Many people suffer from intrusive, unwanted thoughts that keep recurring, often against their will. These thoughts can be anxious, aggressive, sexual, or controlling in nature and often feel completely out of place. To reduce the tension, compulsive behaviors often arise, such as checking, avoidance, reassurance-seeking, or mental rituals. The more you try to suppress the thoughts, the stronger they often become.

In this therapy, we typically work with ACT as a foundation, but we also utilize hypnosis techniques. We don't focus on pushing away or dissolving thoughts, but on learning to deal differently with fear and the need for control, so that thoughts have less control over your behavior and your life. You learn to make space for what presents itself, without constantly having to act on it.

Where appropriate, I use mindfulness to notice thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them. This helps to create distance between you and the content of your thoughts. Hypnotherapy or EMDR can be supportive for persistent patterns, for example when fear responses or automatic control are already deeply ingrained. This is always done carefully and at your own pace. The goal is not for thoughts to disappear, but for them to lose their power, so that you can live more freely again in line with what is important to you.

Frequently asked questions

Do my thoughts say anything about who I am?
No. Unwanted thoughts say nothing about your intentions, desires, or character. People with strong values and a strong sense of responsibility are often especially sensitive to this type of thought.

Do I need to analyze or understand my thoughts?
No. In therapy, we do not examine the content of thoughts, but the relationship you have with them. Understanding why a thought is there usually does not make it less compelling.

Does ACT also work for obsessive-compulsive symptoms?
Yes. ACT is one of the most effective therapy approaches for difficulties in which control and avoidance play a major role. You learn to tolerate tension and make choices independent of fear, rather than constantly reacting to compulsions.

Is hypnotherapy safe for compulsions or intrusive thoughts?
Yes. In my practice, hypnotherapy is not used to influence or suppress thoughts, but to calm the nervous system and soften automatic responses. You always remain in control.

Will the thoughts ever completely go away?
Sometimes they become less frequent, sometimes they still arise from time to time. The most important difference is that they lose their sense of threat and affect you less, so they no longer determine your life.

Do I need to know right away how long I want to come for?
No. You don’t need to decide on a fixed course in advance. Therapy is not a subscription, but something that develops gradually over time.

Is a single session also possible?
Yes. Sometimes one or a few sessions are enough to help you move forward again, for example with a specific question or a situation where you feel stuck.

What if I start to doubt after a few sessions?
Doubt is sometimes part of the process. That is actually something we can explore and discuss together.

Are more sessions always better?
No. More is not necessarily better. What matters is what is effective and appropriate for you.

Problems related to self-esteem often show up as self-doubt, insecurity, social anxiety, or a persistent feeling of not being good enough. You may find yourself constantly focused on how you come across, what others think of you, or avoiding situations in which you have to show yourself. From the outside, it may sometimes look like you are functioning well, while on the inside it takes a great deal of energy.

In therapy, we work with ACT, and often also with hypnotherapy and mindfulness. ACT does not focus on “improving” who you are, but on how you relate to self-critical thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness helps you step back from constant inner judgment and become more present in the moment. Hypnotherapy can be supportive in working with deeply rooted patterns that often developed through earlier experiences, such as rejection, adaptation, or the feeling that you have to prove yourself.

In therapy, you develop a new, healthy sense of self and learn to recognize when old beliefs take over. The goal is that your self-image no longer interferes with daily functioning, and that you start doing the things that are important to you again.

Frequently asked questions

I freeze when presenting or speaking in groups. Is that part of this?
Yes. Presentation and public speaking anxiety are often connected to self-image and self-criticism. We work on tolerating tension, loosening from judgment, and restoring contact with yourself in the moment.

During job interviews I suddenly feel small or my mind goes blank. Is that treatable?
Ja. Dit zijn vaak automatische stressreacties die niets zeggen over je capaciteiten. In therapie leer je hiermee omgaan, zodat spanning je functioneren minder overneemt.

I feel insecure when dating or in relationships. Can therapy help with that?
Absolutely. Insecurity in dating or relationships often stems from fears of rejection, abandonment, or “not being enough.” We look at these patterns and explore different ways of relating to them.

