Karin Peeters - Coaching & Therapy

Published in the media: Let’s talk about getting annoyed. Why do we sometimes have big emotions about tiny things? And if someone annoys us, how do we tell if we have good reason to be annoyed, and how to know if we are overreacting? Let’s learn ways to prevent us from tipping over into full-blown anger.

Enjoy the full article here: www.vitaliscoaching.com/s/teen-breathe-annoyance.pdf, it's focussed on teenagers, but we are never too old to learn aren't we :)

Featured in Teen Breathe Magazine (Edition 50, August 2024), with special thanks to Kate Orson, the journalist who interviewed me for this piece.

Other media publications from over the years can be found here: www.vitaliscoaching.com/about/media.

Warmest, Karin

"Let the light within you shine as bright as the Diwali diyas (oil lamp)."

It's Diwali, and the Hindu Festival of Lights is celebrated today. A perfect reason to honour all that we are grateful for with good cheer. Diwali symbolises the tirumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowldege over ignorance.

Over the next day's I'll be paying particular attention to all that is abundant and good in my life. I'll be reflecting on the things that I've learnt that have helped me grow and heal, those people and experiences that have illuminated my dark times and shown me a lighter path and those acts of kindness shown to me by others.

These acts of gratitude and rememberance, recognition and celebration help me nurture my own light and hopefully shine a little more brightly for others.

With love and festive sparkles, Karin

Coach & Psychotherapist
www.vitaliscoaching.com

Photo Unplash, with gratitude.

I’ve been musing of late on my own unfolding journey to where I am now and it’s only when I look back with hindsight I can see how the dots join to form a path of absolute rightness for me.

Before my current life as a Coach and Therapist I worked in Sales and Marketing at Heineken, and while training as a therapist I worked part-time at the biggest male prison in London called Wormwood Scrubs. These experiences, whilst seemingly polar opposites, have both provided me with invaluable insight and perspective that informs my work today.

My time in corporate helped me get to grips with the jargon and political landscape my corporate clients experience and my time ‘behind bars’ has galvanised that sense of unphased, non-judgemental, open-to-anything approach which I know my clients appreciate.

My years spent in India and Nepal and my deep fascination with Eastern Philosophy has provided the spiritual and philosophical counterbalance to our western culture that I am so passionate about.

I wonder what it would have been like had I simply followed a straight path through school and university to psychology…not nearly as rich, I suspect.

My journey makes sense to me and I’m so grateful for it. How has your journey unfolded? And what sense are you making of it now I wonder?

Discover more about me, and possibly working together here: https://www.vitaliscoaching.com/about/karin-peeters. I'd be delighted to hear from you.

Warmest, Karin

As I’m sure you know already, my passion and focus is not simply to work at the surface with my clients but to help them identify and heal the causes of difficulties and bring deeper, more sustained and more holistic healing that enables them to truly live a wholehearted life of meaning. Which is why I am so passionate about EMDR Therapy.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy process is highly effective in its ability to get right at the root of some of our most challenging experiences of life. We all carry some level of trauma, whether that is a significant event, what we might call ‘big T’ trauma or a cumulative, series of challenging situations that compound over time and place immense stress on our nervous systems.

Have you ever had the experience of moving through your day and suddenly something happens, perhaps a small incident, seemingly insignificant and almost out of the blue you become flooded with unhelpful thoughts, sensations and memories that seem to be disproportionate and come from nowhere?

Perhaps you struggle in your intimate relationship because remnants of a past and difficult relationship seem to keep rearing their head. Small behaviours with your current partner make you feel unsafe and unsure; a certain look they give you; the absence of a hug or kiss triggers an intense feeling of rejection that spirals into feeling abandoned and unloved. Their coming home late without telling you triggers fear and starts a spiral of thoughts of infidelity and relationship breakdown. We can end up telling ourselves a convincing narrative about what is happening, yet it’s not based on the current reality, but rather a projection of what happened in our past as if it’s happening all over again.

Over on the blog I am exploring the facets of EMDR Therapy; what it means and how it works, I wholeheartedly encourage you to dip your toe into the blog and when you feel ready, I'm here to support: https://www.vitaliscoaching.com/blog/emdr-therapy.

Warmly, Karin

When a client shares the impact of our work together I am reminded of what a priveledge it is to do this work. To share in someone's journey, to offer support and guidance is an immense joy and made all the more worth it when I receive such lovely words of gratitiude.

