Who I Work With
Expats and trailing spouses
Moving to a new country is one thing. Actually landing there is another.
If you followed your partner here, you may have left behind a career, a social life, and a version of yourself that made sense in a place that no longer exists for you. The loss is real even when nothing is technically wrong. You're trying to figure out who you are when all the context has changed.
If your job brought your family here, you might be carrying something quieter. Things are going well at work. Your family is adjusting. And you still wonder whether you asked too much of the people you love. Both of those deserve a space to be said out loud.
Men
Most men I work with have never done anything like this before. Some have been thinking about it for years and never quite got there. Others aren't sure they should be here at all.
You don't need a reason serious enough to justify asking for help. Being too depleted at the end of the day to be the person your family needs is enough. Feeling like you've lost yourself somewhere along the way is enough. Carrying something for a long time without dealing with it is enough.
I work with fathers who come home already empty, stay-at-home dads adjusting to a role nobody really prepares you for, and men who just want to talk to someone without it becoming a clinical exercise. Direct, conversational, no unnecessary weight added to it.
Burnout
Burnout isn't about not caring enough. It's usually what happens to people who cared too much for too long.
If you've hit a wall, you probably already know it. The work that used to mean something feels hollow. The people who matter most are getting whatever is left of you at the end of the day. You want to feel connected again but you can't find your way back in.
We work on what is actually driving it, not just the symptoms. That means looking at the patterns that got you here, what you've been asking of yourself, what you've stopped asking for, and what a more sustainable version of your life could actually look like.
Chronic illness and mental health
A serious diagnosis changes more than your health. It changes your sense of who you are, what your future looks like, and what you're allowed to want from your life. And when mental health starts to suffer alongside physical health, the two reinforce each other in ways that are hard to get out of alone.
I've been through that personally. I understand what it's like when the physical and emotional are so tangled up that you can't tell which one is driving anymore. If managing your condition has become its own mental load, that's worth talking about.
How We Work Together
Individual Counseling — €100 per session
One-on-one, 50 minutes, available online. We work at your pace on whatever is keeping you stuck. I don't follow a rigid framework. I pay attention to what's in front of me and adjust. Some sessions go deep. Others are more practical. Both matter.
Not sure if it's a fit? Book a free 15-minute consultation first. No paperwork, no commitment. Just a conversation to see if it makes sense to work together.
Walk and Talk — €110 per session
Walk and Talk is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of sitting in a room, we walk. And it works better than most people expect.
Movement loosens things. People say things on a walk that they wouldn't say sitting across a desk. There's less pressure, less formality, and for a lot of people that's exactly when honest conversation finally becomes possible.
I come to you. We meet near your office, your neighborhood, wherever makes sense. If you have a lunch break and an hour, that's enough. No commute to an appointment after work. No giving up time with your family on evenings or weekends. We meet where you already are.
Available in and around The Hague. Once you book, I'll reach out to confirm where we'll meet.
Not sure if your situation fits?
The people I work with don't always fit neatly into a category. If any of these sound familiar, reach out for support.
Anxiety • Burnout • Depression • Expat Life • University Student Life • Life Transitions • Career Changes • Parenting
Relationships • Men's Mental Health • Chronic Illness Support • Emotional Regulation
Don't see your situation up there? Reach out anyway. We'll set up a free 15-minute consultation and figure out together whether I'm the right fit to help.
Pricing
Individual Counseling: €100 per session
Walk and Talk: €110 per session
I believe access to mental health support shouldn't depend entirely on your financial situation. If cost is a barrier, reach out. I'm happy to discuss payment and sliding-scale options.
Cancellation Policy
I ask for at least 48 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule. Cancellations with less than 48 hours notice may be charged a €50 late cancellation fee. No-shows are charged the full session rate.
A note about how this works
The Schmidts Institute is a private-pay practice. Sessions are not billed through the Dutch basic health insurance system and are not covered by the GGZ. I am licensed as a social worker in the United States and am not registered under the Dutch BIG Act.
The Schmidts Institute is a member of the Nederlandse Federatie Gezondheidszorg (NFG) and participates in the complaints and disputes arrangements provided through NFG under the Wkkgz. You can learn more at www.de-nfg.nl.