Can hypnotherapy help with self-criticism or freezing?
Yes. Hypnotherapy can help with deeply ingrained responses such as freezing, adapting, or shutting down. This is always done carefully and at your pace.

Where does a negative self-image come from?
It often develops gradually, through experiences in which you had to adapt, compare yourself, or protect yourself. It is not a personal failure, but an understandable response to what you have been through.

Do I need to know right away how long I want to come for?
No. You don’t need to decide on a fixed course in advance. Therapy is not a subscription, but something that develops gradually over time.

Is a single session also possible?
Yes. Sometimes one or a few sessions are enough to help you move forward again, for example with a specific question or a situation where you feel stuck.

What if I start to doubt after a few sessions?
Doubt is sometimes part of the process. That is actually something we can explore and discuss together.

Are more sessions always better?
No. More is not necessarily better. What matters is what is effective and appropriate for you.

Long-term stress can show up in many ways: poor sleep, constant worrying, feeling tense, physical complaints, irritability, or a low and empty mood. Often, the body remains in a kind of “on” state, even when there appears to be rest. You may feel that you no longer recover properly, that nothing really recharges you, or that you are slowly losing yourself.

n therapy, we explore what causes stress, how you deal with tension, fatigue, and low or somber thoughts and feelings, and what you need to reduce or prevent stress. ACT techniques help you learn that you can act from what truly matters to you — even when your energy or mood is not yet optimal. Mindfulness helps calm the nervous system, sense your limits, and step out of constant “doing” or worrying. Hypnotherapy is an important part of the process. It supports nervous system regulation, motivation for healthy self-care, and learning to feel and express boundaries. We always work carefully and attuned to you, with attention to your capacity and limits.

Creating a stress prevention plan is often part of the process.

Frequently asked questions

I’m exhausted, but I can’t sleep. How is that possible?
With long-term stress, the body often remains alert, even when the mind feels tired. Sleep problems are then not a matter of “just relaxing,” but of a nervous system that has difficulty switching off. After several sleepless nights, sleep itself can become a problem because anxiety or stress arises: “What if it doesn’t work again?” This is an unpleasant pattern, but one that can be broken.

Do I need to sleep better first before therapy can help?
No. Therapy can actually help break the vicious cycle of stress, worrying, and poor sleep, even if sleeping is still difficult at the moment.

Is this burnout or depression?
Many people wonder about this. Complaints often consist of a combination of stress, exhaustion, and low mood. In therapy, we focus less on labels and more on what is stuck and what may be helpful in your specific situation.

I feel empty or flat, but not deeply sad. Is that part of it?
Yes. Low mood does not always express itself as sadness. Feelings of emptiness, distance, or emotional numbing are common with prolonged overload.

Can ACT help if I have very little energy?
Yes. ACT is not about pushing yourself, but about learning to choose what feels right within your current possibilities, without constantly fighting how things are right now.

Can hypnotherapy help with sleep problems?
Yes. Hypnotherapy can help release tension and allow the body to experience what rest feels like again. It can also help restore a sense of trust. Hypnotherapy is always done carefully and without forcing anything.

Anxiety can show up in different ways: sudden panic, a specific phobia (such as fear of driving, fear of flying, or fear of animals), or a more persistent fear of losing control. Anxiety is often accompanied by avoidance: staying away from situations, developing safety behaviors, or constantly checking whether everything is okay. Over time, this can make life increasingly small.

In therapy, we work with ACT and hypnotherapy as a foundation. ACT does not focus on getting rid of anxiety, but on learning to relate differently to anxious thoughts and physical tension. You learn that anxiety itself is not dangerous, even though it can feel that way, and how to gradually make space again for what matters to you. Hypnotherapy can be helpful with deeply ingrained anxiety responses, for example when the body automatically goes into panic. Gentle exposure may take place within hypnosis, where you face your fears while in a state of relaxation. We always work carefully, at your pace, and without pushing you into anything.

