Frequently Asked Questions

Here you'll find answers to the questions women most often ask before working with me, whether in 1:1 integrative therapy, a bespoke 1:1 ritual, a women's circle, a TranceDance evening or a rite of passage, and you're always welcome to write to me with anything that isn't answered here.

Finding Your Way In

1:1 INTEGRATIVE THERAPY

Questions about how I work, how long sessions last, hypnotherapeutic and imaginal work, and what happens when we meet in person in Amsterdam or online.

BESPOKE 1:1 RITUALS

Questions about private rituals created for one woman alone, what they can mark, how each one is shaped around your story, and what happens on the day.

GROUP CEREMONIES & WOMEN'S CIRCLES

Questions about our NewMoon Women's Circles, and about bespoke gatherings created for your own women, from a birthday ceremony or a private circle for friends to teachings in women's wisdom and womb practices.

1:1 Questions

How do you work?
My work is integrative, which means that I draw on several approaches rather than a single method, weaving together somatic practice, psychoanalyticle and depth-oriented inquiry, hypnotherapeutic, guided imagery and active imagination work, cyclical wisdom and gentle ritual, according to what you bring and what your body can hold on the day… Therefore no two sessions are quite the same, since we begin with where you are, listening to both your story and your body, so that what you come to understand in the mind can slowly become something you live.

Who is your work for?
I work with women navigating burnout, anxiety, the aftermath of trauma, relationship patterns that keep repeating, major life thresholds such as motherhood, perimenopause and menopause, and the quieter sense of having lost touch with their body and their own life, whether you arrive in the middle of a crisis or simply know that the old ways of living no longer fit and work.

What happens in the first session?
Our first session is a gentle beginning, in which we take time to hear what has brought you, what you're carrying and what you're longing for, whilst also noticing how all of this lives in your body, so that together we can sense where the work wants to begin… There's no pressure to share more than feels right, since trust is built step by step, and many women leave this first meeting already feeling a little more met and a little less alone.

How long is a session?
A session is booked as one hour, although I always leave generous space in my day around it, since deeper work such as active imagination or a guided inner journey needs time to unfold and to be gently brought to a close, so sessions often run to around 75 minutes and occasionally up to 90, without you ever needing to watch the clock or leave in the middle of something tender.

Why do you work in containers rather than single sessions?
I work in containers of twelve sessions, since deep change rarely unfolds in a single visit, and the moments when something real begins to shift are often the moments that feel most tender, or when it would be easiest to stop… A container gives us a shared commitment and a steady rhythm, so that trust can deepen, the harder moments can be met with care, and what emerges has time to settle into your body and your life, which protects both you and the work we do together, whilst many women choose to continue beyond twelve sessions once they feel how much is opening.

Is there a gentler way to begin?
Yes, the Foundations Path offers three sessions as a grounded place to start, for women who feel stuck, overwhelmed or standing at a turning point and are ready for something to move, but unsure where to begin… Some women complete it as a journey of its own, whereas others continue into the twelve-session Transformation & Integration Path once they sense the depth of the work.

How often do we meet?
Sessions take place weekly or fortnightly, and never with longer gaps in between, since a steady rhythm allows trust to build and gives what opens in one session the continuity it needs to settle before the next.

What does it cost?
The Foundations Path of three sessions is €495, and the twelve-session Transformation & Integration Path is €1,900 (excl. VAT), whilst payment plans are available upon request for both, so that the investment can be spread in a way that feels manageable.

Can I work on trauma without reliving everything?
Yes, since trauma-informed work doesn't ask you to retell or relive every painful detail, and we move at a pace your nervous system can hold, building safety and steadiness first, so that what has been carried can surface gently, without overwhelm, and be met with care rather than force.

What is hypnotherapeutic work, and will I lose control?
The hypnotherapeutic work I offer was part of my training at the WielWerk Institute, and it's quite different from the hypnosis many people imagine, since you remain aware, present and in charge throughout, simply settling into a deeply relaxed, inward state in which images, memories and feelings can come forward more easily… Moreover, I don't use the classic induction techniques of conventional hypnotherapy, working instead through breath, guided imagery and active imagination, so the experience often feels more like an inner journey than being "put under."

Is what I share confidential?
Yes, everything you share in our sessions is held in confidence, with deep respect for your story, your pace and your privacy, except in the rare situation where someone's safety is at serious risk, which we would always talk about together first wherever possible.

