I’d like to thank these clients for their generous willingness to candidly share the accounts of their coaching experience with me. I am always amazed at the capacity each person has to overcome setback, go beyond limitation, embrace their potential and step forward into contributing their dreams to the world around them and live a more fulfilling life. I call this living an everyday life that is wildly extraordinary.

To inspire you with the changes that are possible: Before Coaching points are grouped together, followed by a collection of Stepping-off Points into coaching and closing with, in story form, some of the Results and Long-term changes. You may want to know when changes start to be noticeable, so a few responses are put into a group.

Before Coaching

• I see real issues where I work that weren’t being validated by higher management. Instead of becoming hopeless or cynical and let this impact my performance, I decided to get help.
• As official group leader I was held responsible for a formal complaint that a group member with a different direct supervision was having with another department. Defending myself with an attorney was unavoidable. This led to extreme physical breakdown with burnout symptoms.
• The effects of different jobs during many department reorganizations had taken its toll: I couldn’t give my best to tasks no matter how I tried to adjust, which led to sleep problems and exhaustion.
• When I arrived at Yvonne’s door I was having recurring and severe fear and insecurity. Traditional therapy had only provided standardized “first aid” rather than the self-investigation that I so needed. An inner connection to a sense of myself and meaning for my life were missing. I was managing, but lacked a foundational connection to my deeper self, leaving me with the inability to commit to life, relationships, work or friends.
• I was losing friends and the loneliness was awful.
• I was dissatisfied with my effectiveness to connect, with women in particular. Beginning a new job, I was slow picking up new responsibilities due to a hazy head from not enough sleep. I wasn’t feeling hopeful or happy and my confidence was very low.
• I was too conceptual and during an important project campaign, I was questioned if I led from opportunism or inner passion. Plus I had gotten feedback that I was too pushy, impatient and busy talking about intentions rather than doing.
• During a reorganization, I had to make choices about my direction: what I really want to do, what fits me, or what am I good in? Being a senior-consultant, a manager or a project manager. Do I choose a new job inside the organization or go elsewhere. My idea: It should be a job in which I could mix content and process, connecting people while aiming at a result. Being a project manager/people manager would mean a much higher pace.
• With the birth of my second child I had lost my direction. I saw that I had abandoned what had been important and I stopped caring. I knew I had to find answers to the question: “what matters to me.”

 

Stepping-off Points into coaching

• I was overwhelmed and had to take temporary leave due to a Repetitive Strain Injury. With Yvonne, looking deeper helped me to reignite my passion and learn to keep it going. I learned how to constructively handle being out of my comfort zone at work, which kicked-off a positive feedback loop. I got back into life with people and get help when needed.
• After a negative performance review and the non-responsiveness from superiors, the next morning I couldn’t get out of bed. This spiraled into finding myself burned out, at home on mood enhancing medication from a psychiatrist with few results.
• Exhausted, in a vicious circle with no inner security, I had ended my relationship and knew I had to find something other than therapy.
• Feeling isolated, discontent and tired, I was tired of tolerating it.
• Out of fairness my employer granted me support from an external coach.
• Facing the question at the pregnancy of my new partner, “do I run or step fully into life including choosing for my business and fatherhood?”
• I can tolerate a lot, but when it’s really bad my back reacts with severe contractions. Plus my usual means to get calm wasn’t working anymore.

First results

• Immediately within the first session, I found my stability and reason for being.
• Within 1-2 sessions I was able to integrate an essential part of myself and this became a positive spiral for my self-confidence. I became motivated and more effective at touching more peoples’ lives.
• After 2-3 sessions I began to regain my identity and to express feelings that had been unspoken.
• The first session was terribly fulfilling, I immediately saw new meaning and it was mind-blowing that I could connect to deep purpose even though I didn’t know I had this in me.
• Yvonne gave me direction and accelerated my development. I got more patient, accepted smaller steps and modified my expectations, all making me a more effective manager.

 

Results and Long-term Changes

-drs. Gerard Lentz, Business Owner/Adviser

Some results: I’ve become more of who I really am, instead of who others want me to be. I’m more at home in my body, I deal with big issues better, I have more opportunities to show what I’m really good at, I’m more empowered and authentic. My wife has noticed these important changes and I’m more joyful. Yvonne has been initiated in the Pythagorean mathematical life-science, which supports her work as a guide to international executives of all ages who face the complexity of today’s world. Combining intuition with absolute clarity and a strong scientifically proven holistic approach makes her one of a kind. I’m fulfilling my true potential.

Long-term changes: I’m manifesting the business that I truly believe in. I’ve stopped being afraid and with at least one moment per day that I feel alive, I feel happy. I’m a more mature man, more inspiration for others, I deal with the complexities of leadership and at the same time I am more humble. The difference is instead of living life, now I’m being my life. That’s what she offers; nothing more, nothing less.

-Anne-Marie Wiegers, J.D., Sr. Adviser Pension & Governance, Montae Consultants

Long-term changes: I still see real issues, but now when helping others I can maintain a healthy distance. I have found the natural leader inside. I’m proud to exude positive inner warmth and see how my confidence helps others feel confident.

