Sophia's Bio

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Sophia's first experience with unfulfilled life was the birth of her stillborn sister when Sophia was just four years old.  Baby was not allowed to take her first breath, yet her unborn life became a luminous gift: Sophia's lifelong passion to help others live and breath their best life and love.
Sophia was educated in the Netherlands and in the United States.
Her calling began in 1974 as a Scientific Researcher at the University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands, now Radboud University, after receiving graduate degrees in Sociology, Social Psychiatry and Criminology.  She studied with Prof. Dr. C.I. Dessaur, also known as the brilliant writer Andreas Burnier. 
The education in Sociology at the Radboud University has been the very best in Holland for years with a formal (NVAO) and extra quality mark "excellent".
Some time as a Scientific Researcher at the Institute for Applied Sociology in Nijmegen was added, before she moved on to acquire Certifications in Psychodrama and Group Psychotherapy from the Institute for Psychotherapy in Arnhem, the Netherlands. 
Sophia worked with institutionalized criminals and as a Consultant for Mental Health Professionals in Nijmegen for seven years.

In 1985 Sophia made the move from Amsterdam, where she trained in Bio-energetics, to New York City and received a three year, full-time, post graduate education, clinical practice and certification in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy of the Blanton Peale Graduate Institute of the Institutes of Religion and Health (chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York).  
She received the Ann Ulinov Award for outstanding scholarship for the year 1990.
The Blanton-Peale Institute is nonsectarian and non denominational, founded by Reverend Dr. Norman Vincent Peale and psychiatrist Smiley Blanton, M.D.   Dr. Norman Vincent Peale is the author of many works, amongst them The Power of Positive Thinking. 
The Blanton-Peale Institute brings together the insights of the ever-evolving fields of psychotherapy and of great spiritual traditions to help men and women, families, clergy, and caregivers manage the psychological, emotional, and spiritual issues of everyday life.  Sophia worked at the Blanton-Peale Counseling Center for six years, before she went into private practice.
In addition Sophia received extensive postgraduate training in Imago Relationship Therapy (certified in 1992) and holds the status of Advanced Clinician at the Imago Relationships International Institute in New York, founded by Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D. and Harville Hendrix, Ph.D. 
Sophia has been a member of Imago Relationships International since 1990.
The Imago Relationship model synthesizes major psychological and spiritual traditions into a simple yet powerful approach to healing within relationships (more on Imago in Sophia's article Love in Action Making a Positive Mark with Mirroring on this website or go to www.GettingThe LoveYouWant.com)
Sophia has been a member of the American Association for Pastoral Counselors (member # 4978) since the late eighties.  
For many years she edited two professional Imago Newsletters and researched ancient wisdom and universal truth, as well as the contributions of the beacons and engines of highest human advancement.

After conducting a psychotherapy and relationship therapy private practice in the San Remo building in New York City for almost two decades, Sophia longed to facilitate wellbeing, purpose and prosperity, in a more complete way.
Sophia developed a holistic approach which:
1. takes advantage of the wealth of possibilities of the combined fields of sociology, psychoanalysis, relationship therapy, metaphysics, spirituality, history, human rights and human genius.
2. looks at the bigger picture, incorporates her intuitive capacity and uses new and inspiring models, to be more focused and efficient.
3. balances fate with the power of spirit, free will and free choice.
The title Destiny Consultant ™ represents the work of living your true and most happy destiny.