Interview with Coach Ofri from Call to Self

In today’s special feature, we sit down with Coach Ofri, a transformational coach from Call to Self, to dive deep into her journey, her passion for psychology, and the unique role plant medicine has played in her path to healing and transformation. This insightful conversation explores her background and experiences, laying the groundwork for a deeper discussion on personal growth and healing.

Introducing Coach Ofri

Coach Ofri’s journey is a fascinating one. At 37, she has already experienced an impressive range of career shifts and life transformations. “I’m passionate about psychology, coaching, and plant medicines,” she shares, offering a glimpse into the heart of her work. Her candid nature sets the tone for an open, engaging conversation, one that promises insight into personal growth, healing, and embracing change.

Having started her professional life in acting, Ofri realized early on that her passion for performance couldn’t sustain her forever. “I can’t be a struggling actress forever,” she admits with a laugh. That realization led her to pivot toward education, where she worked as a teacher both locally and abroad. But it was during her time as a teacher that she discovered the pull of psychology—often finding herself guiding her students through emotional and personal challenges. Torn between acting and psychology, she eventually chose to study psychology formally.

From Psychology to Coaching

As Ofri delved deeper into psychology, her interest in coaching began to surface, though initially, the cost of coaching programs held her back. “Coaching was quite pricey when it first came out,” she explains. However, her time spent in corporate roles, including as a training and recruitment manager, allowed her to save and eventually pursue her interest in coaching.

What makes Ofri’s approach stand out is her clear understanding of the difference between psychology and coaching. She describes psychology as a field focused on the “where” and “why” behind our problems, delving into past experiences and root causes. Coaching, on the other hand, emphasizes action. “We look at when and how,” she says. It’s about raising awareness and creating a plan for moving forward—an approach that empowers clients to make their own decisions and stick to them.

The Role of Plant Medicine in Healing

Ofri’s transformative journey began with five profound experiences using plant medicine, seeking deeper healing than what therapy alone could provide. Her first experience was in 2017, and as she recounts it, it was intense. “I did what they call a ‘Hero Journey,'” she says, describing the large dose and the visual nature of the experience. The process took time to integrate, with each session offering new perspectives on her healing journey.

After leaving a toxic relationship, Ofri found herself seeking deeper healing, which plant medicine facilitated. Over multiple sessions, she approached the same core issues from different angles, eventually finding a fuller sense of release and understanding.

Understanding Integration

A key theme in our conversation was the concept of integration—a vital process after any plant medicine journey. Ofri stresses that integration is not something that can be fully accomplished in just one or two sessions. “I see integration as something that happens over many months,” she explains, pointing out that the real work often happens in everyday life when triggers or familiar situations arise. How we respond to these challenges is where the true integration occurs, and it’s a gradual process.

Coaching plays a significant role in helping people with this integration. “If you have a guide with a coaching style, they can help you go deeper into your journey,” she notes. By asking the right questions, a coach can help someone stuck in a mental or emotional loop find clarity and move forward.

Personal Intention and Plant Medicine

The discussion delves into the impact of personal intention when engaging in practices like plant medicine. Ofri explains how the outcome is closely linked to one’s mindset and preparation, emphasizing the importance of setting a clear intention. She highlights that recreational settings may not provide the same deep revelations as more controlled, supportive environments, and even warns of potential dangers when personal traumas surface in less structured environments.

Ofri touches on the concept of “going through the swamp”—that healing requires confronting difficult emotions and experiences rather than avoiding them. She encourages her clients to face their fears fully, arguing that breakthroughs happen when individuals stop suppressing their feelings and allow themselves to feel deeply. She also draws a parallel between therapy, coaching, and plant medicine, all of which aim to uncover deeper emotional truths and assist in processing unresolved feelings.

Addressing Stigma and Accountability

Addressing the stigma around plant medicine, Ofri acknowledges the scepticism but points out that the sacredness of these practices is often misunderstood. The plants interact with the psyche—encompassing thoughts, emotions, and beliefs—and can have profound effects on one’s spiritual growth. She stresses the need for proper guidance, safe environments, and understanding that one’s experience could involve both mental and spiritual revelations.

Ofri then explores the theme of accountability, describing how external situations and relationships reflect unresolved internal beliefs. Whether through coaching, breathwork, trauma release, or therapy, she underscores the importance of self-awareness and recognizing how unhealed patterns manifest in everyday life.

Coaching Methodology and Future Plans

Further into the conversation, Ofri shares her coaching methodology, which includes helping clients recognize harmful beliefs they’ve absorbed from others, like societal expectations or childhood experiences. She encourages the use of affirmations to counter negative self-talk, but insists that these affirmations must be felt deeply, not just repeated mindlessly. She emphasizes that change requires consistent practice, over time, to transform deeply ingrained belief systems.

Looking ahead, Ofri announces her participation in an upcoming event—the Serenity Festival in Pretoria, which focuses on mental health, plant medicine, and healthy living practices. She also hints at her plans to study psychedelic integration through an institution in America, while mentioning an exciting new project that involves bridging healers with those seeking alternative therapies.

For those interested in connecting with her for coaching or related work, Ofri can be reached via her website, “calltoself.co.za,” or through her email, “coach@calltoself.co.za.” This interview sheds light on the depth of work involved in self-awareness, healing, and transformation, offering valuable insights for anyone exploring these paths.