In 2006, I graduated in Applied Arts with a major in Art History. During my studies, I worked part-time at a healthcare center, and in 2005, I earned my first diploma in guiding meditations. As I entered professional life, the combination of art and mindfulness quickly became a trusted ally in mental health and meaning-making — a language beyond words.
As a qualified mindfulness trainer in healthcare, I noticed that participants were looking for ways to actively care for their mental health, both during and after their treatment. I also saw cultural institutions exploring the transformative role of museums in supporting mental health, well-being, and resilience. This led me to ask: “Why not develop these skills further in a ‘third place’ – a space outside home and work, where we experience life in all its facets, within the art and culture sector?”
With this idea, I began pioneering the connection between art and mental health. I am dedicated to sustainably embedding art in strategies for mental health, resilience, and prevention, both nationally and internationally. I collaborate with, among others, the Arts & Health Network, Museums van de Geest, Van Gogh Museum, healthcare institution Cordaan, Brain Friendly Museum, and Arts Initiative Tokyo.
I train teams and organizations in Neuro, (Di)Stress, and Trauma-Informed practices. In collaboration with Oxford Mindfulness, a leader in mindfulness education, I developed the ‘Mindfulness in Art’ teacher training.
Registrations
- The Mindfulness Register, the independent quality register for mindfulness trainers. Jolien is registered as an Advanced MBSR trainer (5+ years).
- VMBN | Category 1 mindfulness trainer.
- AGB Code 9011949.
Qualifications
- Mindfulness Based Supervisor – The Mindfulness Network & Bangor University’s Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice.
- Supervisor Mindfulness Teachers Development Programme – Bodhi College (UK).
- Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness Therapist (TSMT) – Dorle Lommatzsch.
- Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness Trainer – Dr. David A. Treleaven (US).
- Individual Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (iMBCT) – CvM.
- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) – Long program – CvM.
- Craftsman in Applied Arts (Major Art History) – HMCollege.
Trainings and Continuing Education
- Research by Museum Staff – Utrecht University (recent developments in scientific (art) history and museological research, and application for research funding).
- Art & Trauma for Visual Therapists – Trauma Company.
- Frame by Frame – Prof. Mark Williams, Oxford Mindfulness Centre.
- Spring School ‘Cultural Heritage & Wellbeing’ – Swansea, Wales.
- Neurodiversity-Informed Mindfulness – Mindful Society Global Institute.
- Human Dimensions Deep Democracy Lewis Method Levels 1, 2, 3.
- Neuroscience mfs & Polyvagal Theory – Dorle Lommatzsch.
- Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living (MBCL) training – CvM.
- Mindfulness-Based Self Compassion training – CvM.
Inspired by the many amazing teachers I’ve met over the past 20 years, and grateful for the personal lessons from:
- Jon Kabat-Zinn, Founder of MBSR
- Mark Williams, Director of Oxford Mindfulness Centre & Founder of MBCT
- David A. Treleaven, Teacher of Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness
- Phyllis Hicks, Insight Dialogue & Interpersonal Mindfulness Teacher
- Bart van Melik, Dharma Teacher Insight Dialogue New York
- Christina Feldmann, Mindfulness Teacher at Gaiahouse & Bodhi College
- Chris Cullen, Oxford University Mindfulness Centre
- Zindel V. Segal, Ph.D., C.Psych, Distinguished Professor of Psychology
- John Teasdale Medical Research Council’s Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, and the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry.
- Willem Kuyken is the Ritblat Professor of Mindfulness and Psychological Science at the University of Oxford
- John Peacock, Teacher at Gaia House
- Jaya Rudgard, Teacher at Bodhi College
- Stephen Batchelor, Dharma Teacher & Bodhi College
- Helen Ma, Director of Hong Kong Centre for Mindfulness
- Gregory Kramer, Founder of Insight Dialogue
- Barbara Doeleman van Veldhoven, Mindfulness Trainer & Director of BFC
- George Langeberg, Mindfulness Trainer & Supervisor
- Rob Brandsma, Mindfulness Trainer & Psychologist
- Frits Koster, Vipassana Teacher & Author
- Dorle Lommatzach, Director of the Academy for Open Awareness
- Joost van de Heuvel Reijnders, Dharma Teacher & Author
- Anne Speckens, Professor of Psychiatry at Radboudumc Expertise Centre
- Nicole Schoonbrood, Radboudumc Expertise Centre for Mindfulness