About me
In a nutshell, I’m a native English psychologist and coach working outdoors in the nature area Meijendel, close to Wassenaar, The Hague and Leiden.
Three things have been pretty consistent throughout my lifetime: a warmth and caring for people, the search for meaning, and a great love of being in nature. I’m happiest when all three are combined, which of course is now the case in my work!
As a coach
When clients describe me, they often say that I am gentle, non-judgmental and strong. They feel accepted and challenged by me. My intuition and analytical skills bring clarity and movement to the situation, as life themes are quickly laid bare. I know when to confront and I know when to be quiet and let nature do her work. Which I mean literally: I have a great respect for the interplay of nature, elements, seasons and weather and how they bring ‘magic’ to a coaching session. I’ll walk beside you, support you and encourage you on that rewarding and sometimes nerve-wracking journey to the best of who you are.
My background
I grew up in the UK (1966), trained as a pharmacist, and moved to the Netherlands when I was 23 years old. Here I raised a family, worked, learnt fluent Dutch and became a psychologist (Leiden University). My first psychology job took me into work-related coaching and assessments and later I worked in a depression clinic. I trained as ‘wandelcoach’ (nature coach) at Atma Insitute and have had my own outdoor coaching practice since 2013, working both in Dutch and English.
The way I see things
I chose the spiral as my logo to reflect the inner journey which, I believe, we are called to embark upon in moments of crisis or confusion. What we ‘had’ no longer works, where we are going is no longer clear. We need to return to our centre, the knowing inside, before we can move on further. In this way, difficult circumstances can provide the gateway to change and growth, if we let them, thereby enriching our life and those of others around us.