The goal is a life in which anxiety no longer determines your choices.

Frequently asked questions

Does my anxiety need to be gone before I can start doing things again?
No. In therapy, you learn that you can do things with anxiety, without anxiety being in charge. That is precisely what helps break the anxiety cycle.

Is this the same as exposure?
We do not work with harsh or forced exposure. Together, we look at what is helpful and feasible, with attention to your boundaries and pace.

My anxiety is mainly in my body. Does talking still help?
Yes. We don’t work with talking alone, but also with attention to bodily signals. This makes it possible to respond differently to tension and panic.

I’m afraid of losing control or fainting. Is that fear realistic?
These are very common anxiety-related thoughts. In therapy, we don’t examine whether the fear is “true,” but we learn how to relate to the fear of fear itself.

Can hypnotherapy help with phobias?
Yes. Hypnotherapy can help soften automatic fear responses and increase a sense of safety, without forcing you into situations.

What if my anxiety has been there for years?
Change is still possible. We don’t work from the question of “how long it has been there,” but from how anxiety affects your life now and what you want to change.

Do I need to know right away how long I want to come for?
No. You don’t need to decide on a fixed course in advance. Therapy is not a subscription, but something that develops gradually over time.

Is a single session also possible?
Yes. Sometimes one or a few sessions are enough to help you move forward again, for example with a specific question or a situation where you feel stuck.

What if I start to doubt after a few sessions?
Doubt is sometimes part of the process. That is actually something we can explore and discuss together.

Are more sessions always better?
No. More is not necessarily better. What matters is what is effective and appropriate for you.

Difficulties within relationships can show up as jealousy, fear of commitment or abandonment, difficulty trusting, adapting yourself to the other person, people-pleasing, or keeping emotional distance. You may notice that the same patterns keep repeating, even though you intend to do things differently. Relationships can then bring up a lot of tension, while at the same time you long for connection and calm.

In therapy, we work with ACT and/or hypnotherapy as a foundation. We don’t look only at visible behavior in relationships, but especially at what gets touched internally: fear of rejection, loss of control, or old beliefs about yourself and others. Many of these reactions are also described in terms of attachment, such as anxious or avoidant ways of relating. We don’t use these concepts as fixed labels, but as a language to better understand patterns.

ACT helps you gradually move toward what you truly want deep down, even when it feels uncomfortable or scary. Mindfulness helps you stay present with yourself when tension increases in contact with the other person. Hypnotherapy can be supportive in working with deeply rooted relational patterns that often originate in earlier experiences. In cases of attachment trauma, EMDR techniques can be an option. The goal is not to change who you are, but to be able to choose more consciously and freely how you relate to others.

Frequently asked questions

What attachment style do I have?
Many people recognize themselves in descriptions of attachment styles, such as anxious or avoidant. In therapy, we don’t use these terms as fixed labels, but as a way to understand patterns. How you respond in relationships is context-dependent and can change.

Why do I keep running into the same relationship problems?
Relationship patterns often develop unconsciously and once served a protective function. They say nothing about who you are, but about what your system has learned in order to deal with tension and closeness.

Can jealousy go away?
Jealousy is often an expression of fear or insecurity. By learning to relate differently to the underlying feelings, jealousy often loses its compelling grip.

I tend to withdraw in relationships. Is that part of this too?
Yes. Both clinging and withdrawing are ways of trying to create a sense of safety. In therapy, we explore how this works for you and what might be more helpful.

Can therapy help even if I’m not in a relationship right now?
Absolutely. Outside of a relationship, there is often more space to explore patterns, so that you don’t unconsciously repeat them in a future relationship.

Long-term stress can show up in many ways: poor sleep, constant worrying, feeling tense, physical complaints, irritability, or a low and empty mood. Often, the body remains in a kind of “on” state, even when there appears to be rest. You may feel that you no longer recover properly, that nothing really recharges you, or that you are slowly losing yourself.

In therapy, I work with ACT as a foundation. We don’t focus only on what happened in the past, but especially on how it is felt and how it shows up in your life now. You learn to make space for memories, emotions, and bodily sensations, without them continuing to overwhelm or restrict you.

