Goed Gevoel

My Story

FinallyLIVING

CONSCIOUSLYWhen Raina (47) admitted to herself she wasn’t happy anymore as a marketing consultant, she looked for a new purpose in her life. Because of the sudden deaths of her parents, she realised she had no time to lose. She built a UK based therapeutic center from

the ground up. A story about courage, loss and perseverance.

TURNED HER LIFE AROUND AFTER HER BURNOUT AND STARTED HER OWN INNER

WELLNESS CENTRE

RAINA

hen I started studying economics at university at 18, I absolutely didn’t know what to do with my life.

I wasn’t wildly enthusiastic about my studies, but bit the bullet and got my degree, after which I could immediately start working in a marketing position. I was very happy with the job, especially with the creative aspect of it. But after ten years, something started to eat away at me. I started to become less satisfied with my job.

I wanted to mean more to others and switched to marketing consultancy. I have done that for years with much pleasure, until I got an assignment in 2012 that didn’t match that well with my personality. In that time, I was driving through the fields in the morning when driving to work. I sometimes parked my car and went to sit with cows or horses in a field to find some peace. I never felt like returning to my car. A friend of mine who was a psychotherapist noticed my eyes had lost their sparkle.

She made me see I was feeling unhappy and convinced me it was better to take a break from work. First I didn’t want to do that – I couldn’t let down the company. The next day I returned to work but after a few hours, I felt I couldn’t go on anymore. I closed my laptop and went to see my GP, who was very understanding. He sent me to a psychotherapist. With her help, I started to find out what I really wanted to do with my life.’

“After a few months of therapy, it was clear to me: I get the most energy out of human connection and I need animals in my life. I needed to find something that involved both components. That’s how I ended up with the idea of studying equine assisted therapy. But to be able to work in that field, I first needed to study psychotherapy, so I studied four years of psychotherapy in evening and weekend classes

Goed Gevoel

MIND

‘Een vriendin die psychotherapeut is, merkte

stonden dan normaal’

Goed Gevoel

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“During myburnout, it frustrated me I needed to see different therapists

for different treatments.”

Everything ran smoothly, until I suddenly lost my dad to a brain haemorrhage in June 2013. That was incredibly hard. Because it was so sudden, I didn’t have the chance to say goodbye. He was my inspiration and the person I respected most. I am an only child and resembled him strongly. He lived passionately, and travelled the world in his job as a journalist, while he also –just like me- studied applied economics.

After his death, I threw myself into my job and studies. I went to England for my course in equine assisted therapy and got my degree as a psychotherapist.

In the meantime, I continued working as a freelancer, but I realised I needed to phase this out if I wanted to realise my dream. I knew I wanted to set up my centre abroad, in the middle of nature. As England has beautiful countryside, my partner Mark and I travelled here regularly in 2016 and 2017, looking for an area where we could feel at home. Step by step, our plan took shape, until fate struck again.’

‘In March 2017, I signed my last assignment as a marketing consultant. That would not last for more than five months, after which I would start looking for a home in England. I also wanted to have more time for my mom, who was now alone.

That’s how I got the idea of setting up an integrated centre for people suffering from stress or burnout. That meant I still needed to deepen my knowledge of relaxation therapy and yoga.

After my burnout, I also resigned and started working as a freelance marketing consultant. That way, I could choose the assignments that suited me most and take breaks to study or to travel.

During my burnout, it frustrated me I needed to see different therapists for different treatments. I had a psychothera-pist to rediscover myself, a physiotherapist for breathing exercises, a massage therapist to massage my painful muscles and a yoga teacher for mental peace.

I thought how convenient it would be if all those therapies could be centralised at one location.

Goed Gevoel

SPIRITUAL TREK

A barn conversion surrounded by fields where horses, cows and sheep were grazing. After our move, I wanted to take some time to take a breath and process my grief. In the meantime I continued to work on the plans for the centre. Soon it became clear our home was too small to set up the centre. After months of looking for a new home, I realised I had to let go.

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NEED TO RE CHARGE BATTERIES?

But just before the end of the assignment, a neighbour of my mom called me. Her cleaner had found her. She also died unexpect-edly.

When my dad passed away, I believed his death was the worse thing that could happen to me, but the death of my mom struck me even more. I had built up such a strong connection with her. Because I don’t have any brothers or sisters, my complete family was gone.

At the same time, the death of my parents has awakened me. I realised it doesn’t make any sense to postpone dreams. Before the death of my parents, I lived much less consciously. In the meantime, I have learnt to dwell on life. That insight has also motivated me to follow some spiritual courses.

‘India was the favourite country of my parents. Three weeks after my mom had passed away, I travelled there again. There, I delved into meditation techniques and vegetarian cooking and went on a spiritual trek through the Himalayas. I also followed a yoga teacher training.

That was incredibly hard. There were days the tears rolled over my face during classes, but I have persevered. Being together with people from all over the world who were also looking for meaningfulness did me the world of good. After that, I drove to England to look for houses.

That turned out to be more difficult than expected, as we in the meantime had adopted my mom’s three cats next to our own cats and dogs. I was at the point of giving up, but the last house I went to take a look at was perfect.

I had to have faith that something would come along. I posted a flyer on facebook in which I described our ideal home.

Soon after that, a man called who wanted to let us his property, which was perfect.’‘This spring, we have started to let some of our rooms as B&B while blocking the weekends for the Pure Circle Centre.

We are organising retreats with workshops to rediscov-er yourself, yoga, meditation, massage, but also walks in nature. I still have lots of plans but want to let the centre grow organically.

My partner has followed a personal trainer course, and we are looking for someone to help with the cooking. I get energy from being together with likeminded souls. I hope to be able to further develop our plans in the future.

I also would like to start offering equine assisted therapy. I have learned to listen to my feelings and live from my heart, and I am grateful I can give something back. I am convinced everyone is born with a talent and that you must develop that. After his death, I found a letter from my father in which he told me the most important thing in his life was the connection with others.

I am also most happy when I can share with others and I am incredibly happy I can do that here. My heart is with the connection with people, animals and nature. The more I think about it, the more I know: life doesn’t always give you what you are looking for, it gives us what we need to grow and to get closer to ourselves.

You can learn from every setback. I am happy I can rely more on my feelings, and that by doing so I can inspire others.’

The Inner Wellness Centre Pure Circle of Raina and Mark is situated in the picturesque village of Cherington in

the Cotswolds. They are offering a fully integrated body and mind approach for people who are facing stress, are

getting close to a burnout or who would just like to recharge their

batteries. Their retreats are running from Friday afternoon till Sunday

afternoon. All info can be found on their website: www.purecircle.co.uk