Joana Dos Santos

Joana Dos Santos (she/they)

MS, PLC, BCC

Hi, I’m Joana (SHO-AH-NA). I’m a psychosynthesis life coach, board certified coach, consultant, and facilitator. My path into coaching grew out of my lived experience. I was born in Uruguay and finished growing up as an immigrant in the United States, often feeling ni de aquí, ni de allá (not from here, not from there). I spent years in community organizing and leading a community center, work that was deeply meaningful but eventually led to burnout. 

 

In that season of my life, I realized that systemic change on its own isn’t enough—we also need the inner, values-driven work that sustains us and makes lasting change possible, so that systems can truly work for everyone. That realization led me to psychosynthesis and to bridging both worlds: one-on-one healing and growth work, especially with people holding oppressed identities, and organizational change through an equity lens. 

Today, my work is centered around personal and organizational transformation for social change. 

Credentials

Along the way, I earned a:

• Master of Science in Applied Communication, where I studied immigrant women’s identity through trauma.
• Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (remember that “in between worlds” part? Yeah, my studies, too.)
• Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management, because it turns out it is very hard to run an organization with extremely limited amounts of resources.
• Certified Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator, where I learned how to center what people are already good at and how they can do more of it.
• Psychosynthesis Life Coach, filling in the spiritual and individual gap of liberation and justice work.

Each step taught me something about possibility, systems change, and the power of centering what’s already alive in us.

Coaching interests

My coaching interests lie in aligning one's values to their life and work. Where they can make decisions that feel grounded and aligned in purpose. I work with folks in these general areas: 

• Personal and Professional Growth Coaching - for anyone navigating a transition or exploring the change that is calling, whether personal or professional.
• Equity Coaching - for equity practitioners who want space to grow, explore, and stay hopeful. 
• Leadership/Manager Coaching - for folks wanting to explore how to show up in aligned leadership, especially emerging leaders.

Languages

English and Spanish

A favourite psychosynthesis concept/tool

One of my favorite psychosynthesis teachings is the Act of Will, because it provides a roadmap for connecting our deepest purpose and values with the choices we make every day.

🌐 www.co-syn.com
📧 joana@co-syn.com