Where appropriate, I make use of EMDR. Hypnotherapy can be helpful when responses are deeply embedded at an unconscious level, for example in cases of persistent tension, blockages, or a feeling of not being safe within yourself. It can also support nervous system regulation. Mindfulness helps restore contact with the here and now, so you can notice that the past is over, even if your body still reacts differently. We always work carefully, at a pace that follows you, and in an attuned way.

The goal is not to forget the past, but to experience more safety, space, and freedom of choice in the present.

Frequently asked questions

When is something considered trauma?
Trauma is not about how “severe” something was, but about whether your system was able to process it at the time. Even experiences that were not life-threatening can leave deep traces.

I don’t have PTSD. Can therapy still help?
Yes. Many people do not recognize themselves in a diagnosis, but do experience complaints related to unprocessed experiences. Therapy focuses on your symptoms, not on a label.

Do I need to relive my trauma?
No. We don’t work with repeated retelling or forcing exposure. You don’t have to relive anything in order to process it.

What if I feel very little, or become overwhelmed quickly?
Both are common after trauma. Therapy focuses on regulation and safety, not on “feeling more.” Everything happens at your pace.

Is EMDR always necessary in trauma therapy?
Not always. EMDR is effective for specific memories or triggers. With more diffuse or relational trauma, we often combine it with ACT, mindfulness, and body-oriented work.

Can hypnotherapy be used safely with trauma?
Yes. In my practice, hypnotherapy is applied in a trauma-sensitive way, with you fully in control and without re-experiencing. The aim is softening and stabilization.

Sometimes you get stuck because of a situation you cannot solve or change, such as loss, grief, a life-changing diagnosis, chronic complaints, or regret about choices made in the past. You may notice that you keep fighting against what is, or that you get stuck in sadness, anger, powerlessness, or emptiness. Often life continues on the outside, while inside it feels as if everything has come to a standstill.

In therapy, ACT techniques help you distinguish between what you cannot change and where you do have influence. Rather than striving for acceptance as an end goal, we explore how you can gradually make space for painful feelings, without them taking over your entire life.

Mindfulness supports learning to stay present with difficult emotions, without losing yourself in worrying or resistance. Hypnotherapy can help regulate the nervous system when emotions or tension seem stuck. It can also support processing and help you rediscover what matters to you and how to move forward. We always work carefully and attuned, with attention to your capacity.

The goal is not for things to become “okay,” but for you to be able to live with what is, in a way that fits you.

Frequently asked questions

Do I just need to accept this?
Acceptance here does not mean that you have to like it or approve of it. It means stopping the fight against what cannot be changed, so that space can open up for what is possible.

What if I remain stuck in sadness or anger?
That happens often. In therapy, we don’t focus on how long something “should” take, but on what helps you relate to these feelings without getting stuck in them.

Can therapy help if the situation is still ongoing, such as with illness?
Yes. Therapy does not only focus on processing things afterward, but also on learning how to live with life as it is right now.

I keep ruminating about what I should have done differently. Can that change?
Yes. Regret and self-blame are often attempts to maintain a sense of control. In therapy, you learn to relate to them differently, so the past becomes less forcefully present.

Is this the same as grief therapy?
Grief can be part of the therapy, but we work more broadly: with everything the loss or situation has stirred in you, and with how you want to continue living.

Can hypnotherapy help with stuck emotions?
Yes. Hypnotherapy can help gently loosen emotions and tension that feel difficult to access — always at your pace.

Addiction or dependent behavior can show up in the use of substances (such as alcohol, cannabis, or nicotine), but also in behaviors like pornography use or eating behavior. Often, this behavior serves an important function: it dampens tension, sadness, emptiness, or inner restlessness. At the same time, you may start to feel as if you are losing control, accompanied by shame, doubt, or an ongoing inner struggle.

