Who is Petra?

A bike ride along the Belgian coast.

Back in 2004, I went for a bike ride along the Belgian coast with my brother. Little did I know that this ride would change my life forever. My brother was talking about autism and how he thought he might be autistic. This was a time, where autism diagnoses were not that common.

Autism?

I’d heard of autism before—mainly from the movie Rain Man. That was pretty much all I knew. But that day, my curiosity was sparked. Later that evening, I stumbled upon an internet page about autism and noticed the word “highly sensitive” in the sidebar. I clicked on it—and from that moment on, my whole life changed.

An answer at last

I found Elaine Aron’s HSP test with 23 yes-or-no questions. I answered “yes” to 22 of them. That pretty much explained a lot. Until then, I always felt out of place—like the odd one out.

Being a young mom

At that time, my boys were 3 and 4 years old. I constantly felt like I wasn’t really “seeing” them. Something always seemed to come between us. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t give them my full attention.

So, I started digging into everything about being highly sensitive. I went to talks and workshops, learning how to handle it better.

Learning boundaries

Slowly, I got what boundaries really mean and how important they are! I learned to stand up for myself and claim my space. I saw how being highly sensitive ties into health and illness. My social life shifted, too—because not everyone takes it well when you start saying no or setting boundaries.

A new path unfolds

In 2005, I discovered family constellations—and finally found the answers I’d been searching for. My past was holding me back, especially my difficult relationship with my parents. I’d taken on too much responsibility for them, way more then I was supposed, being their daughter. They were emotionally unavailable, so as a sensitive child, I never felt truly seen or heard. Emotions just weren’t allowed in my family. I grew up with no real emotional mirror—only their unresolved issues projected onto me. Unsurprisingly, I developed psychosomatic symptoms early on—sensitive digestion, frequent sore throats. Only later did I realize that illnesses have deeper causes, and healing means addressing those roots.

Coming home to myself

Family constellations helped me claim my rightful place—daughter, not parent. I gave back the burdens that weren’t mine to carry. I untangled the knots and learned to spot and change destructive patterns. Bit by bit, I got closer to who I really am. I got to know myself better, and my physical symptoms faded away.

For five years, until 2009, I did a lot of inner work—and found peace. The best part? I could finally truly see my kids.

Starting my own practice

By the end of 2009, I knew it was time to share and pass what I’d learned. I launched my coaching practice, focusing on HSP, relationships, and sexuality.

My foundation comes from all my trainings and workshops, plus my own lived experience—something I draw on every single day.

I did my secondary studies in Kapelle op den Bos, studying Latin and Sciences at Sint-Theresiacollege. Later, I studied at IKPHO in O.L.V.-Waver and became a teacher of French, History, and Economics.

Here’s an overview of the trainings and workshops I’ve done: