Wendela Elsen
Coaching, counselling and EFT
I help professional women navigate draining life challenges so they can reclaim joy and fulfilment in their work, family, and social life.
I’m deeply passionate about what I do because I’ve experienced firsthand how coaching and EFT can transform a life.
Like many women, I worked hard to build my career, and when I started a family, I found myself juggling everything, from early mornings to late nights. It was exhausting. Most days, I felt like I was just getting through, constantly looking after others at work and home. But who was looking after me? It wasn’t sustainable, and I knew something had to change.
Figuring it out alone wasn’t easy, but when I finally reached out for support, everything shifted. Coaching and EFT helped me regain balance, and today, I can truly say I live a life filled with joy and fulfillment.
I know many women reach a point where life feels more draining than rewarding. If that’s you, I want you to know, you don’t have to figure it out alone. I’m here to help, so you can thrive, not just survive.
I began my coaching journey in 2007 and have consistently applied my coaching skills both at work and as an independent coach. Recognising that some clients needed a more therapeutic approach, I did additional training in counselling and became particularly drawn to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a powerful alternative to CBT. In 2020, I was introduced to EFT by a coaching colleague. After my first course, I was hooked, and today I’m a qualified EFT and Matrix Reimprinting practitioner.
When I am not working
As a mother of three wonderful children I have faced my share of challenges as they grew up. Now in their early twenties, they are discovering who they want to be in their professional lives. I watch with pride and joy as they carve out their own unique futures.
Loving the outdoors, I take every opportunity to go out for a walk with our lovely dog Beau or with my friends. We are fortunate to live near an area of outstanding natural beauty and it truly is beautiful any time of year. I am also an enthusiastic choral singer and sing in two choirs. The classic masterpieces are my favourite.
My corporate life
My career started in Human Resources with ING Bank in the Netherlands where I am originally from. An exciting opportunity to move abroad led me to transition into professional services with KPMG in Taiwan as their AsiaPacific HR Manager. After six years in Taiwan we moved to Japan where we ended up living for nine years. During that time I enjoyed working for PwC as HR Director and D&I lead. Now, based in the UK, after having spent a few years working in HR project management in law firms in London, I am am now focusing full time on coaching and EFT.
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OpenRabbit, why the name and logo
When my twin daughters were four years old they came into our bedroom one lazy Sunday morning and offered to open the curtains. They were speaking in Dutch and instead of saying ‘curtains’ (gordijnen) they used the word ‘rabbits’ (konijnen). Just a few letters’ difference but not quite the same meaning, as I explained to my husband who does not speak Dutch. From then on we talked about ‘opening the rabbits’ when we opened our curtains. I chose OpenRabbit as the name for my work because, through my coaching, I help clients “open their curtains” and see life from a fresh perspective.
For my logo, I chose a design drawn by my Japanese mother-in-law, a very creative person, featuring a rabbit opening curtains. I wanted to reflect my experiences in Japan in the presentation of OpenRabbit, and I incorporated the style of a Japanese seal (hanko). In Japan, every adult has a hanko, which serves as a formal personal signature. Every time I see my logo, it reminds me of the unique and meaningful experiences I had while living and working in Japan.