About us
What can we do for you?
MARIËLLE VAN HOEK
Lawyer, certified mediator and divorce coach
‘happily divorced’
ELS STEENHAGEN
Sociologist, certified mediator and divorce coach
‘happily married’
Our services
How else can we help you:
MARIËLLE VAN HOEK
Lawyer, certified mediator and divorce coach
‘happily divorced’
ELS STEENHAGEN
Sociologist, certified mediator and divorce coach
‘happily married’
MARIËLLE VAN HOEK
‘happily divorced’
Lawyer, certified mediator and divorce coach
I always say: I am a lawyer, mediator, divorce coach and speak from personal experience.
Before starting out on my own as a lawyer-mediator, I worked at a law firm with a broad civil law practice. During that time, I developed a preference for family law cases because I am the type of legal professional who is fascinated by ‘personal problems’. As a family lawyer, I unfortunately often found that the conflict between (divorcing) partners only seemed to escalate through the involvement of lawyers, often on both sides.
It was not until my husband and I decided to separate in mid-2020 that I truly came to realise that a divorce is so much more than the legal and financial untangling of a marriage. Through my own divorce process, I personally experienced the major impact of the emotional and social aspects of a divorce. But also how many opportunities it offers!
For me personally, my divorce was an educational and enriching period. Naturally, it was a time marked alternately by anger, worry and fear, sadness, doubt and uncertainty, but also by recovery, freedom, autonomy, hope, confidence, reassessment and growth!
And although I realise that Marc and I were fortunate to be able to adapt our communication to our new relationship with each other, thereby creating a good future for all of us with confidence in one another, my own divorce inspired me to no longer support partners solely as a lawyer during a divorce, but to guide them through such a transformation process from different professional perspectives.
To complement my mediation skills, I then completed a wonderful training programme to become a divorce coach. I can now not only guide people through their divorce or relationship crisis from a legal and practical perspective, but also help them very concretely by offering insight into the inhibiting emotions so that they can be neutralised, and by providing tools to improve communication between them. My passion for this business, in which I have truly found a kindred spirit in Els, is that I want partners to experience that conflict really can offer an opportunity for growth!
Els Steenhagen
‘happily married’
Sociologist, certified mediator and divorce coach
Through personal experience, I know the impact a divorce or relationship crisis can have. Although I am happily married myself, my parents divorced and later remarried each other. As a teenager, I personally experienced how a divorce can affect not only the partners themselves, but the entire family and the whole system in which the relationship is situated.
The question of what makes two people who initially seem unable to work things out, who are stuck in patterns and hurt each other, unconsciously, sometimes also by staying together without having the power to change anything, has occupied me for many years and given me great insight.
Out of this interest in how social systems work and how the human factor influences them, I studied sociology. In my many years of experience as an entrepreneur and project manager at various social organisations, I learned to work in a structured and efficient manner, recognise conflicts and patterns, and analyse and solve complex issues.
These skills help me in my work as a mediator and divorce coach. I listen carefully, unravel patterns and provide the tools to rebuild communication and trust despite a conflict. Combined with my knowledge of social systems and human behaviour, I am able to support people professionally and decisively in making practical, concrete arrangements that are acceptable to both parties, while taking into account the interests of everyone involved, especially any children.
Whether it involves reaching agreement before, during or after a divorce process, or achieving personal goals: I find great satisfaction in working with people, listening to their needs and supporting them in reshaping their relationship and reorganising their future. So that they can move forward stronger and more consciously; happily together or happily divorced.