In therapy, we work with ACT as a foundation. We don’t focus only on stopping or reducing the behavior, but especially on what the behavior means for you and how it relates to what you find important in your life. By looking at this with openness and compassion, space emerges to explore other choices, instead of remaining stuck in control or self-blame.

Mindfulness helps you notice cravings, urges, and automatic impulses without immediately acting on them. Hypnotherapy can be supportive in deeply ingrained patterns, for example when behavior is automatically used in response to stress, loneliness, or tension. We always work carefully, attuned to you, and without coercion.

The goal is not perfection, but greater freedom and awareness, so that the behavior no longer runs your life.

Frequently asked questions

Can I return to recreational use?
This varies greatly from person to person. For some people, controlled or recreational use is possible; for others, it turns out to be a slippery slope. In therapy, we explore this carefully and realistically, often through conscious experimentation, evaluation, and adjustment. There is no fixed answer in advance.

Do I have to stop completely?
No. Stopping can be a choice, but it is not always the starting point. Together, we look at what is helpful and achievable in your situation.

Does this also apply to pornography or eating-related addiction?
Yes. With eating or pornography-related behavior, it is often not about “weakness,” but about automatic ways of dealing with emotions, stress, or emptiness. The approach is comparable to that used for substance use.

Why does cutting down or stopping keep failing, even when I really want to?
Because this behavior is often connected to the nervous system and unconscious patterns. Willpower alone is usually not enough.

What if I’m afraid of losing something if I stop or cut back?
That fear is very understandable. In therapy, we take it seriously instead of pushing it away. Precisely because of that, more freedom of choice often emerges.

Can hypnotherapy help with addictive behavior?
Yes. Hypnotherapy can help soften automatic reactions and deeply ingrained patterns, and create space for different behavior, always with you remaining in control.

Do I need to know right away how long I want to come for?
No. You don’t need to decide on a fixed course in advance. Therapy is not a subscription, but something that develops gradually over time.

Is a single session also possible?
Yes. Sometimes one or a few sessions are enough to help you move forward again, for example with a concrete question, a stuck situation, or very strong motivation.

What if I start to doubt after a few sessions?
Doubt is sometimes part of the process. That is actually something we can explore and discuss together.

Are more sessions always better?
No. More is not necessarily better. What matters is what is effective and appropriate for you.

Lifestyle difficulties are often not about a lack of knowledge, but about patterns that have become stuck. You know what is good for you, yet notice that it’s hard to maintain. This can include difficulties with healthy eating, being unable to lose weight, lack of movement, poor sleep, not taking time to relax, or not setting boundaries. Stress, emotions, and automatic habits often play a major role.

In therapy, we work with ACT and hypnotherapy as a foundation. ACT does not view lifestyle as something you should do, but explores how your behavior relates to what truly matters to you. Instead of being hard on yourself, you learn to make space for discomfort, fatigue, or doubt, so you can make different choices without forcing yourself. Mindfulness helps you become more aware of signals from your body, such as hunger, fullness, tension, or exhaustion. Hypnotherapy can be supportive with persistent patterns that have settled at an unconscious level, such as emotional eating, procrastination, or repeatedly crossing your own boundaries.

The goal is not a perfect lifestyle, but a way of living that is sustainable and fits you.

Frequently asked questions

Why can’t I stick with it, even though I’m motivated?
Because lifestyle behavior is often automatic and connected to stress, emotions, or habit. Motivation alone is usually not enough.

Is this suitable if I want to lose weight?
Yes, but we don’t work with diets or strict rules. We focus on developing a healthier relationship with food and your body, so that change can be sustainable.

I use food to cope with emotions. Can that change?
Yes. In therapy, we explore what eating does for you and how you can learn to relate to emotions in other ways, without taking anything away from yourself.

Do I need to completely change my lifestyle?
No. Small, manageable steps are often more effective than big changes that are hard to sustain.

Can hypnotherapy help with lifestyle issues?
Yes. Hypnotherapy can help loosen automatic patterns and allow new behavior to emerge more from within, always at your pace.

