Education, coaching and therapy for (expectant) mothers
Motherhood: an identity crisis wrapped as a maternity gift
Matrescence is such a significant change that it deserves its own word. As a certified matrescence coach and counselor, I guide women through the grand and bumpy transformation from maiden to mother .
Not to quickly return to your old self, but to be (more than) okay with the new. That relaxed mom you always envisioned – without the pressure of perfection.
Pregnancy support
Postpartum support
Motherhood support
after the baby stage
Collaborations
It takes a village to raise a child
The myth is that the postpartum period is a bed of roses and parenthood is something you'll simply grow into. Another myth is that you can just keep working and living as if you weren't a mother—and vice versa.
The reality is different. The postpartum period is a bed of tears, milk, and night sweats. Parenthood is like the Lowlands: everything is a mess, the music is too loud, everyone is shouting, and there's precious little sleep. As a parent of young children, that hangover and sleep deprivation has become a lifestyle. Combine that with a hormone cocktail et voilà: the ultimate breeding ground for stress, uncertainty, depression, and utter exhaustion.
Is it just part of it? Yes and no.
The Motherhood Movement
Whether you like it or not, motherhood changes your identity. And that, on top of caring, worrying, and parenting, is incredibly challenging. With one-on-one guidance and workshops, The Motherhood Movement helps you ease into a new era, or into the phase you've been in for a while.
Sometimes it's just a bit of whining , but mostly it's about getting better informed about what's happening in your mind and body, so you feel less guilt and insecurity. Because a multi-day festival is fun – but you can't enjoy it in this state. What would you enjoy? Being completely okay with everything that's happening – even if you hadn't planned it that way beforehand.
Discover what you like – and what you find important
I'll help you (re)discover who you were before your child turned your life upside down. Who are you, what do you enjoy—and what do you consider important in parenting? So you can make choices based on that, not on what people expect.
Collaborations
What The Motherhood Movement offers
1 on 1 support
Time to reflect, feel and grow – under the guidance of someone who understands.
Support for experting mums, post partum support or support after those first phase.
This is what you can expectL
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Free consultation (Early postpartum? Happy to drop by at your home).
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A combination of coaching, (psycho) education and therapeutic interventions, but mostly focused on your personal needs.
Location: You'll find me in Amsterdam and Bussum – or we can setup an videocall
Workshops and training
This is your village. No centering pregnancy, but centering motherhood.
While being alone allows for deeper introspection, connection can be incredibly powerful too. Hearing other stories in which you recognize yourself (or sometimes think, well, then my four hours of sleep per night isn’t so bad after all)
Have look at the latest offers in the Workshop agenda here. This includes (online) workshops, training, mini-retraites and events.
Pssst: Did you know you can also hire me as a (keynote) speakers or to host a workshop on location
(Business/health) Collaborations
Voor health workers and organisation who really want to support parents
The transition to parenthood is one of the most significant identity shifts a person can experience. Whether one wants it or not, it profoundly affects how individuals feel, function, and work. For instance, 29% of new parents experience burnout in the first year after their leave, with half of them facing long-term issues. Additionally, 38% leave their current job within a year.
This raises important questions:
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How can employers provide a soft landing after parental leave?
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How can healthcare professionals support new mothers not just physically, but also mentally?
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What can employers do when employees are going through a challenging phase?
This is what they say about The Motherhood Movement
Lianne has the sharpness to quickly grasp what's needed upon arrival. I was amazed at how much a few sessions helped me feel more confident about motherhood. I feel more positive and experience more joy. The sessions made a huge difference for me, and I've gained tools to continue on this path.
Mother of 2 young children
I'm incredibly happy with the sessions with Lianne. She's incredibly empathetic, and you immediately sense that she's an expert on motherhood and its challenges. At the same time, her approach is much broader than that: she understands exactly what I was facing, even beyond the realm of motherhood.
Mother of 3 year old son
I've tried many different forms of therapy, but thanks to the Motherhood Movement and Lianne's guidance, I've experienced profound change. I'm incredibly grateful to her for that.
Anonymously
I know what it's like to get lost between worrying, planning and performing
Hi, I'm Lianne
Nowhere are the judgments as harsh as those surrounding motherhood. You work too much, you work too little. You're too kind, too strict, too relaxed, or too controlling. There's always someone with an opinion. And when you're so tired, you start to believe it too.
After my maternity leave, I tried to work as if I weren't a mother—and vice versa. Naturally, I got quite tired of it. I saw myself sitting from a distance in my gilded cage as a global partner at Facebook—not really contributing anything to the world.
After my maternity leave, I tried to work as if I weren't a mother—and vice versa. Naturally, I got quite tired of it. I saw myself sitting in my gilded cage as a global partner at Meta from a distance—not really contributing to the world. My daughters were 1 and 3 years old when I collapsed from unresolved postpartum depression. Read this article from Ouders van Nu to learn how my story began.
Motherhood changes everything: mentally, physically, financially, socially, and professionally. And yet so many mothers think they're the only ones feeling exhausted. I find that so painful—and so unnecessary. Because there's a word for what you go through: matrescence. A transition so huge and life-changing that it's ridiculous that it's not talked about more.
As a certified matrescence coach & counselor, I help (expectant) mothers change what they don't want to accept – and accept what they can't change.
Matrescence Guide and Educator (Seasons of Matrescence™)
Certified integrative Coach & Counselor (Nederlandse Academie voor Psychotherapie)
Certified PSBK & MBK (Nederlandse Academie voor Psychotherapie)
Proud member of This is the Village in the role of Matrescence expert
When motherhood is hard for you
When is it 'bad enough' to ask for help?
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When it is impossible to answer the questions on how you are doing. That would be too complex to answer
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You feel that work-life balance is something from a fairytale.
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You feel like your always on survival or fight mode
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You something wonder if motherhood is something you really enjoy
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If you love both/all kids evenly
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Feel like you're playing hide and seek (and it is not the game)
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If you're daydreaming what life would look like if you made different (life) choices
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If you are wondering what is was again that you love enjoy doing.
That's not because you're a bad mother, it's because you're exhausted. You can't possibly be a fun, relaxed mom if you're hanging by a thread—so you can stop expecting that of yourself.
And making time to put yourself first. Impossible? Well, it is when you're stuck in the chaos of caring for everyone but yourself. Take small steps. Contacting me is a good start.