P s y c h o t h e r a p y
T r a u m a – i n f o r m e d & h o l i s t i c
“Contact is the source of our richest joy and our most intensely painful moments.”
WELcome!
for whom?
You are most welcome when you are struggling with issues around personal or professional relationships, conflicts, painful experiences, transitions, and issues related to purpose in your life.
I usually work with people…
- who have some life experience: 40+
- who function weel in the role of leader or professional and who – behind a mask of competence – suffer from insecurities and feel that they are not realizing their potential is.
- who have difficulty to deal with anger, boundaries and conflict: often women.
- who suffer from traumatic experiences at work.
What is troubling you?
do you recognize this?
Time and time again you find yourself in the same uncomfortable situation and wonder why this is always happening to you.
You are entangled in a conflict and don’t know how to deal with the situation.
You get stuck in old behavioural patterns that no longer work for you and that make you feel insecure and unfree.
You have the feeling that you live your life with the handbrakes on and you find it difficult to be yourself.
You mostly live in your head and have difficulty to feel what you need and therefore you allow others to cross your boundaries.
You disconnect when you feel under pressure and feel isolated and lonely.
You realize you still suffer from old wounds resulting from difficult experiences in the past (e.g. emotional neglect; unhealthy family dynamics).
You are confronted with change, loss and a moment of transition in your life and wonder: where do I go from here? (e.g. empty nest; divorce; job loss; retirement).
You are exhaused ant have a “burn-out”, but to you it feels more like “soul fatigue”…
You have lost yourself in all the duties and the speed of life, and you want to reconnect with what you really want.
Background & inspiration
GESTALT – the therapy of contact
As a Gestalt therapist I work with what is in the foreground for you, here and now. This process of increasing awareness is our main focus.
An important topic is the quality of contact: contact with yourseld and contact with others. We explore what is getting in the way of connection, and you experience how you can move more freely in your relationships and in life.
Disconnection is not pathology. Your current patterns under stress were – from this perspective – a ‘creative adaptation’ in a difficult or overwheling situation.
What happens in the space between us during our conversations is a kind of micro-cosm where your patterns of relating will manifest themselves, where you can try out new things and where I can give you resonance and feedback.
Your personal and professional world is an important healing factor in the therapy (e.g. relational support; resources). Therefore I will invite you, on a regular basis, to experiment in your life (e;g. ask for feedback).
Your life is where the real therapy and healing take place!
from surviving to living life fully
steps towards healing
I want to offer you a safe space where you can slow down and become still.
We pay attention to being more grounded in yourself and in life, so you can trust your body, feel your needs, protect your boundaries and take up space.
You become more aware of what triggers you and when you feel unsafe or under pressure. Gradually you will notice moments of activation where you start protecting yourself.
We explore with compassion how your old behavioural patterns – that used to protect you! – were necessary and intellingent at the time. You become aware how these protective mechanisms now start to become a burden.
You acknowledge the intelligence of those protective behaviors, and allow more space for something new to emerge.
Step by step you can feel old wounds and take them seriously. The blockages can melt and life energy is released.
You develop physical and emotional self-regulation, enabling you to stay – from a mature and integrated place – more ‘present’ with difficult situations and challenging relationships.
You reconnect with what really drives and inspires you, who you are and how you want to show up in your life and at work. This will make choices more easy.
You engage in courageous conversations or restore relationships, so you feel autonomy and agency.
You experiment with new behavior and take steps towards more freedom, conscious choices, bringing your potential in the world and live life more fully.
“Trauma compromises our ability to engage with others
by replacing patterns of connecction
with patterns of protection.”
approach
holistic
We work in a holistic way and on different levels of experience:
- mental: e.g. blocking inner voices
- emotional: e.g. the capacity to feel your anger
- somatic: e.g. the ability to feel yourself; self-regulation
- meaning: e.g. living in line with your soul purpose
- relationships/ecosystem: e.g. your family of origin; your personala and professional relationships.