Transformation impact on my life: I never expected that in 2010 I would be standing in the Dutch Parliament before our Representatives, as an executive board member of one of our country’s Pension Funds, presenting the reasoning behind our financial reductions during the economic downfall. The greatest achievement was standing there not as a victim, but to turn the tables and inspire the Representatives with an assignment to improve the laws and governance in this area. I was the first to speak on that momentous day.

-Ellen Arkema, former Project Support Assistant, Experiment “Healthy Neighborhoods” Ministry of Interior

First changes: Within a few sessions with Yvonne, I noticed standing up more straight on the way home. I was beginning to regain my self-confidence and distinguish what’s important from what’s superficial. Once I got back to work and I began noticing that I’m good at motivating younger colleagues. I’m more engaged even if I don’t agree. I’ve gained a better context to place human nature. Self-acceptance, strength and trust have replaced fear. I lean into those things I used to find difficult. I can hold myself in my personal “sweet spot” and others in their ‘sweet spot’. She helped me to discover my soul and ignite my inner flame. With that flame I take on so many things that I wasn’t able to do before. I followed a dream to immigrate to the USA and when I moved back to Holland I knew I had made the right choice to go and to return.

Long-term changes: Yvonne called me again after time had passed, which is exactly what I needed. I had just been diagnosed with MS, but am much more able to accept things that I cannot influence. To me, this means that I’m more grounded in a deeper understanding that life will go its own way and that is good. Fear has no place in this knowing and has really melted away like snow in the sun. I live with a type of fearlessness and a sense of liberation with this knowing planted deep inside me. Surprises come at every turn and this gives me fulfillment.

-Mirjam Vriend, Actress & Singer,  Plezant Theater Productions, freelance director, Mom

Results: After beginning coaching with Yvonne, I quickly began to see my special qualities and gain some trust in myself. I don’t blame myself so much and more significantly, I learned to support myself by acknowledging what I am doing right even when other things don’t go as I want. This change is valuable since I know that I cannot be fully empowered and meaningful to others if I can’t acknowledge myself or find healthy “acceptance” for that overly demanding side of me that even tries to justify this exaggerated insistence. Holding myself in high regard is an essential step in truly being grounded in me. Yvonne has created her own method and her razor sharp intuition has been an example for me to embrace my own natural intuition.

Long-term gains: inner grounding, naturally gravitating towards what fits me, real clarity about my life’s direction and daring to stand independently for my own truth. Today I’m “inventing” my own professional work (writing my first novel and innovating experimental theater). I definitely feel more confident and ease in what I’m doing. I trust my true self as an inner compass to illuminate my path.

-Craig Chapman, Employment Specialist, State of Oregon Employment Department, USA

Results: We’re only 5 months into my changes, but I have so much more clarity about myself and my purpose. This life-vision gives me direction and the ability to planning my actions. I’ve stopped feeling hopeless when primary areas are not going so well. I’m reaching out, making myself available and showing up. I’m actively pursuing social activities. Short changing my sleep is no longer acceptable because I need my vitality as I’m getting out meeting people. Yvonne’s coaching goes above and beyond expectations. She’s much more than a coach and you’ll want her as your mentor to accomplish those significant changes that you want in your life. The first hurtle that she coached me over has been huge and will be making a difference in my life for many years. I feel more joy, happiness and eagerness in my life or “youthful glee.”

-Marie Anne Osinga, Owner Marie-me Wedding Flowers & Homemaker

I started my sessions with Yvonne because I felt unfulfilled after the children left home. My golf game was in a rut and I was asking myself why I couldn’t play better, I was constantly losing. After a few sessions, I found that one of my main problems was my mother. She had no respect for my life, was constantly putting me down while demanding a lot of attention. As I learned to stand up to her, I gained respect from my husband. I also learned to tell my husband to respect me and my ideas. This all gave me the confidence to start my own flower-arranging business. I feel stronger, more fulfilled and more interesting then before. This has inspired me to take meditation and yoga lessons. I try to give myself more quality time. The sessions with Yvonne were great. She gave me a lot of love and insight in myself. I feel good about myself now. I know I am a good and worthwhile person and I can love myself. My attitude about my golf has changed a lot. It doesn’t matter so much anymore, so I enjoy my game of golf so much more.

-drs. J.(Jacques) L.W.M. Verdaas, Sr. Consultant/ Sr. Architect & project manager, Ministry of Economic Affairs

I’m 60-80% more self-confident, I feel better, am more satisfied and feel stronger.

-Senior Executive Aviation, The Netherlands

…the results of her consulting: I see myself more honestly, accepting my weaknesses is an important step towards more respect for myself. More important is how she helped my spouse to be more self-confident. The combination of our changes has resulted in a deeper relationship between us. That alone is worth more than the sum of all the other changes. Plus every day we benefit from and have enjoyment from our deepening relationship.

-drs. Ab Warffemius, Director National Prisons, Ministry of Security & Justice

….she fits coaching questions naturally into a broader perspective and then guides you with seeming simple questions to the essential core of what you’re searching for: who am I and why do I act, think and feel the way I do?

Other contributors

-drs. Ruud Schuurs M.B.A., Owner/Principle Management Consultant Sustainable Development Advise in Motion

-Danielle J.D., Coach, former Legal Specialist

–Walter Supér, Owner Plezant Theater Productions, playwright, actor

-Sabine Jungbluth, Sr. Social Worker, Case Manager District Office of Berlin, Germany, Core Energetic Therapist