About

Simple. Open. Daring.

I’m Maaike – psychologist by training, Buddhist by heart —  living and working between Belgium, Nepal and India.  In a fast and uncertain world, I help people and organisations slow down, listen inward, and move forward with more presence, warmth and courage.

My intention

Creating space for more Joy & Ease

I’m here to support you in finding a sense of ground within yourself — so you can meet life with more honesty and kindness.  Working with me is down-to-earth and practical:  

  • Finding ways to slow down and regulate yourself 
  • Learning to understand your emotions and habits 
  • Creating more ease in how you move through your days  
  • Encouraging mindful leadership & resilience at work 

My work draws from modern psychology and Buddhist wisdom, in a way that can be lived, not just understood. I believe confidence and humility can grow together. And this changes how we show up – in life, in work, and with others.  There is a quieter way to move through life. More present. Less driven by inner noise and reactivity.  Everyone walks their own path.  I’m simply here to support that process, where it feels right. 

 

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Values

Curiosity. Kindness. Courage.

These three values live at the center of every program, every conversation, every practice.

My background

My journey in a nutshell

2004
2004

The spark

Around the age of seventeen, I found myself fascinated by people. 
Why do we do the things we do? Why do some experiences stay with us, while others pass by? Why can it be so difficult to change, even when we genuinely want to? 

Studying psychology felt like a natural place to explore those questions. Looking back, I wasn't just interested in understanding people — I was trying to understand life itself – and what allows us to feel more free, connected and alive.  
2010
2010

Where theory meets people

After my studies, I stepped into the world of work eager to support people where life actually happens — in relationships, leadership, teams, and everyday moments. 

I quickly discovered how much I loved those moments when something lands. A new perspective. A little more courage. A different choice. The moments where someone suddenly realises: "Oh... maybe I can do this after all." Eyes begin to sparkle. Defensiveness softens. Something starts to move. 
2014
2014

Learning to slow down

Meditation entered my life slowly. To be honest, I was skeptical at first. My inner science nerd had quite a few opinions 😄. 
Yet the longer I practiced, the harder it became to ignore what was happening. I became less reactive. Better at noticing what was actually going on. More capable of staying present when life felt messy, uncertain, or demanding. 

What started as curiosity gradually became a daily practice — a way to meet life more honestly and find ways to keep my heart open.  
2016
2016

Saying yes to the journey

Nudge me took shape as my own journey deepened — and as people trusted me with theirs. I said yes to projects that stretched me: leaders under pressure, teams in tension, learning journeys that needed to work in the reality of everyday organisations.  
I learned by doing. Through successes, mistakes, feedback, and trying again with a bit more wisdom each time. 

What stayed constant was my commitment to show up wholeheartedly — supported by evidence, grounded in experience, carried by warmth, and guided by a deep trust in people's inner goodness and capacity to grow.
2019
2019

The wisdom of the body.

Working with leaders and teams, I began to notice something. Insight alone wasn't always enough. People could understand their patterns perfectly — and still find themselves overwhelmed by stress, tension, or exhaustion. The body was holding part of the story. Gradually, body awareness, nervous system regulation, and wellbeing became an important parts of my work.  
Studio Swell was born from a shared dream with a dear friend: helping people reconnect with their bodies and better understand the signals of stress, recovery, energy, and wellbeing. Because sometimes the body knows something before the mind catches up. 
2022
2022

Finding a different rhythm

Spending time in the Himalayas shifted something important. Nature, silence, and meeting remarkable Tibetan Buddhist teachers opened a doorway I didn't know I was looking for. A deeper trust in what becomes possible when we slow down and allow life to meet us. Somewhere along the way, Nepal and India started to feel a little like home too. 

Since then, I’ve been learning to trust a journey that unfolds between Belgium, Nepal, and India — following curiosity, connection and whatever life seems to be teaching next.  
Now
Now

Bringing worlds together

Today, this journey brings together psychology, contemplative traditions, lived experience, and wisdom gathered through wandering, practice, and meaningful encounters. Different worlds. Similar questions.  
 
What helps people understand themselves more deeply? How do we stay open when life becomes uncertain? What allows us to work, lead, and relate with more awareness and care? 

My work invites people to explore these questions for themselves. Through coaching. Through meditation. Through leadership journeys. Through experiences that allow you to step outside your usual rhythm and discover something through direct experience. I’m pretty sure I don’t have the answers. I’m simply creating spaces where people can discover for themselves how life teaches us when we are willing to pause, listen, and look a little closer.  

Glimpses of my path

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What stayed with people

Unfiltered voices

You continue to inspire me with the way you follow your own path, connecting more and more deeply with yourself and the world.

Sofie

Every conversation with you warms my heart, time and time again.

Katy

What makes her truly unique is this rare harmony of heart, mind, and inspiration. If I had to describe her in one word, it would be pure. In a world that often feels forced and uniform, that might just be the most exceptional thing a person can be.

Jonathan

I met her at my first job ever, and her guidance supported me at the start of my career. She left a lasting impression on both my professional and personal growth.

Justine

Walk your path only

Feeling something?

Happy to explore together what’s needed right now — for you, your team, or your organisation.

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Frequently Asked Questions?

I’m a trained psychologist, with more than 15 years of experience in coaching and personal development.
 
Over time, I’ve deepened my work through different trainings — including a two-year intensive meditation and mindfulness teacher training.
My work draws from modern psychology and Buddhist wisdom, combined with years of practice and working with people across different contexts.
 
If you're interested, you can find more details here: → [Maaike Maes | LinkedIn]
At the same time, what I share is not only based on training, but also on walking the path myself.
People who are curious about themselves and how they move through life.
 
Some feel stuck or notice patterns repeating.
Others sense there is more depth available — in how they live, relate, or lead.
 
I also work with leaders and teams who want to bring more awareness and honesty into their work.
 
There isn’t one type of person.
What connects them is a willingness to look a bit deeper, and to explore what is actually there.
A genuine interest in people — and in how we make sense of life.
 
I’m inspired by those small moments where something shifts.
Where someone sees more clearly, softens, or finds a different way to respond.
It’s not always big or visible from the outside,
but those moments can change how someone lives, works, or relates to others.
 
Witnessing that process, even in a small way, is what keeps me engaged in this work.
Through a combination of ongoing learning and direct experience.
 
I continue to deepen my understanding through reading, training, and staying close to developments in psychology and contemplative practices.
 
At the same time, the real learning comes through working with myself and other people —
seeing how things unfold in practice, and what actually helps.
 
It’s a continuous process of learning, unlearning, and refining —
guided by both knowledge and experience.

A space where you can show up as you are. I listen carefully — sometimes in conversation,sometimes in silence. There is time to sit with what is there:your questions, your struggles, your longings. I feel honoured to be part of that process — and to explore together how you can move through life with a bit more ease, clarity, and joy.

We don’t turn away from the difficult parts.There is space for what feels heavy, confusing, or unresolved. At the same time, this work is not only about looking deeper — it is also about discovering what opens, what moves, and what brings a natural sense of lightness.

I won’t tell you what to do or give you ready-made answers.You walk your own path.

But I walk alongside you for a while — as you learn, explore, and find your own way forward.

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