In addition to conversations, there is also room for experiment, practice and experiences. We can use for instance:
table constellations – healing writing – creative assignments – visalisations – breathwork – drawings – somatic practices – photography chair work – nature as a resource – experimenting with transparant communication – conversations with/between inner parts – creating a ritual
“Your capacity to respond to another from your authentic core depends on your level of availability.
When you are stressed or contracted by overwhelm, you will be less available, less able to respond from your core.
Stress generates reactivity rather than responsiveness. In significant stress you may feel cornered, threatened, taxed. (…)
As we practice transparant communication, we develop the capacity to sense and expand inner spaciousness, presence, and availability and to honor the rights of being, becoming, and belonging.”
contact & INTAKE
let’s meet
Can you relate to the way I work? Then you are most welcome!
Please contact me via mail or via the contact form below.
Then we can schedule your intake.
silvia@circlesforconnection.be
I will send you an intake form. Thank you for sending it to me before we meet.
During the intake we will explore if and how we can work together.
Looking forward to meeting you!
about SILVIA
What drives me
My name is Silvia, 62 years, mother of three adult children.
As long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by relationships, contact and conflict, especially the undercurrent that is alive between people.
I always wanted to understand why people are the way they are, and why relationships can be so complicated. How can you just be yourself? How to get rid of old burdens and wounds, and live a lighter and free life? How to contribute to the world in your unique way?
Through my studies, further training, novels and professional literature, the ‘bumpy road’ of life and through my own healing process, I have deepened my insights.
With an experience of over 33 years in organisations, I am particularly in touch with the relational challenges at work and mental suffering in professionals contexts.
I look forward to accompanying you on your path.
education
Master in Clinical Psychology (registration number 632113541 – visum 347059)
Gestalt therapist (IVC)
additional training
- The Power of Embodied Transformation (Coaches Rising)
- Neuroscience for Change (Coaches Rising)
- Foundations of Embodiment Certificate (Embodied Facilitator)
- Different trauma modules (Ybe Casteleyn)
- Trauma training C2Trauma2Peace (Erik de Soir & Jessie Delooz)
- Transforming the Living Legacy of Trauma (Janina Fisher, Mens)
- Polyvagal Theory (Deb Dana)
- Yoga Teacher Training (Yogalife)
- Breath (Studio Zuid)
- Somatic Experiencing (year 1, Traumahealing Belgium)
- The Art of Attunement (Thomas Hübl)
- Navigating the Levels of Trauma (Thomas Hübl)
- Summer intensive week (Thomas Hübl, 2024)
- Timeless Wisdom Training, Academy of Inner Science (Thomas Hübl, 2025-2026)
PRActical information
Welcome in my homey practice!
car
Easy to reach by car. My street is one way traffic.
During the day parking is usually quite easy in my street or the surrounding streets.
Attention: since January 2026 you need to pay in this zone: 2,50 €/hour.
BUS
There is a bus stop at a distance of 200 meter (bus stop “Naamsepoort”).
TRaiN
From Leuven station you can take a bus or rent a Bluebike.
From station Heverlee it is a 10 minute walk.
bicycle
There are bicycle racks in the street.
Please make sure not to put your bike against my neighbors’ facade.
There is no waiting room, so please be on time.
Broekstraat 32
3001 Heverlee
dog
I have a dog. If you like, he can join us.
schedule
Tuesday: 10am – 6pm
Wednesday: 11am – 7pm
sessions
A session lasts 1 hour (60 minutes).
I take breaks of 30 minutes between sessions, so we can wrap-up our conversation without any pressure.
LIVE Or ONLINE?
You are most welcome in my homey practice in Leuven.
We can also work online (Zoom). A combination is also possible.
Cancellation policy
Please warn me at least 48 hours before your scheduled sessions, otherwise I will need to charge you.
fee
90,00 € for a session of 60 minutes.
payment
You can pay via your bank app.
If we work online, you can pay via bank transfer.
refund?
Make sure you inquire if your Belgian health insurance fund reimburses part of your therapy sessions.
closure practice
13 & 14 April 2026 (Eastern holiday)
