My second life started after I left my corporate job in The Netherlands, with a long experience in coaching, mentoring, personal and leadership development and I moved to the UK in 2010 to live with my new partner and where I started my Mahakaruna coaching, training and reiki practice.

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Ch'an

My spiritual path started in atheism and evolved through christianity and anthroposophy into my 35 year of Ch’an (Chinese Zen) practice. 

I have been authorised by Ton Lathouwers, Dharma Successor of Jinarakkhita Ashin (Teh Ching), as zen teacher in the Maha Karuna Ch’an Sangha. 

Other influential spiritual teachers on my path have been Thich Nhat Hanh, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Ama Sami, Amma and Bernie Glassman.

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NVC

On my spiritual path I met Marshall Rosenberg in 2006 the founder of the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) process which gave me profound practical spirituality in addition to my zen practice. Since then I have trained with many NVC trainers internationally and in 2011 I became a Certified NVC trainer with the Centre for Nonviolent Communication. 
I have led NVC practice groups and NVC workshops internationally (Europe, Japan, South Korea), both public workshops and in organisations. 

Since 2021 I am assessor in training with the Centre for Nonviolent Communication for NVC certification candidates in Italy.   

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Reiki

I have worked with Reiki for more than 30 years, and I completed my Reiki training in with the Reiki Master/Teacher-level training with Cory Croyman at the Asian Healing Arts Center in Chiang Mai, Thailand. .

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IFS

I was introduced into Internal Family Systems (IFS) in an 8-day retreat in 2018 with its founder Richard Schwartz and since then I have continued to feel deeply inspired by his work. Currently, I have regular sessions with my IFS supervisor and IFS therapist and I am a Certified IFS Practitioner since 2024.

 

My IFS trainings include:

Richard Schwartz, Tony Herbine-Blank  and Pam Krause - One-year Circle training online with (2019) 
Level 1 IFS training with Paul Ginter and Einat Bronstein (2020) 

Level 2 IFS training with Cece Sykes - Substance Use and Eating Disorders, A Compassionate Approach to Addictive Processes (2022)

Level 3 IFS training with Cece Sykes (2023)

Einat Bronstein - Legacy Burdens 

Susan McConnell - Somatic IFS

Jeanne Catanzaro - Using IFS to Heal Parts Who Focus on Food and the Body

Richard Schwartz - IFS as a spiritual path

Richard Schwartz - Trauma and the Internal Family Systems Model: Releasing Personal and Legacy Burdens

Frank Anderson - Transcending Trauma Healing Complex PTSD with Internal Family Systems Therapy 

Liz Martin - Integrating IFS into supervision and consultation

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Synthesis

IFS represents a new synthesis of two already-existing paradigms: systems thinking and the multiplicity of the mind. It is my experience in studying and working with IFS over the past 5 years with participants in workshops and personal clients, that it is very complementary to NVC. In this synthesis NVC, IFS, Reiki and Ch'an come together for me deeply in a spiritually rooted and practical way of life, of being.