A little
ABOUT ME
WELCOME, FRIEND
Food is meant to nourish not punish.
For decades I punished my body with food (or lack thereof). I spent countless time, money, and resources on diets, supplements, nutritionists, and exercise programs….
The origins of my challenged relationship with food can be found in my teenage years, when I was subjected to the misconceived, warped notion that you (and especially as a woman) could only be loved or accepted if you were slim.
That notion settled deeply in my brain, and I took a painful, but unfortunately too common and very long trajectory of anorexia, binge eating, bulimia, and orthorexia.
And all the time I was quite successful at my career and had healthy and loving relationships with friends and family. But at the same time there was this deep, underlying pain, a suffering because I felt trapped and not living the life I truly wanted. I was held captive by both an obsession as well as a fear for food.
The worst part was a deep-felt shame and conviction that I was the only one who had this insane problem. I also learned that the only way over it was through it and that I needed to shine a light on my food challenges, I needed to come out, if you will.
I GOT OVER IT BY GOING THROUGH IT.
Shining a light on my food challenges liberated me.
So finally, at the age of 56 I decided to turn my biggest pain point into my biggest gift: if I can overcome this tremendous problem, then I can help others, struggling with the same issues, liberate themselves.
I took the Mind Body Eating as well as the Positive Intelligence Coaching training and after a lot of hard work (there is no magic and yet it has been the most magical thing that has ever happened to me in my life) I can finally say that I have embraced food and am embracing my life to the fullest extent.
I am here to help you achieve the same success so that you will discover what truly makes you tick, what truly matters to you in your life.
Now I live a life where food is still an important part of my day, but not the main protagonist anymore. I have put food in its rightful place: I treat it with respect and lots of love and use it to nourish my body and enjoy every bite.
I fill my day now with things that have true meaning for me: helping other women overcome their struggles and help them bloom, lots of walking and biking out in the beautiful vineyards in southern France, cooking plant-based, delicious meals, entertaining friends and family in our “gite”, practicing yoga and playing with my sidekick Oliver.
Oh, and my not-so-guilty pleasures are strong coffee, lots of almonds and nuts and a glass of red wine 😊
I LOVE the outdoors, am multi-lingual, and have a very spoilt and well-traveled dog named, Oliver.
I love to move my body: I walk, run, bike, swim, and practice yoga regularly. I love personal growth, and living my life’s purpose.
I am deeply curious about the opportunities that every day brings and I love to help people get unstuck and find their life’s purpose.
I was born in the Netherlands, lived for 20 years in the US, then a few years in Switzerland and now live with my husband and Oliver in the south of France
CERTIFICATIONS
Let’s talk about
My Approach
I infuse my coaching with the principles of Positive Intelligence (or PQ). In short, PQ is a mental fitness program that teaches us to turn any life circumstance into a gift or opportunity. It teaches us a positive mindset, able to tackle any challenge that life throws at us, including our food and body challenges. Learn more about PQ.
Even though we start with the food/body challenge you have, we are bound to go on a journey that will go far beyond this challenge. At the heart of each eating challenge is the feeling of being stuck, not knowing what to do and therefore we tend to focus on the thing we think we can control: our body. I will take you on a journey that will open opportunities to become who you really are, at the core of your being. You will find the little voice that has been calling you.
10 Simple Ways to Become a Natural Eater
Becoming a natural eater involves reconnecting with your body’s signals and instincts regarding hunger, fullness, and food preferences. Sign up below and get the guide delivered to your inbox.