I know that hearing each others stories also helps immensly in feeling less alone in our struggles and can sometimes be the little nudge needed to reach out and ask for help.

So I'm sharing this today with deep gratitude for my clients and in the hope that it might help someone feel a little less alone.

“Thank you Karin for being empathic, non-judgemental and caring. And for walking with me for a while along life’s road. You are an understanding and patient person.”
Herald Aldridge - London

You can read more reviews here (https://www.vitaliscoaching.com/testimonials) and please request a free Discovery Call if you'd like to explore how working together will bring more clarity, ease and joy to your life.

With gratitude,
Karin

I am grateful that World Mental Health Day, such an important issue for all our well-being, is slowly getting more air-time over the years. I hope that the more conversations and information we can share about our struggles and success with mental health will continue to reduce the stigma and grow the support and resources we need to keep us all well.

There are a wealth of resources on the blog (www.vitaliscoaching.com/blog) to support you with all aspects of your mental well-being and I warmly encourage you to explore. And if you have found yourself struggling, let today be the perfect 'excuse' to take some time for youself to put your mental health first.

Wherever you are on your journey, I wish you the reassurance to know that you are not alone.

With much love and solidarity, Karin.

Tomorrow is World Mental Health Day and to raise awareness I have been asked to facilitate a virtual training session for Epson, on the latest mindfulness based stress-reduction techniques. This year the theme of World Mental Health Day is "mental health at the workplace", and I applaud Epson for this thoughtful offering to their staff.

We invited over 1500 employees, no idea how many will show up, but for sure it'll be a first for me to present for so many people at the same time! Wish me luck, and may the instant calm these techniques bring have a positive ripple effect on their personal and professional relationships.

And a massive thank you to Shenara Jarrett, the Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Epson to trust me with this wonderful opportunity. Let's create magic together!

Warmest, Karin

Today on Mahatma Ghandi's Birthday and the International Day of Non-Violence we are reminded about the power of peace. Peace in ourselves and peace between each other is founded on something so simple, yet not always easy... love.

Love shapes and changes every aspect of our relationships and experience and it is something deep down we all crave. Deep loving kindness brings safety, open communication and a sense of belonging.

Healing the barriers to love within ourselves takes care and compassion, but any tiny step towards greater love for ourselves and each other is a step towards peace. If you would like support in navigating and healing the loving relationships in your life then I'm here to help. You can find out more here: https://www.vitaliscoaching.com/services/good-relationships-coaching-london.

And to honour Gandhi's birthday and this International Day of Non-Violence, I decided to have lunch at the local Indian restaurant, with a very fitting name :)

Warmly, Karin

Today is World Dream Day and in honour, I’d love to share a simple yet profound practice with you to interpret your dreams and discover their deeper meaning: www.innerpilgrim.com/dreams

I use it regularly with my clients and trust it'll help you unlock what your unconscious is trying to communicate with you via your dreams, how it relates to what is happening in your life, and what the message for your best way forward is.

Dreams provide such a rich landscape for discovery, artistic inspiration and of course the beginning of new ideas. Since before Shakespeare, poets the world over have courted the muse via their dreams and artists have drawn us visions of what has unfolded behind their closed but curious lids.

Dreams are a fascination too for Psychotherapists, in fact a part of my training was dedicated to the exploration of dreams and dream analysis, and I have to say it enchanted me then and still does. I am happy to share this powerful technique with you:

D I S C O V E R W A K I N G D R E A M T E C H N I Q U E :
Click here: www.innerpilgrim.com/dreams

Be warned if you’re looking for a paint by numbers dreams interpretation dictionary this isn’t it, rather it is a way to gain deeper insight into your own rich inner landscape and connect with your innate wisdom.

The practice is known as the Waken Dream Technique and with its foundations in Jungian Psychology, has been developed by Nigel Hamilton who was the founder of my Psychotherapy college and has an immeasurable passion for dreams and their potential for our awakening and development.

If you’d like to know more and explore the hidden message in your dreams, you can find the post here: www.innerpilgrim.com/dreams

Wishing you sweet dreams,
Karin xx

When life is stormy (and it certainly is in the UK!) sometimes we need to know how to embrace the RAIN. Over on the blog today I share a beautiful and simple four-step practice from Dharma teacher Tara Brach to help us come to acceptance and find peace with whatever is happening in our external world and inner landscape.

