“Children are not things to be molded, but people to be unfolded.”

— Jess Lair

About Me

Welcome — I’m Kati, and I’m so glad our paths have crossed.

I’m a registered psychologist (NIP), educator, and mother of four teenagers. For over 25 years, I have worked with children and families in international settings — first within education, and now increasingly through therapeutic and psychological support.

At the heart of my work is a simple understanding: children grow best when they feel safe, seen, and understood. My aim is to create a space where both children and parents can slow down, feel heard, and begin to make sense of what may be happening underneath the surface.

My path here

I grew up in Finland and moved to the Netherlands in 2000. Leaving what is familiar and building a life in a new place is something I understand not only professionally, but personally.

I am also part of an international family myself — married to a Dutch partner and raising four children, now teenagers. Parenthood has been one of my greatest teachers, deepening my understanding of how complex, demanding, vulnerable, and meaningful family life can be.

I understand how transitions, cultural differences, and personal histories shape both children and families — bringing richness, but sometimes also challenges around identity, belonging, connection, and emotional wellbeing.

Before moving to the Netherlands, I worked as a teacher in schools and in a centre supporting children with additional needs and their families. In the Netherlands, I continued in education with young children and their families, first as a teacher and later as a learning-diversity specialist.

Over time, I found myself drawn not only to how children grow and learn, but to what may be happening underneath behaviour, emotions, or struggles — and how that can be understood and supported with compassion. Again and again, I saw how anxiety, overwhelm, emotional outbursts, withdrawal, friendship struggles, or school difficulties often carry a deeper story.

I also know that parenting rarely comes with clear answers, and that even in loving families, things can feel hard at times. You do not have to navigate that alone.

How I Work

Much of my career has been in international education, supporting families navigating transitions, relocations, new school systems, cultural adjustment, and questions of identity and belonging.

I understand both the opportunities and the hidden challenges that can come with internationally mobile life, and how these experiences can shape emotional wellbeing, relationships, and family dynamics.

My approach is warm, relational, trauma-informed, and practical. I look beyond symptoms or behaviour alone, and consider the whole child, the family system, emotional safety, relationships, and the wider context surrounding a child’s life.

I draw on approaches including Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, attachment-focused work, trauma-informed care, and play-based, developmentally appropriate therapy.

I believe meaningful change happens through connection, safety, curiosity, and compassion.

At the heart of my work is creating a space where both children and parents feel safe, understood, and supported. I value moving at a pace that feels right for each family, working with the whole family system rather than only the individual, and combining professional depth with practical, everyday support.

“Symptoms are not the problem. They are attempts to solve a problem.”
— Richard Schwartz

Credentials

  • Master’s in Psychology — University of Northumbria
  • Bachelor’s in Education — University of Helsinki

Training & Ongoing Practice:

  • Ongoing accredited clinical supervision in EMDR
  • IFS level 1 – IFS Academy
  • Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR) — Mindfulness Training Ltd.
  • EMDR — LSCCH
  • Treating Trauma with Internal Family Systems (IFS) — PESI
  • Embodied Breathwork — The Embody Lab

Professional Memberships

  • British Psychological Society (BPS) – the representative body for psychologists in the UK.
  • Nederlands Instituut van Psychologen (NIP) – the Dutch Association of Psychologists, supporting high standards in professional practice.
  • Alkuopetuksen Opettajainliitto (AOOL) -Finnish Association for Early Primary Education Teachers .