Is this a replacement for medical or psychiatric care?
No, my work isn't a substitute for medical, psychiatric or psychological care, so if you're in crisis, experiencing severe symptoms or receiving treatment for your mental health, I'd encourage you to stay in contact with your GP (huisarts) or specialist, whilst integrative therapy can walk alongside that care as a meaningful companion.

Where do in-person sessions take place?
In-person sessions take place in my practice space at home in Amsterdam, a warm and quiet space where many women say they feel held from the moment they arrive, and I always offer freshly made herbal teas from my garden… It's easy to reach by public transport, and parking nearby is very affordable, which is rare in Amsterdam, so the journey itself needn't add to whatever you're already carrying.

Do you work online?
Yes, alongside sessions in Amsterdam, I work with women further afield online through Zoom, and many find the work translates beautifully into their own home, especially when they create the quiet, private corner where they won't be disturbed.

What happens if I travel or go away during our time together?
It's wise to keep our rhythm going wherever possible, so sessions can usually continue online whilst you travel, and should something change in your life, we simply talk it through together and find what serves you and the work best.

In which language do you work?
I work in English (and Dutch), and most of the women I work with are English-speaking, coming to Amsterdam from all over the world.

How do I begin?
The first step is a short introductory call, free of charge, in which we explore where you are and sense together whether we're a good fit for this work, with no obligation to continue… You're welcome to reach out through the contact page, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Is it covered by health insurance?
My sessions aren't covered by health insurance, since I'm not registered with a professional association recognised by insurers, which means the investment is made directly between us, giving us the freedom to shape the work around you rather than around an insurer's requirements.

Is there an option for women who can't afford the full fee?
Yes, I hold a small number of places at a reduced rate for women who genuinely cannot afford the full fee, although these depend on my availability at the time, so you're always warmly welcome to connect with me to explore together what might be possible.

Ritual Questions

What is a bespoke 1:1 ritual?
A bespoke 1:1 ritual is a private ceremony created for one woman alone, for those moments when something in you is ready to be marked, released or finally met properly, and when what you're carrying asks for more than sessions or words can hold… The work is neo-shamanic in nature, drawing on depth psychology, sacred feminine wisdom, somatic and systemic healing and prayer, rooted in ancient and indigenous wisdom without claiming a single lineage.

How is a ritual different from a therapy session?
Whereas therapy unfolds over a series of sessions, a ritual gathers everything into one held ceremony, so sometimes a single ritual is all it takes, not because the inner work is finished, but because a particular moment is asking to be honoured, and many women also choose a ritual alongside their 1:1 therapy, to mark a transformation and a turning point within it.

What can a ritual be created for?
Women come with a pattern that won't shift, a loss that hasn't been held, a threshold they're standing at alone, or a longing they can't yet name, and we always begin with a free telephone conversation, so that the ritual is shaped around what you're truly facing, including inner child and ancestral healing when the moment calls for it.

What happens during the ritual?
Each ritual moves through three phases, beginning with Root, when you arrive in my home and in your body, and I listen and ask questions until the root of what you're carrying becomes clear, often opening the heart with cacao if you wish… Then comes the Journey, when sacred herbs, plants or resin cleanse the space and your energy field, we set the intention together and you lie down and enter your own inner landscape, whilst Integration gently guides you back into your body and into the world through sound, touch, essential oils and healing tonics...It's never rushed.

What is shamanic hypno-journeying, and will I be conscious?
Shamanic hypno-journeying is a state between deep meditation and active imagination, in which you travel into your own inner landscape whilst remaining fully conscious throughout, and I hold and guide the space around you, so you're never lost or out of control, simply turned inward with care.

What is included?
Each ritual includes purification with sacred herbs and prayer, flowers as medicine, shamanic hypno-journeying, inner child and ancestral healing when the moment calls for it, and sound, touch and essential oils for integration, whilst sacred cacao to open the heart is offered if you choose.

How long does it last, and what does it cost?
A private ritual lasts two hours, and the investment is €382 (excl. VAT), whilst we always begin with a free conversation, so you can sense whether this is the right moment for you before anything is booked.

Do I need any experience of ritual or ceremony?
No, you're welcome to arrive with no experience at all, since everything is explained and held with care, and you only ever take part in what feels right for you.

