Who am I
I am a Palestinian-Dutch trainer working at the intersection of culture, emotion, and human connection. My BA in Cultural Anthropology and my Master in Business Administration taught me how people behave in groups, how cultures shape communication, and how organisations function under pressure. Growing up between two worlds shaped by conflict and deep-rooted fear made me attentive to what is voiced, what is hidden, and how oppression can alienate us from each other and from ourselves.
My Buddhist path, including an individual one-year silent retreat undertake guidance of a Tibetan Buddhist master, strengthened my capacity to stay present and to meet all human experience with calmness and compassion. Alongside this, I trained as a Certified MBSR facilitator, which helps me support people in bringing more awareness to to body: recognising the patterns of stress and the signals of boundaries so to be able to care better for themselves.
People often describe my style as warm, calm, and grounded. I do not shy away from heavy topics, yet I like to bring humour and lightness where it supports learning and connection. Whether I work with individuals or teams, my focus is always the same: creating a space where people feel safe enough to be honest, curious, and where they can bring themselves as they are.
What Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is to me
NVC offered me a turning point. It helped me understand my emotions with more precision, soften harsh inner judgments, and make sense of reactions that were rooted in fear, distrust and (self-)protection. Through NVC I learned to come back to myself by recognising my needs, and to grow a confidence that stands strong in the back while staying soft in the front.
To me, NVC is a practical path to emotional freedom and integrity. It helps people move from confusion to clarity, from emotional dependence to interdependence, and from self-abandonment to self-connection. It is especially supportive for those who experience guilt, shame, burnout, or the feeling of losing themselves in care for others or in continously wanting to meet expectations.
My background taught me how easily people step away from their own needs, often accommodating others in ways that later turn into quiet resentment. NVC helps shift from these patterns to awareness. Reclaiming responsibility for one’s own happiness and giving emotional freedom.
My NVC Specialisation
In my studio in The Hague, I offer (in-person and online) introduction individual coaching, trainings, multi-week programs, practice groups, and workshops. I support people in recognising what they feel, what they need, and how to express themselves with honesty and respect for their own limits.
I work with individuals who want more stability and openness in their intimate, familial, and friendship relationships. Many come to me because they are tired of reactive patterns, afraid of conflict, or unsure how to speak without losing themselves. Together we explore what stands in the way of connection and how to navigate tension with more understanding.
In organisations, I train multicultural teams, executives, managers, and high-pressure departments. My work supports clearer communication, healthier cooperation, and earlier recognition of tension before it becomes draining or costly. My background in business helps me speak both the language of human emotion and the language of organisational reality, which clients consistently appreciate.
I also support people who are asking larger questions about direction, meaning, balance, and self-care. NVC (combined with mindfulness) often brings surprising clarity when someone feels overwhelmed, at a crossroads, or disconnected from their deeper purpose.
Check out my website: www.notanother.nl
My Commitment
My commitment is to reduce the emotional and social fragmentation that shows up in everyday life. I focus on creating spaces where people can recognise and acknowledge emotions, express themselves honestly, and reconnect with their own humanity. I cannot single-handedly solve global conflicts, unfortunately, but at least I can influence the dynamics in relationships of the people I work with. For me, this is how I sow peace in the world, one heart and one interaction at a time.
What clients say (Google Reviews)
-
“She has a calm and pleasant energy… there was also room to share and laugh.”
– Eline Wolf, (corporate workshop) -
“I feel inspired and empowered to apply this in my daily life.”
– Marlou van Hoorn, (Verbindende Communicatie workshop) -
“The welcome was warm and cordial… Gaula walks the talk and knows how to move you in a way that makes you feel completely safe and at ease.”
– Paul Goos, Connecting Communication training