🌦️ Recognize what is going on;
🌦️ Allow the experience to be there, just as it is;
🌦️ Investigate with interest and care;
🌦️ Nurture with self-compassion.

I invite you to try out the process and would love to hear how you get on:
http://www.vitaliscoaching.com/blog/rain-tara-brach

Learn how these four steps of RAIN can help you move through the eye of the storms of life, and out to the other side with kindness and empathy for ourselves. As always, I hope you find some inspiration and uplift in my words, and I would love to hear your thoughts as you explore the process of RAIN.

Learn more: http://www.vitaliscoaching.com/blog/rain-tara-brach

Wishing you a kind and compassionate day,
Karin



Photos Unsplash, with gratitude.

Om Mani Padme Hum, Salamu alaykum, Shalom aleichem, Vrede zij met u, Frieden sei mit dir, May peace be with you. On this International Day of Peace I wish to you the blessing of peace of body, heart and mind.

As I walk through today with that intention I hope the ripple will extend to everywhere and everyone who craves the safety, comfort and blessing of peace....

Metta Prayer:
May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature.
May all beings be free.

With a thoughtful heart and deep-felt prayers.
Karin

🌎

September always feels like a fresh start to me and a perfect opportunity to realign ourselves with what is most important and move forward with more clarity and momentum.

Finding the way is not always easy on our and so I have created an accessible, affortdable and inspirational short online coaching course to help you do just that.

"Find Your Path" (https://courses.innerpilgrim.com/courses/find-your-path) is a quick yet profound way to access your inner wisdom, find an aligned direction in life and enjoy more peace, calm and confidence.

You can find out all about it here: https://courses.innerpilgrim.com/courses/find-your-path and enjoy the confidence it brings for the next steps in your life!

Warmest, Karin

RECONNECT WITH WHAT MATTERS MOST
If you are a seeker, on a journey to find out what you want from life, who you wish to be, what life is asking from you, and what you can give back in return, then I can help. Life & Career Coaching or Psychotherapy sessions with me bring more depth, clarity, inner calm, fulfilment and ultimately more lightness as you travel through life. You'll feel more deeply connected with yourself, and as a result, more present for those you love.

WHY WOULD YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH ME?
Inspired by Eastern Philosophy, I use mindfulness, meditation and the wisdom, loving-kindness and compassion of Buddhism to enrich my Coaching & Psychotherapy work. Coming from a corporate background in Sales & Marketing at Heineken, I know what it's like to feel torn between doing and being, head and heart. And I've been where you are, needing to make a significant shift, and found the courage to reflect on life deeply and took the steps to make those changes. I can help you do the same.

Born in The Netherlands, I work in English and Dutch. I work remotely via online video call from wherever you are in the world.

WHAT'S NEXT?
My desire for all of my work is to meet you where you are and so I have created both Vitals Coaching & Therapy and Inner Pilgrim, to serve you in whichever way you feel most drawn. Feel invited to explore both websites and trust yourself and your instincts about where to begin to get more clarity on your path. Request your free Discovery Call on either of those websites, and I look forward to speaking with you.

Life is precious. What you do with it matters.

With love, Karin

LIKE TO DISCOVER MORE?
🌍www.vitaliscoaching.com
🌍www.innerpilgrim.com

FIRST STEP TO A MORE QUIET AND MORE POSITIVE MIND
I so frequently encounter people in my work who struggle with the fall out of managing negative and spiralling thoughts. We all at times can’t seem to help thinking the worst in certain situations and find ourselves in emotional turmoil as a result. It’s a painful place to be and sometimes we can really feel powerless to do anything about it.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) recognises that our thinking, our emotions, our bodily sensations and our behaviours are inextricably linked, and by changing the originating thoughts we can create wholly different and potentially much more positive outcomes for ourselves.

It's one of the many modalities I use in my work and it allows us to start to cultivate a wiser, more compassionate self-witness or observer to our thoughts, rather than being unwittingly led astray by the unhelpful thoughts themselves.

Worth exploring, and may my latest blog post help you on your journey to more inner peace! I'll take you step by step through the powerful tool of a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Thoughts Diary to stop unhelpful negative thinking.

Enjoy a more positive mindset today: https://www.vitaliscoaching.com/blog/cbt-thought-record-negative-thinking.