Circle & Ceremony Questions

What is the de Roos Women's Circle?
It's a monthly ceremonial gathering for women, held at de Roos on the green edge of the Vondelpark in Amsterdam, on or before each NewMoon, where for around three hours we come together for a medicine story shaped by the NewMoon's archetype, shadow work, ritual, embodied reflection and soul sharing… A place is €45, and afterwards you're welcomed into the Hearth, our private Telegram group, where the month's story and the quiet thread of connection can continue between circles, and you'll find upcoming dates and booking on the Women's Circles page.

I've never been to a women's circle before, is that alright?
Yes, many women come without ever having sat in a circle before, and often settle into it more quickly than they expected to, since there's nothing to perform and you're welcome whether you bleed or no longer bleed, whether younger or older, and whether you've mothered children, yourself or your creative work.

Do I have to share, and is what I share kept private?
You're never required to speak, since silence and listening are as much a part of the circle as sharing, and what is shared is held in confidence, with each woman asked to keep the stories she hears within the room whilst remaining free to speak about her own experience.

Is the circle a form of therapy?
Although the circle can be deeply supportive, it isn't group therapy and doesn't replace therapeutic or clinical care, so women moving through acute trauma or crisis are warmly encouraged to reach out to me directly, or to the appropriate professional support, whilst the circle can sit beautifully alongside therapeutic work when the time is right.

What is a group ceremony?
A group ceremony is a gathering I create for you and the women in your life, shaped around your group, your moment and your season, and always held in the form of a women's circle, so that old patterns can surface and release, dignity is recovered, and what has been carried in isolation finally finds witness.

What can a group ceremony be created for?
Women hire me for many reasons, from a ceremony with a special theme for a birthday, to a private women's circle for a group of friends, to teachings in women's wisdom, womb wisdom practices and shamanic women's practices, or a seasonal gathering to nourish yourselves in beauty and sisterhood, so we begin with a free telephone conversation in which you tell me about your women and what you'd love to create together.

What happens during a group ceremony?
Each ceremony is held in a fully dressed ceremonial space, with altar, flowers, sheepskins and rugs, opened and closed with prayer and purification, and depending on what we've created together, it may weave in teachings and storytelling, active imagination, womb practices, ancestral and relational healing and group sound healing, alongside nourishing refreshments, small gifts chosen for your group, and homemade sacred cacao to open the heart if you wish.

How long is a group ceremony, and what does it cost?
A group ceremony usually lasts around four hours, and since every ceremony is bespoke, the investment is discussed personally during our free telephone conversation, once I understand your group and what you'd like to create.

Can women who have had their womb removed take part in womb work?
Yes, womb practices are open to every woman, including those who have had a hysterectomy, since the womb as I work with it is a living inner capacity of creativity, feeling and life force that remains, whatever changes the body has known.

Can I gift a group ceremony?
Yes, a group ceremony is a beautiful gift for a friend's birthday, a gathering of sisters, or any circle of women you'd love to honour, and it can be shaped entirely around the woman or women you have in mind.

RITES OF PASSAGE

Questions about ceremonies for a woman's great thresholds, her first bleed, becoming a mother, perimenopause and menopause, held in her home and surrounded by the women who love her.

PREMIUM MENTORING

Questions about the Womb Rose Mentoring Container, a four-month journey for women called to embody the Sacred Feminine Arts, created entirely around one woman at a time.

SHAMANIC RITUAL TRANCEDANCE

Questions about Shamanic Ritual TranceDance, why it's shamanic, why we dance blindfolded, whether you need to be able to dance, and how to book a TranceDance for your own group.

Rites of Passage Questions

What is a women's rite of passage?
A rite of passage marks the great thresholds of a woman's life that our culture rarely honours, such as our first bleed, pregnancy and motherhood, perimenopause and menopause, since each one asks us to let go of who we were and step into who we're becoming… I work with four phases of womanhood, the Maiden, the Mother, the Medicine Woman and the Wild & Wise Woman, and a ceremony gathers the women who love you around you, so that the passage is met with recognition, support and blessing rather than crossed alone.

Which rites of passage do you offer?
I offer four ceremonies, the Moondew First Blood rite for young girls after their first flow, held with their mothers and friends, and for women of any age who were never given this rite, the MotherBlessing rite for mothers-to-be, the Medicine Woman rite for women in perimenopause or in their forties, and the Wild & Wise Woman rite for women who have stopped bleeding and are fully in menopause.

How is a Blessing Way different from a baby shower?
A baby shower celebrates the coming baby, often through gifts, whereas a BlessingWay honours the mother herself, her fears, her strength and the profound threshold she's crossing, since the birth of a baby is also the birth of a mother, and she deserves to be held by the women around her as she steps into it.

