Sometimes I hear people say they are just the way they are and won’t change anymore. Through the Sustainable Change Program with Wendy van Mieghem, I have learned that change is indeed possible. Not just for me, but I have also seen my fellow students change in a sustainable way. The change I experienced has brought me more happiness both personally and in my work.

I completed a four-year training in Sustainable Change with Wendy. Over those four years, I was able to significantly improve myself, and I now reap the benefits daily in both my personal and professional life. Wendy is incredibly skilled at tuning in, providing personal feedback, and pinpointing what is needed. She has been an invaluable asset to me.

Anyone who asks me if I would recommend Wendy receives a twofold answer.

On one hand, a very clear yes! Because I have come to know Wendy as someone who vividly shows how challenging it is to navigate life with all your humanity. She thinks several steps ahead and devises a plan to best support your development (even if you’re not aware of it). She uses a beautiful combination of traditional and newer insights in doing so.

She also consistently offers personalized approaches, even when working with a group. I have also found her to be someone who doesn’t keep a distance but is willing to examine her role in the dynamics. In summary, if you want to take a step forward in your personal and professional growth, Wendy is definitely someone who delivers results, sometimes through an effective detour when needed.

Now, here’s the other side: you are either ready for Wendy, or you’re not. You shouldn’t approach her if you’re not prepared for someone to see through your nonsense, reflect back everything you’re avoiding, and consistently help you focus on what truly matters—something incredibly exciting. Her priority is always your growth and well-being, so she does this with love. But she doesn’t beat around the bush; quite the opposite. So, know what you’re signing up for… 😉

Wendy can carefully, tactfully, and decisively get to the heart of the matter. Even when it is painful. Or maybe I should say, especially when it’s painful. Thanks to her guidance in accepting my own humanity, I can stay mentally healthy in my work, with passion and enthusiasm. I wish this for every professional who works with people!

I found the sustainable change process I experienced during the 4-year Sustainable Change Program to be very valuable and empowering. It’s extremely helpful to get so close to your core in a safe environment. I feel that I have become more congruent with who I am and what I stand for, both as a person and as a professional.

I am less afraid of (the consequences of) my own emotions, pain, and flaws. This helps me handle them more constructively and makes the world seem clearer and less foggy. I now communicate more clearly and concisely. With Wendy’s help, not only have I been able to recover sustainably from the inside out, but I’ve also developed authentic, servant leadership skills over the past years.

Someone needs to poke through your own NONSENSE. Believing that Wendy wouldn’t succeed, I started a conversation with her over a year ago. It turned out to be the opposite: after an hour and a half of talking, she pinpointed the sore spot with ease. Now, over a year later, I have decided to continue the collaboration for at least another year because creating sustainable change from within takes time and space. The change I am experiencing in myself also positively affects my environment. I notice daily that I have qualities and sensitivities I usually hide by overthinking and working from my head. Achieving change and making an impact starts within yourself,  in the undercurrent. Once you realize this, you can better understand what you need—often different from what you want—and communicate it. Everyone can make lasting changes and needs them more than you might realize. Do you want to give yourself this opportunity? Then Wendy is the right person for you!

Wendy helps you embrace life’s unpredictability. She excels at asking subtle questions, providing clear explanations, and has a remarkable eye and ear for each person in the group. She teaches you to recognize your own patterns, judgments, and qualities in a way that serves your (mental) health and overall well-being. This allows you to take full responsibility for your personal and professional development.

The feedback I received from Wendy definitely struck a nerve during the training process. Sometimes it caused resistance, but in hindsight, it was always pure and precisely tailored to what I needed. Through trial and error, I have gradually learned to live more from my needs and desires. Wendy, drawing from her experience and integrative perspective, provided me with the tools necessary to stand firmly in my work from a place of calm.

Wendy quickly gets to the heart of the matter. The insights from the 5-day training sessions are applicable both personally and professionally. Why do I react this way? Why does the other person react this way to me? It’s very enlightening. As you gain more from the training, it also becomes more confronting.

It is remarkable to experience how well Wendy is tuned into each person’s individual process during the training sessions. Wendy can adapt the content of each training session in the moment to the unspoken individual needs and/or necessities of each person. As a result, each training is very enriching, and you leave with enough inspiration and tools to work with afterward.

I am very impressed with Wendy’s professionalism and depth (also with a lightness) in the area of ‘conscious living.’ She teaches people to recognize emotions, process them, and incorporate their humanity into their work. This creates a naturalness of change and development as a professional, and it keeps me balanced.

What I have learned from the training sessions with Wendy is that every person has their own perspective and experiences. This has taught me how much my view and experience of a situation can differ from someone else’s. The exercises help me to take the space to reflect on my own communication and actions. This brings calmness to contact, as well as compassion and a deeper connection in relationships with others.

My desire for depth led me to Wendy. Wendy conducts the training programs with a lot of passion, dedication, and in a very professional and careful manner. I have gotten to know myself better through the training. I can now let my emotions and feelings be more easily and am less likely to conflict with them. This brings peace and stability.

Wendy aligns with the group and teaches based on what is needed. The lessons are given in a structured and loving manner, with a lot of attention to you as a client. Wendy is a trainer, but also an equal as a person. The atmosphere is very safe for me. There is plenty of room for interaction.

The training turned out to be a path with its fair share of hurdles for me. Layer by layer, I examined myself under the professional guidance of Wendy. Her feedback ‘hit home,’ sometimes causing resistance, but in hindsight, it was always pure and precisely tailored to what I needed. Through ups and downs, I gradually learned to live more from my needs and desires. My fellow students were a great support in this process. There was plenty of space to share experiences, and we often recognized ourselves in each other. Additionally, we laughed a lot and built a close bond. We still see each other every month after the training.

Much has changed for me during and after the training. It has directly influenced how I relate to and connect with my environment. Life no longer just happens to me, and people respond differently to me. I am less driven by circumstances because I now better understand what I want. Of course, it’s not always easy to pursue that. It requires perseverance, honesty, alignment, feeling, and sometimes (material) sacrifices. Although I still sometimes lose myself, time and again I experience how much beauty it brings me. I feel balanced, have more (self)confidence, and receive what I need. Often not at the moments or in the ways I expect.

I have been working with children, youth, and/or their parents/caregivers for a few years now. This work demands a solid foundation, calmness, and a professional attitude. It’s necessary to be able to reflect on a meta-level and distinguish between what is mine and what belongs to the other. Wendy has provided me, through her experience and integrative vision, with the tools needed for this.