About - The Regulated Self

About

Meet Shira Gutnick.

IFS Practitioner | Industrial Psychologist | Brain-Based Coach

I’ve always been fascinated by the question: What is it that defines each of us an individuals?

My professional path began in the world of Industrial Psychology, where I worked with individuals and teams to improve performance, wellbeing, and emotional intelligence. Along the way, I discovered the incredible power of neuroscience-informed coaching, and trained with the NeuroLeadership Institute to better understand how the brain learns, grows, and responds to change.

But the most transformational part of my journey began when I discovered Internal Family Systems (IFS).

More than a therapeutic tool, IFS gave me a new language for understanding myself and others — and it helped me heal in ways I hadn’t thought possible.

As one of only a few certified IFS practitioners in South Africa, I now use this model at the heart of all the work I do. Whether I’m working one-on-one or leading a workshop, my focus is always on helping people connect with their Self — the calm, confident, compassionate inner leader that exists in all of us.

My approach is gentle, grounded, and deeply practical.

I believe that true growth doesn’t come from fixing ourselves — it comes from listening to and working with the parts of us that are trying to help, even when they show up in messy or overwhelming ways.

I also bring my own lived experience into this work. After surviving a near-death experience due to stress-related heart failure, I developed a deep respect for the nervous system — and a passion for helping others learn how to regulate, recover, and build resilience from the inside out.

At The Regulated Self, I create safe, supportive spaces for people to slow down, tune in, and reconnect with themselves in a way that is empowering, sustainable, and real.