Where do rites of passage take place, and what is included?
I come to the home of the woman receiving the rite of passage, bringing flowers and all the embellishments, along with a blessing altar that stays with her afterwards, sacred cacao, or special teas and drinks for a young maiden, and gift bags for every woman present, whilst any meals are shared as a potluck… A private WhatsApp or Telegram group is also opened for everyone taking part, where preparations are made as a surprise, before the woman receiving joins, so the group becomes a supportive container both for the ceremony and beyond.

How long is a rite of passage, and what does it cost?
A rite of passage ceremony lasts four - five hours, for groups of ten women or more, and the investment is €660, excluding transport and parking costs, with the cost adjusted for groups of more than twelve women, whilst we always begin with a free telephone conversation to shape the ceremony around her.

Can I gift a rite of passage to someone?
Yes, a rite of passage is one of the most meaningful gifts you can offer a woman you love, whether a friend becoming a mother, a daughter after her first bleed, or a woman entering her elder years.

Premium Mentoring Questions

What is the Womb Rose Mentoring Container?
The Womb Rose Mentoring Container is a four-month premium mentoring journey for women called to the Sacred Feminine Arts, since most women in the feminine field have been taught to transmit what they know, whereas very few have been shown how to inhabit what they carry… I work with one woman at a time, and everything, the sessions, the practices, the rituals, the coursework and the fieldwork, is created solely and entirely for her, so that she doesn't only learn this work, but slowly becomes it.

Who is the mentoring for?
It's for women who feel called to inhabit the Sacred Feminine Arts, whether you already hold space for others or sense that this path is asking something of you, and who are willing to do the deep inner work it demands, since the mentoring is as much about your own embodiment as it is about what you'll one day offer.

What is the Womb Rose?
The Womb Rose is an original cosmology I've developed from more than a decade of practice, ceremony and embodied research with women, which maps a woman's body as a living world tree, with the womb at the centre, ancestral roots reaching below, a life channel rising through the body, and a flower opening towards the cosmos above… It becomes the map you learn to inhabit, so that the wisdom you carry has a living home within your own body.

How is mentoring different from 1:1 therapy?
Whereas 1:1 therapy focuses on meeting and healing the patterns you're carrying, mentoring weaves that healing together with learning, initiation and embodiment, so alongside your own inner work, you're guided through teachings, practices, rituals and fieldwork that deepen your relationship with the Sacred Feminine Arts and prepare you to carry them with integrity.

What does the mentoring include?
The container includes bespoke mentoring tailored to you every step of the way, trauma-informed somatic work and Compassionate Inquiry, live ceremonies and rituals, coursework and fieldwork created for your journey, a personal MP3 made specifically for you, soul orientation through your natal chart, and message support from Tuesday to Friday throughout… We work through somatic practice, breathwork, voice, womb practices, archetypal inquiry and active imagination, always shaped around where you are and what is opening in you.

How long is the mentoring, and how often do we meet?
The mentoring runs for four months, with two sessions each month, whilst your bespoke coursework and fieldwork continue in between, and message support from Tuesday to Friday keeps you held throughout the whole journey.

What does it cost?
The Womb Rose Mentoring Container is €4,400 excl. VAT, created entirely for you, and we always begin with a free introductory call, so we can both sense whether this is the right moment and the right path for you.

TranceDance Questions

What is Shamanic Ritual TranceDance?
Shamanic Ritual TranceDance is an inner journey of the heart, danced with a blindfold to a bespoke music journey I create for each ceremony, where the rhythm of tribal drums and breathwork carry you into a dreamtime state beyond ordinary linear time, so that you can let go of outer roles and images and meet your own inner wisdom… The ceremony is opened with elements of shamanic practices, each dancer sets an intention, and at the end we lie down to integrate before closing together in a Medicine Circle, where you can share and ground what you've received.

Why is it called shamanic?
Shamanic Ritual TranceDance is shamanic because it draws on practices that shamanic cultures across the world have used for thousands of years to journey beyond ordinary consciousness, the steady rhythm of the drum, breath, movement and the closing of the eyes, which together carry you into a trance state where the inner world, the dreamtime, becomes alive and accessible… The ceremony is also held as shamanic work is held, with sacred space opened through prayer and purification, an intention set for your journey, power objects charged with medicine, and the possibility of meeting allies such as your spirit animal, followed by integration and a Medicine Circle to bring what you've received back into your body and your life. It is meant to be transformative and my approach is neo-shamanic, rooted in my training with Ritual Trance Dance International and my own years of ceremonial practice, so it honours these ancient ways of journeying without claiming any one tradition as my own.

