Where I’m Coming From
If you’re on this page, you’re probably wondering who I am and why I’m qualified to talk about addiction. My name is Taavi Soiunen, and to answer that, I’ll share my personal experience with addiction. Then I’ll explain how I created the Four Quadrants Model, which I now use in my coaching.
Long story short, I was addicted to alcohol and cannabis for over ten years, and to nicotine for three. It wasn’t the kind of addiction where I was passed out in a gutter, but the kind where I escaped into these substances almost every day.
It led to depression, anxiety, broken relationships, missed opportunities, and health problems. I wasn’t completely at rock bottom, but I wasn’t exactly thrilled to open my hungover eyes in the morning either.
When It All Started to Change
Like most people who are addicted, I didn’t admit it to myself for a long time. I told myself that everyone drinks, smoking weed isn’t that bad, and I could quit anytime I wanted.
Except I couldn’t. Every time I tried, I failed. That constant battle with myself eventually forced me to admit what I’d been avoiding: I was addicted, and I needed to change my life. If I didn’t, I was heading toward a miserable future, stuck in addictions and a life I couldn’t be proud of.
So I went all in on self-development. I threw myself into anything that might help me fix my life and get free from these addictions.
So what did I do?
I went all in on personal development:
- I completed 4 years of formal training in hypnotherapy and transpersonal psychology
- I was part of a small coaching group for one year
- I independently studied frameworks like Spiral Dynamics, the self-inquiry work of Peter Ralston, existential therapy, and other psychological models and modalities, applying them to my own life to see how they work in practice
- I read over 60 books on personal development, covering topics like psychology, relationships, productivity, and spirituality
- I practiced various forms of therapy, meditation, and self-inquiry
How My Life Changed
During all of this I:
- Quit all three addictions I had struggled with for over ten years
- Started a small retail business and became self-employed
- Got into much better physical shape
- Broke free from a highly addictive and toxic relationship cycle
- Built a fulfilling social and personal life
- Made peace with my past
That's all good for me, but how does it help you?
Everything I learned through this journey, I’ve put into my coaching. This is how the Four Quadrants Model was born. It’s a practical map that shows how your self-esteem and behavior interact, and how to shift them in a way that leads to lasting growth.
It took me over a decade and tens of thousands of euros to figure all of this out. I offer it to you in a distilled form: a highly actionable model that goes straight to the core of addiction and many of life’s deeper challenges.
There’s no fancy jargon or cool-sounding concepts that have nothing to do with your real life. Everything I teach can be applied directly, so you can test it for yourself and see what works.
But this is my experience, how do I know it works for other people?
Even though we are all different, we also share very universal aspects in our lives. The Four Quadrants Model is based on two things that affect all of us: our self-esteem and our behavior.
Once you learn how self-esteem and behavior interact, you’ll have a clear way to track where you are, understand why you’re doing what you’re doing, and course-correct in real time before things spiral.
Unless you’re in an acute crisis where reflection and small daily actions are out of reach, the principles and tools I share can help you.
Want to learn more about the model?
The best way to learn about it is through my guidebook. I give out the first two chapters for free, so you can see if something in it clicks for you or not.
When I wrote it, I took special care to make it as clear and practical as possible. It’s meant to be a workable everyday resource, something that helps you orient yourself in real-life challenges, not just in theory.
Even though it’s simple in structure, it only works if you actually use it. The more you apply it, the more you’ll start to see how and why it works.
Get 2 chapters of The Four Quadrants Recovery Guide and occasional insights by email