Warmest, Karin

Never ceases to silence me, kind words from previous clients, this time from Ric:

“I have a new sense of momentum and purpose.”

“I am very grateful to have had therapy working with someone as kind, skilled and understanding as Karin. As I came to realise that I would benefit from counselling, I braced myself for discussing my struggles – something that personally didn’t come easily for me as a man instilled with all society’s messages about what it is to be male.

Bringing up years of personal baggage was a daunting prospect especially as I had allowed it to fester unchecked for so long. Nevertheless, I knew that there were many things I needed to raise to ensure there was hope of being able to move forward in my life.

From the moment I met Karin, I felt at ease and never judged for anything I brought to my sessions. Our discussions have led me to understand how many of my experiences and personal coping mechanisms have contributed to the issues that I have struggled to unpick for so long. This has given me an understanding of why I have struggled to move forward but most importantly an emerging way of thinking that I am working hard to build into my daily life. As our weekly sessions continued, I looked forward to every one and could feel a weight lifted off my shoulders as we continued to build on the issues stemming from my personal experiences.

Within a relatively short period of time, I can feel the noticeably positive effects that these weekly talks, perspectives and reasoning have had on my life at this moment in time. Moreover, this has also helped with an epiphany moment as to a career change I am now pursuing.

An added bonus is that I now know what is important to me for my personal growth, overcome with a new sense of momentum and purpose.

Thank you Karin for the role you have played in starting this journey for myself and the many others who can no doubt say the same.”

Ric - 33 years

Curious if Coaching or Therapy might be beneficial for you too? Leave your details here for a free Discovery Call: https://www.vitaliscoaching.com/free-discovery-call.

Warmest, Karin

Today is National Relaxation Day and what better excuse do we need to get up close and personal with what it means to truly relax?

The kind of relaxation I wholeheartedly encourage leaves us feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, but what I’ve noticed in my years of working as a coach and therapist, is that so many people struggle to recharge their batteries. Social media scrolling, comfort eating or tuning out with screen time (another series on Netflix, anyone?) may all look like relaxation on the surface, but they don’t allow us to rest into our bodies, calm the mind, soothe the soul and come away feeling enlivened and restored.

On the contrary, these activities might keep us stuck in an endless overwhelm-distraction cycle. They are actually so depleting, and not relaxing or recharging at all, leaving us with little spare energy to do anything else than, guess what, do another evening with only screens.

So what does it mean to truly relax? Enjoy the latest blog: https://www.vitaliscoaching.com/blog/trouble-switching-off.

Happy reading.

With love and relaxation, Karin

There is something truly profound about these words for me. I wonder as you read them and perhaps sit with them for a while, what occurs to you?

The reassurance that we are more than our physical bodies allows me to lean into a deeper sense of being interconnected. As I take a moment to be with that, I find an infinite space open up within, one that can be filled with compassion, patience, understanding and ultimately love. What a gift it is to be more than just flesh and bone... to have boundless, endless, wide open space in our hearts. Space that is filled with peace, a softness towards oneself, a limitless expanse for each other.

With love, Karin

Who sees you for who you truly are?

As you read this I am on a retreat with my teacher Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche at a Buddhist Centre in Yorkshire, UK. As you may know I regularly take time to spend on retreat to deepen my understanding and awareness by learning from fellow participants, from my own inner guidance, and especially from my teachers.

I am so grateful to those spiritual teachers that I am blessed to be able to spend immersive time with. Finding a role model who has the lived experience of what I’m going through on my emotional and spiritual journey is invaluable.

They are able to shed light into the dark spaces and illuminate my thinking and most importantly, hold a mirror up to the aspects of myself that I don’t always find it easy to see. This can either be my shadow side, but also the innate goodness in myself! The parts of me that are reflections of the divine, fully whole and loving, deeply compassionate and forgiving.

We all need to be held in high regard, we all need someone who has the capacity to look beyond our faults and human nature and believe in the possibility of our ultimate goodness.

In my work I strive to be such a mirror, to hold a light for my clients when they are not able to do it for themselves and it’s humbling work that I’m so grateful to be able to do.

Having role models in my life in the form of my spiritual teachers gives me footsteps to follow and, if I can continue to approach this work and this life with humility and a beginners mind, I know that the learning and the wonders will never cease.

