Astrid van der Merwe
As a coach and consultant I work from a person-centred stance with and within systems. People are at the centre of my work.
What makes change successful? Here are some of the guiding principles of my work:
1. I believe in the client/ the organisation. I am confident that given helpful guidance, every human being, all teams and organisations already have within themselves what they need to bring about positive change and growth – in their own time and in their own individual ways. My confidence in the client is the foundation of what I do.
2. The interpersonal relationship is the key instrument of my work. This relationship starts with authenticity.
3. Some of the other important conditions for a working relationship in my view are empathy and unconditional positive regard. All human behaviour has a reason. My experience is: if the reason for a behaviour has been understood and not judged, then change becomes possible and sometimes it can come quite easily.
Professional background
Partner of STRIDES, Co-Founder of Human
Until 2018 independent HR consultant
Member of the national board of the United Nations Association of Germany for several years, Vice-President of the Making Commitments Matter Initiative (resolutionfinder/ un-i), an international research and development initiative
Co-Initiator of the German UN Youth Delegate Programme
First State Examination in Law, specialisation in Law of the International Community and European Integration, studied at Potsdam University and Humboldt University of Berlin
Professional development
Counselling Training Course, leading to graduation as Person-Centred Counsellor, German Association for Person-Centered Psychotherapy and Counselling (GwG)
Systemic Coach and Systemic Organizational Consultant, completed training courses at artop – Institute at Humboldt University of Berlin
Expertise
Innovation, research and development – developed the Human Model in the period 2022 – 2025, together with Franziska Anders
Design and delivery of training programs
Coaching and team development