About me
Starting with the why
Why am I doing this work? I love the open-mindedness and life energy of children and youngsters. They are so flexible and honest. Time stops for me when i experience connection, vulnerability, bonding and renewned energy. A smile on the face of youngsters and parents after enduring times of difficulty and frustration. Pure magic! And I can be there. Such meaningful and rewarding work! That’s why… That’s why I do this work.
First things first
I am a fan of Irvin Yalom. As he so aptly puts, I find the relationship healing. Working with connection and trust is my credo. Research shows that the click; the connection and trust between the care provider and the client, is key to a successful treatment. But there’s more. I believe that the connection among family members is also the most important element for maintaining success and happiness within the family. After all, most behavioral problems in young people arise from a lack of connection. Raising a child by connection without resorting to punishment or reward is what makes my heart beat faster. In my course “raising children without punishment and reward,” I teach parents the essence of this art.
Education
In addition to my academic responsibilities as a psychology student at the University of Leiden, I deeply enjoyed my travels around different parts of the world. My graduation thesis on contact and prejudice between youngsters was awarded the Sherezade thesis prize by the Netherlands Institute of Psychologists (NIP) and in 2012 I was offered a teaching and research position at the Child & Family Studies Department of Leiden University. After my clinical internship at I-Psy de Jutters (specialist mental health care), I was also invited to continue working as a child psychologist with children, youngsters and their parents.
Experience
My career began at the intersection of research, education and practice. In addition to supervising bachelor and master students, I contributed to scientific articles published in peer-reviewed international journals. At the Child & Family Studies Department in Leiden, I further contributed to research on a safe home climate, contact and prejudice between youngsters, (cyber) bullying behavior and psychopathology in children and youngsters.
As a child psychologist, I was involved in the treatment and diagnosis of youngsters and families as part of a multidisciplinary team. I gained experience in treating anxiety, compulsive and mood disorders, and working systemically with parents and families. In the process, I was extensively familiarised with a variety of diagnostic tools (Intelligence research, social-emotional research, family research) for studying the behavior of children, youngsters and families. Being scarce as a male child psychologist, I mainly worked with boys and their parents.
In 2016 I was transferred to the Applied University of Utrecht and I also worked for a year as a researcher within the Lectoraat Youth. After a gap year in which I worked as a child psychologist at YOUZ (Specialist care GGZ Youth & Family), I resumed my work as a lecturer in Utrecht. Since then, I have been training future youth care workers together with a wonderful team. I teach developmental psychology, systemic working, grief and loss, and clinical developmental psychopathology. Alongside my academic duties, I conduct my practice two days a week. Together with my work in education, this division ensures the right balance in my professional life.
The outdoor is calling
Spending the night in simple accommodations in nature arose out of financial necessity during my backpacking days as a student, but has eventually become a retreat that I regularly plan. The peace, the digital detox, the connection with the elements of nature: they all have therapeutic effects that create the preconditions for self-realization. It is striking how Albert Einstein states “look deep into nature and you will understand everything better”. I also seek out nature with fathers and sons during father and son weekends that are organised twice a year by mannenhart. A wonderful team of men i am thankful and proud of to be part of.