— about me
Hi! I’m Lianna, a holistic therapist in Rotterdam
From a young age, I’ve been fascinated by subjects such as happiness, mental wellbeing, finding meaning, self-healing and alternative medicine. This fascination led me to study psychology. During my studies, I became ill myself. What I had kept buried for so long came to the surface, and I underwent intensive therapy. That therapy helped me enormously. At the same time, I also experienced what it’s like to be approached primarily as a diagnosis, and how the person behind it can then fade from view.
When I returned to university afterwards, everything in me felt that I no longer belonged there. What I was learning about the human psyche felt flat: numbers, labels, diagnoses. It didn’t fit with what I had experienced myself. I didn’t want to wait any longer. I wanted to take action and help people in the way I had so deeply missed: to be seen as a person, not a diagnosis.
My studies and work in mental health gave me a solid foundation. At the same time, I felt that the bigger picture was missing and saw how much people needed a broader approach. I also believe there is great power in the human connection between client and therapist. That’s why meeting as people and equals is at the heart of my work, and why I work with empathy, connection and life experience.
All these reasons led me to start my own practice. As a holistic therapist, I see myself as a mirror and a catalyst. I’d be happy to help you find the imbalance that prevents you from living fully from a place of strength and happiness. Drawing on my background in psychology, but above all as a fellow human being, I’ll help you explore the experiences and beliefs that are holding you back. I’d be glad to stand by your side on your journey of discovery and healing.
Don’t be surprised by how quickly life can change when you decide to take better care of yourself
— what a course of therapy looks like
Combination of techniques
Cognitive approach
Our lives are shaped by the sum of our experiences. We form beliefs based on these experiences. Most of us reach a point where these (unconscious) beliefs hold us back. Together, we’ll look for the root cause.
Body-oriented therapy
In holistic therapy, the body plays an important role. To support healing on this level too, we use techniques such as breathing exercises, movement, and awareness of what is happening in your body and energy.
EMDR
EMDR is a method widely used to help people process distressing experiences. By stimulating the brain in this way, it sets the processing in motion. This can reduce emotional distress and help you cope better with your trauma. We’ve seen EMDR achieve significant results in a relatively short time.
Progressive psychological approaches
Beyond the widely known cognitive approach, there are many more roads that lead to Rome. I also work with other schools of psychology that are often not included in standard mental health treatment programmes. These include inner child work, the psychology of selves and depth psychology.
At Holistische Therapie Rotterdam, we work with a team of specialists. Take a look at Our Team to find out more about what they do and how they could help you.
