Welcome!
My name is Eleanor, and I've been exactly where you are right now.
Having gone through a severe burnout, I found myself acutely aware of a confusing gap between a deep longing for fulfilling change and not knowing how to make it happen.
The Perfect Burnout Candidate
I could not articulate it nor make sense of it back then, but now I can see what made me a perfect burnout candidate. At a young age, I learned to be responsible, to do the things I do well, to keep trying, even if things are hard, to get organized, to be considerate of others' needs and feelings, and to question myself, before I question others. In that same spirit, I later juggled the responsibilities of a devoted mother, supportive partner, committed professional, and life-long learner, managing my busy life and delivering on needs and expectations.
Yet, somewhere along the line I lost touch with myself. With my desires, my dreams, with who I really was and what I really wanted. Despite my qualities and accomplishments, I also felt insecure and disconnected from my peers, stuck in unbalanced relationship patterns and routines. I could sense that I was not being true to myself and not really living a life aligned with my dreams and needs, but had no clue what I could and maybe should do about it.
The burnout I experienced didn't occur suddenly; it was a quiet storm that had been brewing for years. I can admit now how unhappy I was in both my career and my marriage, but at the time I could not see that I was not coping, that choices I had made were not right and responsibilities that I had taken on too much.
Ultimately, I started and ended the day feeling exhausted, but not being able to rest. Stress took its toll on my well-being. I suffered, physically and emotionally, but it wasn't until I broke down one day in the office, and a couple of days later my back painfully blocked, that I realised that my body was screaming "Stop!"
Time To Reveal My True Self
What followed was a profound and impactful journey of returning to my true self. As I learned to move beyond my circumstances, I learned to take responsibility for my needs and longings, and start living life on my own terms. Things started to shift and ultimately resulted in leaving my job, my husband and the life I had built. That was what I wanted, and at the same time it was shit scary!
I have not a single regret. Through the steps I have taken, with the support of some wonderful coaches and my beautiful parents, I have become the creator of a new life that I own and love. Rather than just learning to manage my time, my boundaries, and my energy better, I have developed deep insights into my life-story and my inhibiting beliefs. Instead of waiting and complaining, I have learned to take responsibility for my needs and my fears, to lean into my dreams and trust my inner wisdom. I now truly believe that whatever happens, I’ve got this.
This implies that…
-
I make conscious and purposeful choices that reflect those inner longings I sensed already years ago.
-
I embrace my human nature. I don’t need to be perfect. I still work hard, get tired, experience pain, feel angry, unhappy, scared, but I have a better sense of when I'm not OK and it’s OK.
-
I have stopped pushing myself when I’m running on empty and prioritizing other's needs above my own.
-
I study my discomforts, ask myself what I need, and take care of myself. This may include reaching out for help.
-
I continue to build a supportive network of caring women and men, to help me stay on my chosen path.
-
I express my love and affection in intimate relationships freely, just as I express my boundaries without fear of rejection.
-
I encourage my children to cultivate healthy behaviours and boundaries for a balanced life.
-
I focus my coaching business on inspiring and supporting others like myself.
My personal growth journey is a lifelong journey, with its everyday challenges, but so many more positive elements contributing to the enhanced confidence, connection, vitality, and joy that I now experience in my life every day!
A New Life… it just takes one step, one day at a time.
Being confronted with burnout knocked me down and shook up my life, but I'm grateful for the learnings it presented.
I also know that you have it in you to see what led you to slip up and to make fundamental changes in your life, just as I did, one day at a time.
Nobody should feel too ashamed to seek help to live a happy, healthy and fulfilled life.
Let's embark on your journey together…
What you should know about me...
Having worked in healthcare and business I have seen first hand the consequences of not getting the balancing act between pushing forward and slowing down right.
I had to learn the hard way that stubbornly sticking to the way things are, hoping that something will change or complaining about someone else, never leads to the desired change.
As a professional burnout coach, I am at my best with clients who are ready to question their priorities and take responsibility for the circumstances in which they find themselves. That's why I won't hesitate to gently ask the astute questions that help my clients become more conscious of the choices they are making that are leading to the undesired state they are experiencing.
These are the sources for my work...
-
The wonderful learning opportunities that life has offered me, to fall over and find the courage and strength to get up again and turn my life around.
-
The study and application of various methodologies with clients including Transformational Keys (TK) Facilitation, Evolutionary Neurobiological Adaptation (ENBA) Theory, Voice Dialogue, Transactional Analysis - Inner Child Work, Radical Collaboration‚ Positive Psychology, Yoga, Meditation, Mindfulness, Compassionate Communication, Heart IQ, the Chakra System, Appreciative Inquiry, NLP, Trauma Work, Breathwork, Energetic Bodywork and more…
I am a qualified Nurse, certified Health Coach, Board Member of the Flemish Association for Health Coaches (2019-2022), Inner Child Coach and Voice Dialogue Facilitator. Find out more about my professional history on LinkedIn.
Languages
-
I was born in Wimbledon, UK and at the age of 7 moved to Germany, where I spent my formative years. So I grew up speaking English at home and German with my sister and friends.
-
I learned French at secondary school and was really bad at it. But I love it. In my early 20ies I had a chance to work for a French holiday resort in Portugal, where I I learned to speak more fluently, the way I like to learn..., by doing.
-
Later I moved to Belgium, married a Dutch man and raised my children speaking English and Dutch, working in an international context in Brussels, as well as Paris for many years.
-
So, to cut a long story short, whether you are English, Dutch, French or German-speaking, I hear and understand you and I feel perfectly at ease offering sessions in each of these languages.
Contact
Interested in learning more about how I can support you?