Horses have always been a passion, since I was a child. However, I’ve walked a long path to arrive at getting into contact with the real nature of horses and how we can learn from them. A horse trek in the French Pyrenees (in 2002) was a key moment: in actually living together with the horses I finally found what intuitively I had always linked with them: contact, togetherness, trust, authenticity, respect, clarity, peace… The search for where I could find those qualities somewhere closer to home brought me to Terra Natura in the Netherlands, where I started a training with Pieter Baalbergen in 2004. After Pieter’s death in 2006 I continued to give direction to this organisation for a couple of years, together with some colleagues. With Equoia I am now walking my own path.

Working with people is another thing I’ve always been attracted to. It fascinates me to bring about something in people. At first this took shape in leading a musical ensemble, later on when I got my master’s degree in Germanic languages, I was a language teacher for 14 years. Gradually I evolved towards training and coaching, thus finding what I really wanted to do. In 2010 I stopped being a teacher and I became a self-employed trainer and coach. I still work as a freelance consultant, coach and trainer – mainly in academic contexts.

More and more, horses play a large part in my coaching and training, combining my passion for horses with my passion for working with people. In February 2012 my late husband Kristiaan and I started to develop a centre in which we help people and horses to find their way to use their core power. Working with horses once began as a favourite pastime, it has since become an enriching path that I walk with passion.

Red thread in all my coachings – and in my life – is the Solution Focus approach (Steve de Shazer & Insoo Kim Berg). I continuously deepen my knowledge and experience through trainings, workshops and conferences in Belgium and abroad, by following and guiding workshops and presentations. Since 2016 I have been an active member of the SOL World Community and in 2019 I wrote my first book with a solution focused approach in English (“Connective Clarity. When Horses Invite You to Take up Authentic, Solution Focused Leadership”) and in Dutch (“Verbindende Duidelijkheid. Als paarden je uitnodigen tot authentiek, oplossingsgericht leiderschap”).