ABOUT ME
Luka van Commenée: A social worker, but above all, a human being.
It’s great to have you here. Whether you’re working with me in a training session, an online meeting, or a one-on-one conversation, you’ll naturally want to know who you’re dealing with.
The Tree of Life: Growing from the Roots
The deeply rooted tree of life in my logo symbolizes my vision of growth. Sometimes we look for a quick fix, but a seed that grows too quickly without deep roots often cannot withstand the wind.
Long-term change often begins beneath the surface, invisible to the outside world and sometimes even to ourselves. Through our conversations, we provide this process with the right nourishment, space, and attention. This helps create a strong root system from which you can grow.
This holistic approach is at the heart of my work: I look at the whole picture, where your body is just as important as your mind. The goal isn’t to “fix” you, but to help you realize that the strength is already within you. So that when a storm hits your life, you won’t be blown over immediately, but will stand firm, resilient and moving with the wind, allowing your tree of life to continue growing and flourishing.
A change of course: from always “on” to taking a break
My journey to mindfulness wasn’t a straight path. I was always “on,” until a COVID-19 infection in 2020 forced me to stop. Although my body had been sending signals for months, I didn’t know how to listen to them at the time. Eventually, through meditation and Yoga Nidra, I discovered the power of slowing down.
I combine this passion with my background as a social worker, autism coach, and family therapist in child and adolescent psychiatry. My approach is down-to-earth and warm, without any fluff. Additionally, through my volunteer work in Malawi, I see daily what acceptance and resilience truly mean—lessons I carry with me into my trainings and sessions.
Whether you are a parent feeling stuck or an adult losing your grip due to stress: you are welcome exactly as you are. In short, we aren’t going to try harder; instead, we learn together how to slow down, feel, and listen.
The combination of head and heart
My recovery became my passion. What began as a quest for peace and health turned into a deep motivation to support others. I wanted to combine the power of mindfulness with my years of experience in social work. That foundation is solid: after completing my bachelor’s degree in social work (SPH), I have specialized over the years as an autism coach and in intensive outpatient family treatment (IAG), and have taken many continuing education courses on trauma, holistic approaches, and the functioning of the nervous system.
My experience in child and adolescent psychiatry has taught me just how complex family dynamics can be. My training as a mindfulness coach at Susan Bögels (Mindfulness in the family life cycle) was the missing link for me. It added the necessary stillness and softness to my professional and personal toolkit. This allows me to offer a unique combination: the down-to-earth expertise of an experienced healthcare professional and the gentle perspective of a mindfulness trainer without all the fluff.
In my practice, you don’t have to fix anything or prove anything. You’re welcome just as you are.
Learning from the day in Malawi
I spend a large part of the year in Malawi. As a volunteer with Mlambe Health and Social Trust I offer counseling to street children and their parents. Life there is my greatest school of mindfulness. In Malawi, you learn that planning ahead is often pointless and that time is flexible. You have no choice but to live day by day. I apply these lessons in acceptance and resilience to my own life and to my conversations with you.
Curious about my adventures there? Be sure to listen to my podcast: ‘Kletsen met van Commenée’.
A space for your story, just as it is
As a professional, I believe you can make an even greater difference if you dare to be human. I’m always eager to learn and remain curious about new knowledge, but my most important tool is experience. From my own experience, I know what it’s like to struggle with anxiety or feelings of sadness; I’ve been down that road myself.
It is exactly these experiences that allow me to stand beside you rather than above you, without my story ever overshadowing yours. In my practice, you don’t have to fix or prove anything. Whether you are a parent feeling stuck in your child's upbringing, or an adult losing control due to stress or sensory overload: you are welcome, exactly as you are right now.
In short, we won’t be pushing ourselves harder; instead, we’ll learn together to slow down, feel, and listen. This creates space for you to take control of your own life and view yourself with kindness, allowing you to take steps toward lasting change from that place.
I’d love to meet you for a virtual cup of tea—no strings attached.
Schedule your introductory meeting today and take that next step—you’ve already taken the first one by being here.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Elephants are my favorite animals?
I am moved every single time I come face to face with these emotionally intelligent animals. Their bond and care for one another are a great source of inspiration to me.
I'm being trained in Malawi to safely catch venomous snakes?
There, I’m learning how to safely remove them from homes and then release them back into the wild. This way, I help keep the ecosystem in balance.
I’ve been a vegetarian my whole life?
But I have no problem with other people eating meat. For me, it’s important that we respect each other and nature, and everyone does that in their own way.
You make me incredibly happy with a hike in the mountains or through the woods?
The longer the walk, the better. For me, nature is the perfect place to recharge, slow down, and fully be “in the moment” again.
my name in Malawi is “Chimwemwe”?
It means joy or happiness. The children there gave me that name because they thought it suited my personality well.
Let's have a virtual cup of tea!
Curious about the possibilities or do you have a specific question? Schedule your free online introductory consultation or send me an E-mail!