A space to look at the whole picture, untangle old blueprints, and find your way back to yourself.
Hello, I'm Nicolle
I’m originally from the Netherlands, but I moved to Birmingham 23 years ago, and I absolutely love it here. This city has a grit, a warmth, and a down-to-earth energy that completely suits how I live and how I work.
Before retraining as a psychotherapist, my background was in nursing. Spending years on hospital wards, and later in occupational health, taught me a great deal about human nature, resilience, and what people look like when they are at their most vulnerable.
Over time, I realised that what I loved most, and where my real strength lay, was sitting with people, hearing their stories, and understanding the whole person behind the symptoms.
Alongside my private practice, I am the Head of Adult Services at a local low-cost counselling centre CIC. This means I work closely with our team, manage clinical standards, and ensure the highest levels of safety, ethics, and safeguarding are met every single day.
My Therapeutic Philosophy
My practice is Humanistic-Integrative. In plain English, that means I don’t treat you as a "case to be solved" or a list of diagnostic labels. I meet you as an absolute equal, with total openness to who you are.
I look at you holistically:
Your emotions and inner world
Your physical body and energy levels
Your environment and daily relationships
When life feels overwhelming, it isn't just "in your head"—it impacts your physical body, your stress levels, and how you connect with the world around you.
Looking under the hood: Blueprints & patterns
Our past experiences shape how we see the world today. During childhood, we create internal "blueprints" based on how our early caregivers responded to us.
If you experienced a lack of support or emotional connection growing up, it can leave you feeling easily overwhelmed as an adult. When stress hits, you might find yourself:
Flipping into hyper-drive: Feeling anxious, panicked, or constantly on edge.
Shutting down completely: Feeling numb, exhausted, frozen, or disconnected.
On your own, these old survival patterns are incredibly hard to break because they operate automatically. In our sessions, we gently bring these hidden drivers into the light so you can finally understand why you react the way you do.
How change actually happens
I believe that because our psychological wounds were created in relationships, they can only be truly healed within a safe relationship. Our therapeutic connection is the vehicle for change.
A Sturdy, Human Container: I provide a maternal warmth that is deeply safe and consistent, paired with a robust clinical background. You don't need to tidy yourself up or hide the messy parts of your life before you come to see me. I can hold the heavy stuff with you.
Working in the "Here and Now": I am an interactive therapist, not a silent wall. Sometimes, the old patterns and expectations you carry from past relationships will show up right inside the room between us. When those old feelings come alive in the session, we face and process them together in real-time.
Building a New Foundation: By repeatedly accepting and holding your feelings exactly as they are—especially when they feel raw—we work together to build a strong, lasting foundation for your emotional life.
Healing is profound, foundational work, but it isn’t all gloom. Because our relationship is real and human, our space always holds room for genuine warmth, lightness, and authentic connection.
Professional Accreditation:
I am a fully Accredited Member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy), meaning my practice is held to the highest professional, ethical, and legal standards in the UK.
