Wendela Elsen
Coaching, counselling and EFT
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.
My passion has always been helping women find fulfillment. With my own international background, I spent several years coaching expat partners. This naturally evolved into my current focus of helping professional women navigate draining life challenges to restore joy and fulfilment in work, family, and social life.
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, I am working part-time in HR project management at my second law firm and coach on my days off.
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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.