When thinking and speaking
do not bring you forward
then the answer is
really close
(spoiler: your body)
Development
Praesens
While searching for a name that can encapsulate physicality, experiencing, understanding and human connection, I stumbled upon Praesens. 'Latin word meaning: being present, true, immediate, current, effective'.
Pra or Prae means 'before' or 'before'
Sens means 'feeling', 'experiencing' or 'being aware of'.
Esens is related to “being” and an ancient form of “essence”.
What made me especially happy was that it is also reminiscent of the English plural for “presents”, because that is actually what we do: unpack ourselves and our lives - which can be very joyful.
Praesens
True, present
in the here, in the now,
we experience, consciously,
what was there before,
essence
presents to unpack.
Within Praesens, almost two decades of working with people, movement, interaction and touch come together with body-oriented trauma therapy and personal counselling.
Mission
Praesens offers effective counselling and care based on well-founded methodologies and new developments, where the person is always at the forefront and connection is at the heart of everything. So that you find the peace and confidence to shape your own life and make choices that make you truly happy.
Person
I am a curious and phyiscal person. I have a fascination for how we move as humans and what moves us in life. Within training courses, my own research and collaborations with colleagues in healthcare, culture and education, I continue to be amazed at what body and brain can bring about together. I like to enthuse people about this.
I am father of two, partner and entrepreneur. I like to be in motion outside in nature and in interaction with others. Because of my Dutch-Slovenian heritage, my life moves organically between these two countries and cultures. Furthermore, I am a dedicated practitioner of Shadow Yoga and still express my love for movement and interaction as a choreographer with The100Hands Foundation.
Nothing comes from nowhere
It is said that when something happens 'suddenly' we simply haven't noticed the signals and changes in us or our surroundings. Nor does the work I do come from nowhere, but stands on the shoulders of those who passed on their knowledge and experience to me, for which I am deeply grateful.
These are really too many people to mention, but I am happy to name a few:
~ Eddy de Bie and Jocelyn Bergland for my entrance into the dance world and the foundation they gave me.
~ Amy Raymond and Kevin Cregan for giving me insight into movement and its different types of impact.
~ Erik Kaiel with whom I was able to put everything I had learned into practice, allowing my own vision and methods to mature for ten years.
~ Nancy Stark Smith and Mike Vargas who made me realise that dance is listening with the body and made me realise how wise the body can be in contact.
~ Adrian Gorman and John Brickell for their introduction to counselling within the frame of Reality Thearpy / Choice Theory.
~ Nicolet Montanus for her introduction to Shadow Yoga.
~ Karen Watson for her sharp mind and firm teaching on my yoga path.
~ Sundernath and Emma Belnaves for their study of yoga traditions and reintroducing what seemed long lost in contemporary yoga.
~ Marielle Maaswinkel for the way she made me experience, first as a therapist and later as a trainer, the power of presence and trauma healing.
~ Doris Rothbauer for her coherent and in-depth introduction to body-based trauma therapy.
~ Sonia Gomez for her sometimes bordering on “magic” ability to teach with body, movement and touch and bring about profound changes.
~ Eline Brinkhof and Eddy Verstap who bridged the gap between therapeutic knowledge and everyday life, between personal and professional, between 'how things are' and what we don't know.
Deep gratitude
~ I thank my parents for the greates gift of all: life and the talents and challenges they both gave me.
~ I thank my partner for walking together along side with me in so many different aspects of life and the trust we freely give each other.
~ I thank my children for the way they remind me of all that gives life simplicity, colour and depth.
~ I thank my friends and colleagues for all the conversations, quests, experiments, confrontations and experiences that (re)shape me.
~ I thank all the participants, clients, students and audiences with whom I have been able to share and experience these past years. It is an honour.
Resources
Want to orient yourself a little further or delve deeper into topics around trauma, personal facilitation or my vision on personal and professional development?
This collection of articles, podcasts and lectures offer you a source of inspiration!
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