Unwanted behaviors such as nail biting, hair pulling (trichotillomania), or skin picking often arise automatically, without you consciously wanting them to. The behavior may temporarily reduce tension or provide distraction, but afterward it often leads to shame, frustration, or self-criticism. The more you try to stop, the stronger the urge can sometimes become.

In therapy, we often work with hypnosis techniques as a foundation. We don’t focus only on stopping the behavior, but primarily on learning how to relate differently to the underlying tension, urges, and restlessness that drive the impulse.

Hypnotherapy can help interrupt unconscious patterns and strengthen motivation to stop. It can be supportive in addressing deeply ingrained habits that have become fixed at an unconscious level. We always work carefully and without coercion, with attention to your pace and motivation.

Mindfulness can be a small part of this therapy, as it helps bring the unconscious into awareness. It supports noticing signals of urge or tension earlier, so you don’t act automatically.

The goal is not complete control, but greater freedom of choice, so that the behavior becomes less automatic and has less influence on your life.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I do this, even though I don’t actually want to?
Because this behavior often arises automatically in response to tension, boredom, or emotional unrest. It says nothing about a lack of willpower.

Is this a form of addiction?
The behavior can feel addictive, but we don’t focus on labels. We explore how the behavior functions and how you can relate to it differently.

Do I need to stop the behavior completely?
Not necessarily right away. It is often more effective to first develop awareness and alternatives, rather than forcing yourself to stop.

Can mindfulness help with urges?
Yes. Mindfulness helps you recognize and tolerate urges without acting on them immediately.

Can hypnotherapy help with nail biting or skin picking?
Yes. Hypnotherapy can help soften automatic patterns and make new behavior more accessible, always at your pace.

Do I need to know right away how long I want to come for?
No. You don’t need to decide on a fixed course in advance. Therapy is not a subscription, but something that develops gradually over time.

Is a single session also possible?
Yes. Sometimes one or a few sessions are enough to help you move forward again, for example with a specific question or a situation where you feel stuck.

What if I start to doubt after a few sessions?
Doubt is sometimes part of the process. That is actually something we can explore and discuss together.

Are more sessions always better?
No. More is not necessarily better. What matters is what is effective and appropriate for you.

Some physical symptoms persist even when no clear medical cause can be found. Think of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS / spastic colon), chronic pain, shortness of breath, chest pressure, headaches, or ongoing tension-related complaints. These symptoms are real and physical, and they can strongly affect daily life.

In my work, hypnotherapy forms the foundation for this type of complaint. Hypnotherapy focuses on how the nervous system and the body respond — and have learned to respond. Symptoms may have developed during a period of stress or overload, but often persist even when that stress is no longer present (or is less intense). In such cases, the body has, in a sense, lost its ability to regulate normally, as can happen with IBS.

Within hypnotherapy, we work on restoring this regulation: allowing the body to re-experience what relaxation, safety, and smooth functioning feel like. ACT and mindfulness are used as supportive approaches to relate differently to tension, attention, and control, so that symptoms are not further reinforced by anxiety, avoidance, or constant focus.

We always work carefully, attuned to you, and alongside medical care — not as a replacement for it. The goal is not to force symptoms away or to “think them away,” but to help the body rediscover more space, calm, and flexibility.

Frequently asked questions

Are these symptoms “all in my head”?
No. The symptoms are physical and real. Therapy focuses on how the body and nervous system function, not on denying physical complaints.

Are these symptoms always caused by stress?
Not always. Stress can play a role in their development, but symptoms can continue independently afterward, because the body has learned certain response patterns.

Can hypnotherapy help if stress is no longer a major factor?
Yes. Especially then hypnotherapy can be helpful, because we work at the level of learned bodily responses, not only on stress or emotions.

Does this also help with IBS?
Yes. Hypnotherapy is widely used for IBS, because it focuses on regulating the gut–brain connection and the sensitivity of the system.

Do I need to stop medical treatments?
No. Therapy is always complementary. Medical care remains important and is not replaced.

What if my symptoms have existed for years?
Change is still possible. We don’t focus on how long something has existed, but on how the body is functioning now and what can be influenced.