My services are Personal Counselling and Coaching for individual adults, both in English and Dutch.

My counselling style is based on the style of Carl R. Rogers. This means that the client has the lead, sets the course and decides what changes he/she wants. We will first spend time on defining the problem. Is there a problem behind this problem? What is it that really bothers you? The counsellor then helps to set the goals. What goals do you really want? What are the obstructions to these goals? What can be done to change this? Together we will define the way to reach your goals. How hard do you want to work on this?

Topics can be:
‣ You feel stressed or burnt out
‣ You don't feel good in your job
‣ You feel lost and useless without your job
‣ You need to make a difficult choice
‣ Life in Shanghai just seems too hard
‣ You want to make some changes in life but don't know how
‣ You feel lonely without your network of family and friends
‣ There is a pattern in your relationship that you´re not happy with
‣ You want to get a grip on something that is bothering you
‣ Etcetera

No matter what tools, techniques or names we use, the foundation is always the same; my belief that each and every person is naturally resourceful and carries the strength and capacity for change.

Counselling and coaching for me is a brief series of discussions. It is no psychotherapy or treatment. If that is what you need, I will be happy to refer you to someone who is better suited to help you.

Born and raised in The Netherlands, I have more than 20 years of experience in human resources, recruitment, headhunting, job coaching & counselling, reintegration (=coaching unemployed people to get back on track), interview training, cross-cultural training, consulting, assessments and individual counselling. Most of my experience is in The Netherlands, but in the past 10 years, I have lived and worked in China, South Africa, Belgium, The Netherlands and again back in China.

I know from experience the unsettling feeling of moving house and country, of finding your place again, of culture shock and the loss of friends and family. I also know about the trying effect these events can have on your relationship and on lingering issues that are often ignored.

I believe that every person has the power inside that can help them change and provide solutions. I am also a great believer in positive psychology for stress management – it takes practice, but can be done and in fact, when you decide to be happy it can have an incredible effect on the people around you.
A sense of humour is one of the best coping techniques for stress and I certainly like to apply this in my sessions.

I am also convinced of the positive effects of regular sports and workouts. In my teens, I was a member of the Dutch National Swimming Team and won various National Championships and team records with PSV Swimming Club. Later in life as a Master Swimmer, I competed in European and World Championships.
I have a Bachelor's in Business Administration from Wageningen, The Netherlands. I obtained my Diplomas “Academisch Counsellor & Coach” and “Specialist Counsellor & Coach” from the Academie voor Counselling Coaching (www.counselling.nl) in The Netherlands.

As a member of NOBCO (Nederlandse Orde van Beroepscoaches), member no. 31267,  I will abide by their International Code of Ethics (IEC), see www.nobco.nl

I’m a certified NOBCO / EMCC Practitioner Coach (European Mentoring and Coaching Council)

As a Consultant for NetExpat, I assist relocating families in China: www.netexpat.com