ms Ambra Liew, a 31-year-old break-up and relationship coach, claims she can help driven women move on in just six to 12 weeks. 

A life coach for seven years, the psychology graduate from James Cook University in Australia initially worked at a holistic wellness centre, focusing on health issues related to diet, sleep and stress. 

About four years ago, she decided to specialise in break-up and relationship coaching, after clients sought her help following break-ups.

“They were struggling to be happy, love themselves and feel confident. Some of them had lost who they were. They also wanted to understand the patterns that led to their past relationship challenges, so they wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes.”

Ms Liew candidly admits that she spent more than six years with someone where she prioritised the relationship over her own well-being.

This experience motivated her to teach women how to be emotionally self-sufficient and find happiness independently.

She was inspired to pursue a coaching career after listening to The Life Coach School podcast by American life coach Brooke Castillo.

Her coaching approach involves offering perspectives rather than advice, she says. She meets clients via Zoom for hour-long sessions, typically over three to six months, at $250 a session.

Each session begins with clients reflecting on their accomplishments and self-appreciation, which helps them track progress towards their goals.

She helps clients identify the root causes of their relationship challenges and goes beyond break-ups, also addressing career and self-confidence issues.

Ms Liew has experienced the benefits of coaching first-hand. With the help of a life coach, she learnt to manage her phobia of bats, allowing her to walk alone at night without fear. 

Even though she already had a psychology degree, she pursued multiple certifications in the first 2½ years of her coaching career to learn about different coaching modalities and explore what kind of coach she wanted to be.

The industry’s lack of regulation is a cause for concern, she says.

“You can literally just create an Instagram account tomorrow and be a coach on whatever topic,” says Ms Liew, who is accredited by the International Association of Coaching Institutes after completing more than 320 hours of training.

“My clients come to me in a vulnerable state and share things that they may not share with anyone else, so I think at least basic counselling and coaching skills are really important.”