Anita Guru, founder of The Mind Coach, is an experienced mindset coach, psycho-educator, and motivational speaker with nearly two decades of experience working with organisations including Deloitte, Centrica, and Coca-Cola. With a keen interest in the human mind and a background in Occupational Psychology, Anita is currently training to be a psychotherapist. Her journey into coaching was influenced by her own personal health journey, culminating in an inpatient stay at a psychiatric hospital, where she was diagnosed with Complex PTSD.
Committed to shattering stigma, Anita actively raises awareness through her work, but also through press and media featuring in Vogue magazine, The Telegraph and on BBC Radio London. She also serves as a Trustee for the mental health charity, My Black Dog, and is a published poet. In our conversation, Anita addresses crucial mental health topics such as trauma, infertility, and grief. Her passion for mental wellbeing is driven by her own challenges and triumphs, and she is on a mission to ensure others feel supported and retain hope for recovery. Anita brings a supportive and authentic trauma-informed approach to her coaching, facilitating clients’ journeys toward meeting their goals.
Join us as we explore how Anita accelerated her coaching journey and how she applies her experiences and specialist knowledge to support clients through their journey to self actualisation and increased self awareness.
Anita, can you tell us about the work that you do as The Mind Coach?
“As The Mind Coach, the first thing that I offer, and do as part of my practice, is coaching. I coach individuals from different backgrounds, perspectives, and in the corporate world. My background is in Learning and Development, so I design and deliver workshops and motivational talks focused on wellbeing, mental health, and my journey.
“My purpose is to educate, empower, and support others towards having positive mental wellbeing, but then also giving them the tools when they don’t. So when they are struggling, there are tools that they can draw on. And this all comes from a place of knowing how difficult it can be when you’re not mentally well, when you have a mental illness, and understanding what’s needed at that time.”
What led you to becoming The Mind Coach?
“Going back to 2017, there had been a number of years where I struggled with my own mental health. I’ve experienced what we call trauma—big traumas and small traumas. Unfortunately, the big traumas are pretty big, from quite young; losing my parents at a young age, being involved in an accident, and then as an adult, being diagnosed with a chronic condition called endometriosis, and then going on to have things like IVF. And I suppose for me, the tipping point was I experienced an ectopic pregnancy, and that’s what triggered the end point for the trauma and start of PTSD, and what followed was about a year and a half of really low mood, high anxiety, and it got to the point where I wasn’t really able to function.
“I ended up being hospitalised and diagnosed with complex PTSD, which was followed by a long journey of healing and lots of therapy. I engaged in group therapy, art therapy, drama therapy, and EMDR—which is focused on processing traumas. For me, just going on that journey and having that experience made me realise that when I came out the other end, I wanted to use my experience to help others.
“It’s through my storytelling, for example, that I’ve connected with people who were in a really dark place and later told me that, had I not been there at that time and shared my story, their outcomes could have been very different. It changed their perspective on life, and they were able to make changes to ensure they had a more fulfilling life.”
What do we mean by trauma in the context of coaching?
“With trauma, many people might think of situations like going to war, associating it with extreme, major traumas. However, trauma can occur at any time. For example, bullying in the workplace or playground, a car accident, or a burn can create a trauma response. Since it can happen to anyone at any time, in various circumstances, it manifests differently. People will interpret it internally, and the beliefs they develop, especially if it occurs in childhood, will continue to play out in different ways.
“For example, when you hear people say, ‘I’m so triggered,’ in the context of trauma, it means something has provoked a reaction in them that might not match the situation. It might feel exaggerated or over the top, but they’re reacting similarly to how they did when they first experienced the trauma. When this builds up over time, many people might not verbalise what’s going on in their mind, which can lead to a negative impact on anxiety levels, mood, and similar issues.
“When you’re coaching, some of these beliefs may emerge, and understanding as a coach that a belief might trace back to a traumatic event can be valuable. How can I, as a coach, support this coachee in unpacking and rebuilding those beliefs, especially when they are limiting beliefs holding someone back? It’s about understanding where this might be coming from and figuring out the best way to support that individual.”
How can we have conversations about trauma in coaching?
“I think it’s about elevating our empathy. We’re cultivating a new awareness to understand the individual better. We’re still drawing on the same skills—our listening, empathy, holding a safe space, and reflecting. All of these skills remain relevant, but we’re bringing another level of awareness. It’s about trying to imagine what it might feel like for them and avoiding the urge to jump into fixing or solution mode. Instead, we allow them to experience feelings they might be bottling up or trying to suppress. It’s about holding that space for them and ensuring they feel safe if they’re going to open up about a trauma.
“This is where the boundary between coaching and therapy comes into play. The danger of opening up a big trauma is that we might re-traumatise the person, and we’re not trained to ensure that they leave the session safely. If they are re-traumatised, it can trigger flashbacks, nightmares, panic attacks, and all sorts of responses. As a coach, it’s important to hold the space while recognising when it involves significant trauma that they potentially haven’t worked through or processed yet, which makes it dangerous for them to open up. That’s when signposting becomes crucial. We could refer them to a therapist or a specialist charity that works with trauma.”
Can you tell us more about your lecture in our Coaching and Trauma programme?
“I gave a lecture for Animas on trauma back in November, which is available on YouTube. Despite being nerve-wracking and having a spot of self-doubt creep in, it was a resounding success, with almost two hundred people attending! I weave in my personal experiences to bring learning to life, because I think that’s what resonates with people: storytelling. Once the lecture finished, many people stayed for the Q&A. I believe it had a significant impact; people were inspired, educated, and slightly overwhelmed by the realisation that, ‘Oh my goodness, this is such a big topic.’
“One of the sessions I’m delivering as part of this programme is ‘When Coaching Ends and Therapy Starts,’ which covers how to handle trauma within coaching conversations and how to transition the conversation to signposting. All the coaches I’ve met are passionate and want to help, but it’s crucial to recognise that you can do more harm by crossing that boundary. It’s important to know what to look out for to protect your client and yourself. How can you have the conversation, then do the signposting, and what could that look like?”
What would you advise someone who is considering signing up for our Coaching and Trauma programme?
“I would advise not to view the course as just a qualification that makes you a trauma-informed coach, nor to assume that you’ll be an expert in trauma once you complete it. Instead, consider it as an educational experience that adds to your toolbox of knowledge, understanding, and skills. This way, if you encounter a client who has experienced or is experiencing trauma, you have an extra layer of understanding to support them.
“I often find many like-minded participants on the course, people who are coming from a similar place. Many may have experienced trauma themselves, as I observed during the lecture I delivered last year. People were curious about their own experiences. So, not only are you learning how to work with your clients, but you’re also learning about yourself. It’s a journey of self-discovery and self-awareness.”
Where can we find you, and how can we contact you?
“You can contact me via my website, LinkedIn and Instagram. I’m always open to having conversations if people have questions or want to know more. Many people are curious about their own experiences and as coaches too, so I’m very open to supporting and having a chat.”
If you’ve enjoyed reading this interview with Anita, and would like to watch the full video version, you can find it here.