Why do we dance blindfolded?
Our ancestors danced in the dark to reach this non-linear state, and covering the eyes does the same, since when this primary sense is closed off, your subtler senses awaken, and you can move from the inside rather than worrying about how you look, allowing vision, feeling and insight to arise as your body dances through you. The body is intelligent and a doorway to meeting your wisdom and innate knowing. Your soul speaks in symbols and therefore I call it dreamtime, as you receive guidance and visions fo your pathway

Do I need to be able to dance?
Not at all, since this isn't a dance about performance or being seen, so whether you sway, shake, stamp, rest on the floor or simply breathe, there's no right way to move, and you're welcome exactly as you are.

What should I bring?
Please bring your own bandana or cloth to cover your eyes, and, if you wish, a power object, such as a crystal, a feather or anything you'd like to charge with power and medicine during the dance.

Is Shamanic Ritual TranceDance suitable for everyone?
Shamanic Ritual TranceDance is held with great care, although as it includes breathwork and deep altered states, please let me know beforehand if you're pregnant, have epilepsy, a heart condition or a mental health condition, so that I can guide you safely or suggest a gentler way to take part.

Can I book a Shamanic Ritual TranceDance for my own group?
Yes, I hold private Shamanic Ritual TranceDance ceremonies for groups, with a theme specially channelled for your women and aligned with the season, such as Dancing your Spirit Animal, Dancing your Womb, Dancing your Magical Child or Dancing your Higher Self… Each ceremony lasts four hours and includes a two-hour bespoke TranceDance music journey, integration with a sound bath, a sacred altar, breathwork and ceremony, and a Medicine Circle with fruit, with sacred cacao to open the heart if you wish.

What does a private Shamanic Ritual TranceDance cost?
A private Shamanic Ritual TranceDance ceremony is €960 for around twelve dancers or more, excluding space rental, parking and transport costs, and for groups of more than fourteen the cost is adjusted so that I can bring helpers, whilst I can also come equipped with a sound system and speakers when you have the location, and we always begin with a free telephone conversation.

What my clients say

Premium Mentoring Review

I came wanting to come into connection to my feminine and learning more about womanhood through imagry, archtypes and ritual since I am an artist and creative I resnate with the deeper meaning of soul -landscape, and did not so much come to her to become a teacher in this field or to hold space or events for other woman.

What I appreciated about her was not only her own method, but that she listened and was very present with what was happening for me in my life and we weaved this throguhout the training. It was so insightful to have a teaching mixed with exactly what was happening in my life and to learn and grow from it in real time. She was a very safe space and I feel this truly helped me to unlock my feminine qualities of deeper compassion and trust in myself.
So much stays with me: The feminine qualities in my life now are that I understand and flow with the seasons better using it to empower my life and creativity.
I am able to accept my lows more and ride with them, understand the message from them.
This was a real deep journey inward as well as one that helped me to make meaning of my life and to create from a truer space within me.

Marie M.

Creative

1:1 Therapy

I really valued my sessions with Wen-Wei. She brought compassion, presence and care to our work together which I needed to move through the deeper layers of my trauma. I particularly appreciated the way she compassionately challenged my beliefs as well as the way she connected me to the safety of my body, not only through somatic practices but through hypnotherapy and imagery to my cycles and womb as a living intelligence, which helped me strengthen my intuition, trust in myself, my boundaries and to finally bring peace and joy into my body and life. She also combined these containers with yin and restorative sessions and practices which she recorded on zoom, which was very helpful as they were made specifically to my needs and body. This brought more healing for my body than I imagined and was very helpful as I could do them during the moments I needed more rest during the week. I felt very seen, understood, supported, and I’m grateful for her work. I was able move through the last edges of my burnout with exactly the support I needed. Thank you Wen-Wei.

Tanya Weber

Accountant

MotherBlessing Rite of Passage Ceremony

Wen-Wei held a Mother blessing ceremony for me and it made a profound difference to my mental and emotional state in the weeks coming up to birth. Having had a lot of fears and anxiety before, the energy from the ceremony, everyone’s warm wishes and positive thoughts put me in a more calm and excited state of mind, allowing me to become more aware and start processing the journey I am on and really acknowledge how special this time is before the baby arrives. I thank Wen-Wei from all my heart!

Daria
Yin Yoga teacher