Hello, I'm Jan!

Let me introduce myself...

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From an early age I was curious about the world around me. I questioned what I saw and felt, and that curiosity first led me to study philosophy. Later, that same search took a different form in my work as a therapist and trainer.

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My own path has also shaped the way I work. For years I struggled with my sexual orientation before I could live with confidence as a queer person. I know the longing for connection and ecstasy, and how that longing can grow out of a childhood marked by loneliness and fear. For a time I sought numbness and escape through, among other things, substance use and risky behaviour. That is why I understand the pain and shame that can come with it. Through therapy and my training, I learned to meet myself with more compassion, and I bring that compassion into my work with clients.

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I find support in my connection with teachers and different wisdom traditions. Philosophy, mindfulness, Buddhism, and Gestalt therapy are guiding threads that continue to inspire me. They remind me that awareness begins in the here and now, and that the body is an essential guide. When you learn to listen to signals from within, you can adjust earlier and prevent a great deal of suffering.

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From this background I founded Kentauros, a place where therapy and ethics meet. The name refers to the Centaur (Greek: Kentauros), the mythical being that unites body and mind, instinct and reflection. For me, Kentauros symbolizes the heart of Gestalt therapy: a search for wholeness through integrating our different parts, the rational and the emotional, the personal and the relational, the individual and the systemic. In my work with individuals, teams, and organisations, I explore how awareness, embodiment, and reflection can strengthen one another.

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I’m mindful of the broader context we live in. Social systems and historical oppression continue to shape us, and our disconnection from nature and the destruction of ecosystems ultimately affects us as well. At the same time, I’m an optimist and I believe other choices are possible. From that conviction, I’ve been volunteering for many years for the LGBTQIA+ community and environmental causes.

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For me, change begins with attention: to your body, your feelings, and the patterns that shape your life. In therapy, we walk alongside each other for a while, so that step by step you can experience more calm, clarity, and connection.

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Education, certification and work experience​

• Gestalt Therapy training (NSG Academy, Amsterdam)
  Completed professional training in Gestalt therapy at NSG Academy: an EAPTI accredited institute (European Accredited Psychotherapy Training Institute).

• Member of NVAGT and EAGT (professional associations for Gestalt therapists)
  As a member of the Dutch Flemish Association for Gestalt Therapy (NVAGT) and the European Association for Gestalt Therapy (EAGT), I meet international quality standards and continuing professional development requirements. Clients can expect careful, professional practice.

• RBCZ registered therapist
  Registered with the Register Beroepsbeoefenaren Complementaire Zorg (RBCZ). This means I meet quality requirements related to training, continuing education, and professional standards, with access to independent disciplinary oversight.

• Affiliated with SCAG (complaints and disputes procedure)
  For complaints and disputes in line with the Dutch Wkkgz. If a complaint were to arise, there is a clear, independent route for mediation and formal dispute resolution.

• PSBK certification (CPION accredited)
  Training in psychology and psychiatry.

• Master of Arts in Philosophy
  Focus on ethics, existential philosophy, and philosophy of science.

• Mindfulness and yoga
  Certified yoga instructor (YTT 200) with training in Eastern philosophy.