A teacher who is able to look past the sometimes unhelpful everyday behaviours and respond to the core of our being is like soothing balm. Enjoy reading this golden-oldie blog post on the importance of having your soul mirrored back at you: https://www.innerpilgrim.com/blog/who-mirrors-your-soul

With love,
Karin

Hello fellow inner travellers, this week I am spending a still and soulful time on retreat with my Buddhist meditation teacher Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche at a Buddhist Centre in Yorkshire, UK. I thought you might like a little window into what goes on, so today I'm sharing a little of the behind the scenes of previous inward journeys with my Buddhist teachers in Nepal and India.

I've pre-scheduled this post as during the retreat I am switching off all devices.

Enjoy, much love Karin xx

Have you come across a little book with poems called The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran? It's formed of short chapters, with wise words on every possible aspect of life: children, giving, eating & drinking, work, joy & sorrow, houses, crime, laws, freedom, reason & passion, death, friendship etc. Here I am sharing his words on love and marriage:

On Marriage and Love by Kahlil Gibran

"Then Almitra spoke again and said,
And what of Marriage, master?
And he answered saying:
You were born together, and together you
shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when the white
wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the
silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance
between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond
of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between
the shores of your souls.
Fill each other’s cup but drink not from
one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat
not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous,
but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone
though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each
other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain
your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near
together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow
not in each other’s shadow."

The far-reaching attitude of generosity: Today is 'National Giving Something Away' - Day. An opportunity and invitation for us to embody the spirit of generosity and selflessness and consider giving away items, time or acts of kindness to others.

When I connect with the sentiment of this invitation my first thought goes to abundance. Meeting life in the spirit of abundance makes us so much more inspired and able to give. A sense of continued abundance melts away the need to grasp or hold onto things, introducing an awareness of the natural flow in life. It can be painful, yet freeing, to notice how things flow to us, through us to others, passing, fading, disappearing, like clouds in the sky. The coming and going of people, experiences and things, the seasons, the cycles, the natural rhythms of seed planting and harvest, of growth and decay. To be part of this web of giving and receiving, the natural order of life as it is meant to be.

Sometimes I’m mindful of how this natural flow can be interrupted, by too much clinging, a sense of lack, or a fear of being without. (Which, just to be clear, is very different to grieving, which I consider a sacred component of love.) I find that being generous, consciously deciding to give, whether it be my time, a smile or an act of service, a physical gift perhaps of food, the protection from fear, (spiritual) guidance, or something otherwise nourishing can restore that balance.

In the spirit of National Giving Something Away Day, my offering for you today is two-fold: Enjoy listening to my guided meditation to help you access your inner voice of wisdom. And create a little me-time with the profound process called Inner Compass, a four-step journey to bring clarity and insight.

MY OFFERING TO YOU TODAY : THE GIFT OF CLARITY

You can find a free meditation to support you in accessing the voice of your inner guidance via the platform InsightTimer here: https://insighttimer.com/innerpilgrim/guided-meditations/accessing-your-inner-wisdom-intuition-guidance-and-clarity

MY OFFERING TO YOU TODAY : THE GIFT OF INSIGHT

When deep inside you know that it is time for a change, but you’re not quite sure in which direction to go, Inner Compass will show the way: https://www.innerpilgrim.com/inner-compass

I hope that both bring you clarity, insight and greater peace.

My invitation is to consider where you feel fullness and plenitude in your life dear one, and the ripple effect that paying that abundance forward (in whatever way) might have.

I wonder what you might be inspired to give away today? I’d love to hear!

My warmest,
Karin

Thank you dear for our kind words # # #

Hello dear ones, summer when nature is in full bloom is a great time to make space for your own blossoming. We might find we naturally have a little more time over these summer weeks and I'd like to warmly invite you to turn that momentum towards yourself.

My online courses are beautiful, simple and yet profound ways to journey into yourself to find the fruit that is waiting for you. Each designed in a way that you can take at your own pace, to connect with your spiritual side and your deeper wisdom. I wonder where you will begin to find more clarity and direction in life?

Explore online courses here: https://courses.innerpilgrim.com/

Much love, Karin

I'm taking myself to the beach for a few days. On my own, with my journal, some books and my hiking boots (and flipflops, weather permitting!). I'm leaving tomorrow morning, so finishing up with lovely clients and admin today. How about you, when and how can you create a bit of a sanctuary for yourself, even if it's just a couple of minutes?

Go gently, Karin xx