Coaching by image
Use photography as a mirror for self-discovery, clarity, and transformation. A unique coaching method blending visual creativity, emotional insight & Jungian symbolism. Paris & online.
The images we create are essential sources of information. They are a condensed expression of our relationship to the worlds of the real and the imaginary. Making images speak by decoding their polysemous nature allows you to connect with yourself and activate their power of transformation.
Coaching by image (Coaching par l’image®) is a unique coaching technique developed by Yury Li-Toroptsov. Combining coaching and visual arts, it offers individuals and teams a transformative experience through image work. The tool: the photos clients take with their smartphones.
Areas of focus
Personal development, Adapting to change, Relational difficulties, Midlife dynamics, Self-confidence, Professional development, Values, Decision-making, Dream work, Work-Life balance, Meaning and vital energy, Performance, Creativity
Coaching by image experience
Photograph your own mindscape
Using the medium of digital photography we will translate your feelings into images that constitute your mindscape.
We will start at my artist studio. You will be invited to introduce yourself and describe the issue you’d like to work on. A job switch, a breakup or a move to a new place are just few examples of what we might be preoccupied with. While we perceive some of these issues as necessary or inevitable, there might be a number of hidden roadblocks we need to clear to move on.
Then, if needed we'll brush up your camera skills and I will take you on a 1-hour photoshoot in the authentic and vibrant Paris neighborhood around the studio. Equipped with a camera or your smartphone you will have as task to photograph things you feel represent your current situation.
Upon return to the studio we will download images and in a friendly exchange you will receive a personalized analysis of your photos in relation to the issue you have decided to work on revealing hidden patterns and providing insight.
In case of bad weather the outdoor photoshoot part of the experience will be replaced by an indoor activity. Other things to note : Guests are expected to bring their own digital cameras or smartphones. No expert knowledge of photography is required to participate.
Number of participants: 1 (2 if a couple)
Languages spoken: English, French
Coaching by image experience
Make your family album speak
A family photo album is a curated record of one’s family history. Bring your family photo album and I’ll accompany you on a journey down memory lane to discover, witness, and hopefully re-experience in a new way, some of your family most remarkable events which, according to you, shaped your identity.
Session duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Number of participants: 1 (2 if a couple)
Languages spoken: English, French
Iris
“Yury is a master coach and exceptional at distilling insights from our brief encounter and the images I took.”
Beate
“Yury is a first-class published photographer who has wonderful listening skills, and in whose warm presence I felt comfortable exploring my inner self in a most unusual, original, and eye-opening way.”
Martha
“Yury is a true visionary who is thoughtful with incredible intuition to interpret and even guide you through the subjects you photograph.”
Yury Li-Toroptsov
Yury Li-Toroptsov
Certified Professional Coach | Artist | Jungian analyst-in-training
I am a certified and EMCC-accredited professional coach living and working in France for 20+ years, offering innovative, tailor-made coaching interventions for both institutional clients and individuals around the world.
My clients: multicultural, ambitious, creative, and often navigating multiple worlds come to coaching not just to solve problems, but to reconnect with their authentic selves and create meaningful impact. Many are expats, leaders, or professionals who dare to be different yet sometimes feel the strain of disconnection from their core identity.
I hold an Advanced Certificate in Coaching, Leadership & Change from ESSEC Business School, one of France’s leading institutions. I’ve partnered with a wide range of clients from CAC 40 companies and global luxury brands to small local businesses supporting their leadership, innovation, and talent development.
In parallel, I am a professional visual artist. Creativity and imagination are central to my work not as decoration, but as essential drivers of transformation. My coaching practice is grounded in a unique synthesis of systemic thinking (Palo Alto approach), Jungian psychology, and the applied arts. This allows me to address complexity with depth and subtlety, helping individuals and teams unlock insight, shift perspective, and spark change.
My training
Now Jungian analyst-in-training, CG Jung Institute Zurich, Küsnacht, Switzerland
2024 Certificate of Fundamentals of Analytical Psychology, CG Jung Institute Zurich, Küsnacht, Switzerland
2021 Advanced certificate in Coaching, Leadership & Change, ESSEC Business School, Paris, France. Thesis: "Coaching by image, a tool for transforming managerial practices in the era of hybrid work".
2000 MS in Non-Profit Management, New School for Social Research, NY, USA
1997 Diploma in English Philology, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia
Professional organizations
I am an accredited member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC Global) at Practitioner level. I abide by its code of ethics.
I am bound by professional secrecy.
My coaching practice benefits from regular supervision.
Languages spoken
English, French, Russian