I made myself one promise for 2025: all my work would be done in co-creation with others. No solo projects. No isolated expertise. Only collaboration and hopefully co-creation.
I’m pleased—and a little proud—to say I kept that promise.
As the year draws to a close, I’d like to share some reflections on a year of growth, learning, and connection, and offer a glimpse of what lies ahead in 2026.
Creating Space for Deeper Collaboration
To make room for meaningful partnerships, I made several deliberate choices in 2025. I continued my private practice Attune.nl only with clients who wished to integrate knowledge and insights from applied neuroscience into their professional work, allowing us to learn together through neuro-based applications. I also stepped back from my advisory committee role for Fontys HRM en Toegepaste Psychologie and concluded my work as group-supervisor for Social Work students at HAN University of Applied Sciences.
The space that opened up did not remain empty. Instead, it soon filled with three defining new activities:
Co-Authoring a Comprehensive Supervision Handbook
Together with Louis van Kessel, I co-authored Supervisie voor Coaches, a 364-page handbook written in Dutch. We’re now working on the English edition—and no, this is not something you can run through AI and call it done.
Supervision always lives in context. It is shaped by how a coach works, how experienced they are, the clients they serve, and the organizational setting they move in. Good coach supervision starts with understanding a coach’s real-life practice and where they are in their professional growth. It also means staying attentive to systems, relationships and culture—especially when coaching happens in or around organizations. That grounded, theory-and-practice-based depth is exactly what our book offers.
I’m deeply grateful for the collaboration with Louis and for the support of our publisher Eric Vullers and editor Liesbeth Rienties. Writing this book proved far more demanding than I initially anticipated, but I’m proud of what we’ve created together.
Designing a Peer Learning Program for Neuroplasticians
Since 2024, I’ve been part of the npnHub | Uniting Experts and Learners in Applied Neuroscience as a Master Neuroplastician. This allows me to bring advanced neuroscience insights into my work as a leadership coach and supervisor, making neuroscience truly come alive in real-world practice.
In 2025, I had the privilege of co-designing, with Deirdre Morrison, a peer-group supervision program for neuroplasticians, launched in December. The program supports credentialing at three levels—Associate, Professional, and Master—through “Neuroplastician Practice Alignment Review Sessions” (NPARS). These sessions strengthen professional practice while directly supporting participants in their credentialing journey.
I’m grateful to collaborate in the strategy team with Dr. Justin James Kennedy, Gordana Kennedy , Deirdre Morrison , and Willem Royaards (M.NpN), contributing to the Institute’s development and organizational strengthening. I also deeply value the expertise and commitment of Liz Guthridge as a colleague M.npn and supervisor, and Shirene Dovey for her outstanding support as a community manager.
Researching Decision-Making
One of the unexpected highlights of 2025 has been collaborating with Selma Kalkavan,Phd,PCC. Our partnership grew naturally after meeting in the Neuroplastician community, and a first article quickly led to a second as we continued exploring “Decision-Making with Heart and Mind.”
We started our research with an online survey among leaders from our networks in the Netherlands and Turkey. In a second phase, we tested the same hypotheses using AI-powered voice analytics through the Reflection Intelligence platform ArtOfThinking, collaborating closely with neuroplastician-peer Leonard Khirug. This work has resulted in several attune.nl/publications, sharing our findings with a broader audience.
For me personally, conducting research and writing beyond literature studies has been deeply rewarding. Exploring the intersection of neuroscience, leadership and human decision-making has been both inspiring and educational.
Looking Forward to 2026
There’s nothing more energizing than collaborating with curious, committed colleagues who are fascinated by the human brain-body system. I’m excited to further explore neuroscience and leadership from the perspective of the nervous system with Andrea Edmondson. We’ve begun co-writing in 2025 and meet regularly online to refine ideas and translate our experiences and insights into words for a new book in 2026.
Some have asked: “You used to travel the world—now you work behind a screen. Is that what you truly want?”
A decade ago, before the pandemic, I thrived on global travel for consultancy and leadership coaching. Then COVID pandemic changed everything. Moreover, five years ago my partner was hit hard with LongCOVID. Travel, long walks, and most social gatherings are no longer possible together.
Yet our quieter life has opened space for deep focus: writing, research, and online co-creation. Not the life I imagined—but adaptation has revealed something powerful. This is neuroplasticity in action: our brains rewire, create new pathways and meaning amid change. We can all flourish even when plans shatter.
Looking ahead to 2026, I am open to individual clients for executive coaching, group-supervision, (co-)writing articles, workshops and a few keynotes for organizations; all from the perspective of applied neuroscience.
Thank you for being part of my world, your curiosity, and collaboration make this work meaningful. If you’re intrigued by applied neuroscience, the neuroplastician credentialing program, or exploring leadership and coaching through a neuroscience lens, let’s connect.
Here’s to a new year of connection, co-creation, and courage to focus on what truly matters to our hearts!
