Hi! I'm
Lisanne Stouthart
I'm glad you're here. Let me introduce myself.
I thought love, patience and understanding were enough to help my children with their big emotions. Then I discovered that their bodies and brains had so much more to tell me about what they were feeling and needed.
For years, I worked with young children and their parents, long before I became a mother myself. I was trained in child development, caring and committed, and wanted to do everything right. Yet when I became a mother, I found that my two children sometimes experienced emotions very intensely. I found it difficult when certain emotions kept returning so strongly.
Of course, you want to be there for your child with all your love and understanding. And still, you can find yourself at a loss when faced with their emotions.
Get in touchI am a mother too
Motherhood is what drives me. I feel grateful to experience all of it: the love, the wonder, the beautiful moments, and also the times when things feel complicated and intense.
I am deeply affected by emotions and the atmosphere around me. My children's feelings can touch me deeply. As much as I want to respond with love and connection, sometimes my own emotions take over and I react in a way I did not intend. I am not a perfect mother, but I am more than good enough.
My sensitivity, which sometimes felt like a weakness in the past, has become one of my greatest strengths. It helps me be a loving, involved mother and notice what is going on and what is needed. I am glad to put that strength to work for you and your child, too.
Drawing on my own experience and my work as a professional child and parenting coach, I help parents and children aged 3 to 10 understand emotions and build emotional resilience together.
What I learned about emotions and behavior
In more than fifteen years of working with children and their parents, I saw how much love and care parents give their children, and how they can still feel stuck when emotions or behavior become difficult to manage.
I ran into that myself as a mother, too.
I wanted to get it right and often wondered: What am I missing? Why does this keep happening? What does my child really need from me right now? Is this normal?
I discovered that I could take my own feelings seriously and still choose how I responded. Sometimes a different response was exactly what my child needed. That did not mean my feelings were wrong; I learned that another response could sometimes help more.
That gave me more calm, confidence and steadiness as a parent. I learned to guide my children with both love and clarity, helping them feel more at ease and find more calm in their emotions.
Still, some challenges remained. That is when I started looking further. I discovered that it is not always about trying harder as a parent or collecting more parenting tips. I became curious about what is really going on beneath the behavior.
My discovery: behavior is shaped by more than parenting
I learned that what a child feels and shows is not shaped only by what they think or want. The body and brain also have a major influence on how a child experiences situations and responds to them.
Reflex integration uses simple movement exercises that focus on relaxation and how the body responds to stimuli. Adding these exercises helped me discover new ways to support my child. I noticed that some challenges became easier for my own child.
My child found it easier to cope with changes, let go of me a little more easily, and loud noises felt less intense.
That changed how I saw things. I did not always have to be firmer or explain more. First understanding what was happening for my child gave me new ways to respond to what they really needed.
How I hope to support you and your child
I care deeply about children and feel privileged to be part of their development. What I love about children is the unfiltered way they experience life. Their wonder, honesty and unique view of the world move me. They remind me how special it is to be a child.
I want every child to feel seen, understood and good enough just as they are. I hope they can discover their own strengths and talents and learn to say: I can do this, even when something feels difficult or scary.
I support parents who are thoughtful about how they raise their children, want to keep learning, and hope their young child will grow in confidence and emotional resilience. In my child coaching, I work with children aged four to ten who feel things deeply or become overstimulated easily. I also help you, as a parent, discover what your child needs and how you can support them.
With a calm, caring and empathetic approach, I create a safe space where your child can be themselves. We look beyond what your child does and listen to the story behind it. What might the behavior be telling us? What is happening in the body and brain? What does your child need right now?
And you, as a parent? You are an important part of this story.
Sometimes it helps to have someone look at things with you. Not because you are doing something wrong, but because it can be hard to see clearly when you are so close to the situation. I draw on my knowledge, experience and professional perspective to help you find clarity, support and confidence again.
Perhaps the best part of my work is seeing what can grow within a family: more calm, connection and trust, and more room to laugh and enjoy each other again.
Thankfully, my husband and I share this beautiful journey
of parenthood together.
Who I am beyond work and motherhood
Our cat is such a delight at home. I love animals and their gentle presence. They bring a softness and sincerity into my life that I really enjoy.
I like to keep learning and discovering, personally too. I enjoy thinking deeply about how life works and about what I can influence and take responsibility for when it comes to my own happiness.
At the same time, I love the simple things: a friendly chat with someone I happen to meet in the street. I enjoy being outdoors and go for lots of walks. Nature helps me step out of my head, slow down and reconnect with what matters.
That is me, too: curious, sensitive, sometimes still figuring things out, happiest when connecting with others, and always willing to keep learning.
What others say about me
I got to know Lisanne as a warm and thoughtful person with a calm presence. She approached toddlers with kindness, love and without judgement. She was always curious about the reasons behind their behavior, and would ask herself: “Is this behavior really a problem?” I have seen many parents and children find more ease through Lisanne's thoughtful approach. Isn't that exactly what you hope for?
Shall we get to know each other?
You are very welcome at my practice in Amstelveen