dr. Claartje van Sijl

dr. Claartje van Sijl

Coaching & training for academics

I am a counselor who helps academics flourish inside or outside science. My approach is personal, intuitive, philosophical and specific.

As a result, you will be able to enjoy your potential and get where you want to be: your next career move, your completed PhD, better collaboration with your colleagues, meaningful contributions to your field…

As an academic, do you

regularly feel stuck, stressed, lost?

 struggle with heavy workloads and performance pressure?

doubt your prospects and next career move?

You want:

thrive: working with purpose, ease, and a proper work-life balance

trust your expertise, performing optimally without burning out

clarify your own path towards professional succes and fulfilment

As a professional counselor / coach I offer a clear mirror that helps you find a new way forward. Through a combination of philosophical wonder, deep empathic listening and intuitive, embodied coaching. I hold space for “not-knowing” and both our experiences of being human. So you can discover unexpected angles and find new impulse for shaping your work / life.

As supporter of academics, do you

fear research projects will be delayed or abandoned?

see your staff struggle with stress, frustration, low morale?

worry about the drop-out risk and incurring costs?

You want:

to ensure the successful completion of research projects

 your staff to grow professionally and care for their wellbeing

 the freedom to offer the best of your scientific expertise

I offer inspiring process support for academics. As a professional coach / trainer who knows the academic environment from the inside. With special focus on mental wellbeing, personal leadership, and sustainable employability.

Apply here for a Right Question Session!

I offer you a free 30-minute conversation via Skype or phone. Together we determine:

  • your exact question and
  • the next step you can take to answer it

Asking the right question is often more helpful than a quick and easy answer.

What others say about Claartje:

I got to know Claartje during a workshop which she gave at our institute. She triggered me with a visualization exercise. A bit later, I contacted her privately with my question: “I don’t know what I want to do after my PhD. Actually, I don’t know whether I am doing what I like in my PhD.” I did not feel happy in my work and this had consequences for my feelings of happiness in my private life. In our first personal meeting Claartje stirred my heart and we discovered the source my insecurity. Walk-and-talks with Claartje were always very pleasant in a beautiful environment. She asks direct questions to trigger you into thinking carefully, but she also leaves ample room for you to tell your story and determine the direction of the conversation. I always felt very much at ease with her. Her visualization exercises are stimulating. They provide clear anchors in difficult moments. I do not know yet what my future job will be, but I am confidently finishing my PhD. And I know how to go about my job search after that. Claartje has positively transformed my life. I thank and recommend her for that!

Claartje helped me through a big transitional time in my academic career. After our introduction session, she helped me realize the big picture, that I needed to think about my career more broadly than simply as a topic of study. At first this made me question my career choices even more, but as time went on I was able to see things in a more comprehensive way. I left the counseling with a much better understanding of my own interests, what I need to do to be happy with my work, and how to do it in a more effective manner.

I needed to order my thoughts about my research career, especially after I obtained my NWO Vidi grant. Claartje has a calm personality and communicates in an open and non-directive way. Her concrete tips were very helpful.