About me
Hello, I am Merel,
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I’m so glad you’re here!
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My journey took me from a fast-paced world of striving and doing, to a quieter, more mindful way of living in the Himalayas.
There, I learned what it truly means to listen — to myself, to others, and to the natural rhythm of life.
Among the mountains, I found not only a new way of working and being, but also a deep connection to mindfulness, Buddhist psychology, and the beauty of simplicity.
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I believe that mental well-being and inner peace aren’t luxuries — they’re essential.
And I believe that together, we can make the world a softer, kinder, more conscious place.
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You are welcome here — just as you are.
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But my life didn’t always look like this.
From the outside, my life looked perfect—a successful career, a packed schedule, always moving forward. But inside, I felt completely lost. Each day started with a knot in my stomach and ended with a body too wired to rest. I kept pushing forward until my mind and body forced me to stop. I developed PTSD and was confronted with everything I had suppressed for years.
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When the pandemic put the world on pause, my carefully built façade crumbled, too. No distractions, no excuses—just silence. And in that silence, I found a truth I could no longer ignore: I was not living in alignment with my own values. I no longer knew who I was without the constant movement, without the pressure to perform, without external validation.
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From surviving to feeling
A book on Buddhism stirred something deep inside me. I knew, without a doubt, that I needed to take a different path. I traveled to Nepal, to Kopan Monastery, where, for the first time, I experienced a profound sense of inner peace. For the first time, I realized I didn’t have to fight my pain. I could meet it with softness, breathe into it, and allow it to simply be.
I delved into Tibetan Buddhism, meditation, and psychology.
I learned that trauma doesn’t just exist in your mind—it lives in your body, in your patterns, in the way you experience the world. Therapy, alongside meditation, helped me become gentler with myself. Slowly, I began to see not only myself but also others with more compassion.
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Why I do what I do
My journey didn’t just change me—it changed the way I want to show up in the world. Today, I support therapists, mindfulness teachers, and coaches—not through rigid strategies but through authenticity and softness. Because I believe that being visible doesn’t mean you have to shout. It means you can share, connect, and show up in a way that feels true to who you are.
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But above all, my journey has shown me that mental health is not a luxury—it is a fundamental right. Everyone deserves access to the support they need, regardless of their financial situation. Healing doesn’t happen in isolation. We need each other. We heal in connection, in shared stories, in small moments of recognition.
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What I once searched for in the Himalayas, I now hope to share—in my own way. So others feel a little less alone. So mental health is within reach for everyone. So together, we can create a softer, kinder world.
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With love,
Merel
