My Journey

For most of my life, I was the strong one, the dependable one. I could hold everything together on the outside, even when I was unraveling on the inside. Beneath that strength lived attachment wounds and relational patterns I didn’t yet have the tools to understand.

A Season of Loss That Changed Everything

A handful of pivotal deaths in my family cracked open old wounds and forced me inward. Grief made everything honest. It revealed the ways I had learned to survive love rather than feel safe in it.

I began examining my patterns: the people-pleasing, the self-abandonment, the fear of setting boundaries, and the way I chose emotionally unavailable partners. I didn’t want to keep repeating the same story. So I chose to heal it.

Stepping Into a New Path

During COVID, while the world paused, I pursued the path that had been calling me for years. I enrolled at The Ohio State University, earned my Master’s in Social Work, and devoted myself to trauma-informed clinical training, including:

• Internal Family Systems (IFS Level 1)

• EMDR

• Brainspotting

• Narrative Therapy

• Psychedelic Harm Reduction & Integration (Studying Psilocybin, MDMA, Ketamine, DMT, and Ayahuasca)

• Ketamine-Assisted Therapy

• Buddhist-informed emotional healing practices

My education didn’t just give me knowledge — it deepened my understanding of my own heart.

The Relationship That Became My Turning Point

Working in a trauma-informed private practice sharpened my clarity. Through my mentors, my studies, and my clients, I learned to see relational patterns with new insight.

And suddenly, I saw my own relationship clearly for the first time: the misalignment, the emotional inconsistency, the shrinking, the self-sacrifice.

I set my first real boundaries.
I spoke my truth.
I chose myself.

And the relationship imploded.

The Vow That Changed My Life

That ending broke me open and awakened me. I made a vow:
I will never abandon myself for connection again.
And I have stayed true to that promise.

Becoming the Guide I Once Needed

My healing became my purpose. Today, I help divorced women break cycles of:

• dating anxiety

• overthinking

• attachment wounds

• people-pleasing

• emotional unavailability

• self-doubt

• fear of choosing wrong

I guide women to rebuild self-trust, activate emotional confidence, set boundaries with clarity, and attract steady, mature, emotionally present partners.

I became a dating coach for divorced women because I’ve lived the journey, and now I help others walk theirs with courage, clarity, and compassion.

Your Relationship Coach
Giannine Lioi, LMSW

Professional Experience

With over 20 years of experience in health, fitness, and bodywork, I bring a unique and comprehensive approach to coaching. My work is grounded in a deep understanding of the mind/body connection.

I began my professional journey with a B.S. in Exercise Physiology and Psychology from SUNY Brockport (2001), followed by graduation from the Onondaga School of Therapeutic Massage (2002). I later earned my Master of Social Work from The Ohio State University, expanding my ability to support both the physical and emotional aspects of healing.

My background includes serving as a collegiate strength and conditioning coach, training in Iyengar yoga, and extensive work in sports massage, injury recovery, and performance enhancement. Licensed in New York State as both a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) and a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), I bring a holistic, integrative perspective to every session.