Knowledge base

Coaching is all about patterns you don’t see yourself. Here you’ll find the concepts and methodologies I use in my programmes, explained in plain language and with references where available.

This is useful if you’re considering a programme, if you want to know what a tool such as the Leadership Circle Profile® is based on, or if you’re simply curious about what lies beneath the surface in collaborative work.

The two types of safety that every team needs

11 September 2026

Psychological safety and social safety: the difference, the signs to look out for and the first steps towards a truly safe working environment....

You don’t speak your mind

19 August 2026

Half past eight in the morning. You’re reading a prescription and something doesn’t seem right. The dosage is different from what you’re used to, or something’s missing...

Taking a moment to reflect on stress

12 August 2026

What is stress? We all need stress. It helps when we want to get things done, it helps when we’re in danger and...

When did you REALLY get to know yourself?

11 August 2026

You’re rushing from one appointment to the next. Your family needs your attention. So do your work, relatives and friends. Society places demands on you. And in the meantime? You’re fading into the background...

Do you feel insecure at work?

11 August 2026

Uncertainty in the workplace: causes, signs and the way forward Uncertainty is part and parcel of work. Everyone has doubts about a decision from time to time. For many professionals in the...

Testimonials

4 / 5

7 reviews

Marianne is a very pleasant and knowledgeable coach, with whom I feel very much at ease. I’ve been seeing her for a number of years now and am very satisfied with the way she coaches me. She connects well with who I am and with my questions, and she challenges me to reflect and take action. I’ve learnt a great deal from her over the past few years.

Judith Uiterwijk

After a hectic period at work where I was thoroughly criticised by a director, I lost my self-esteem. Thanks to Marianne’s support, I managed to get back on my feet and learnt to stand up for myself better. I was also inspired by an excellent leadership training course.

Marcel van den Eng

Marianne is a warm and empathetic coach who holds up a mirror to you in a positive way. With her, you feel safe and understood, even when confronted with deeper, often unconscious patterns. She guides you with care to become aware of these patterns and helps you let go of habits that aren’t working. Thanks to the full programme I completed with her, I have made noticeable and lasting progress in my mental health.

Frank de Jongh, doctor

I’m glad I chose Marianne and followed my intuition. I’m most grateful for her recommending the book *Positive Intelligence* by Shirzad Chamine. Inspired by this book, I started the online Mental Vitality Programme, and my coach, Marianne, guided me through it. I am also very satisfied with the way she helped me gain insight into my own strengths and qualities. I also really appreciated that Marianne took the initiative to check in with me from time to time to see how I was getting on and also drew my attention to practical matters.

C.E.

Thanks to our fruitful conversations, I soon realised that I’d taken on too much (both at work and in my personal life). It turned out I was suffering from burnout. Marianne was a great help to me during this difficult time. And the great thing is that Marianne is also very adept at adapting and can intuitively sense what is important and necessary at any given moment. Marianne has given me many insights on a number of points, which I find very valuable and which can bring me even closer to my goals in the future.

M.S.

Marianne’s team coaching has made a very positive contribution to team spirit. Team members are more aware of their communication patterns, and communication amongst the team has improved significantly. We now engage in much more dialogue with one another and are working constructively to improve our collaboration.

CK, Director

I’ve been seeing Marianne for years, and that really says it all. She has taught me to reflect: to pause where I used to rush straight through, and to look at situations through different eyes. In quiet periods, she gets me thinking; in challenging times, she brings calm.

What makes Marianne special is her combination of genuine commitment and professional expertise. She listens without judgement, asks exactly the right questions and provides practical tools that you can really put to use. Even between sessions, she continues to think alongside me and shows genuine empathy.

Over the years, I’ve developed thanks to our collaboration, both personally and professionally. I can wholeheartedly recommend Marianne to anyone who wants to grow further, reflect and take concrete action themselves. It’s simply a matter of taking a good, long look in the mirror with someone who guides you through the process with warmth and expertise!

Gert Kornet

“I’m so glad I found Marianne at a time when I really wasn’t doing well. I was incredibly tired, couldn’t think clearly any more and didn’t really know how to carry on. Things were very hectic at work and my private life was on autopilot. I just didn’t know what to do anymore. I confided in Marianne and she never betrayed that trust. She guided me in very small steps. At first, I really didn’t know the answers to her questions; my head was too full to think properly, but bit by bit, space opened up to consider how certain things needed to change. Both at work and in my own mind. Certain thoughts and habits have become so ingrained, yet sometimes they’re not good for you. Marianne confronted me with this and helped me realise it.

I really wanted to get ‘better’ again, so I took this programme very seriously – and it worked! Creating a new daily routine, dealing with thoughts differently, building in moments of calm, setting and maintaining boundaries, finding and drawing on my inner leader – I could list so many things that are now going so much better and bring me peace of mind. Now that I’ve had a chance to reflect on it, I realise just how much progress I’ve made, and I’m genuinely so happy about that! I’ve now completed my programme, but I know I can always turn to Marianne, and that’s a really lovely and reassuring feeling!

Melanie Clemens

I have taken part in many different self-empowerment courses, but I have never had such a life-changing experience as with Marianne!
I deliberately call it an experience as it goes far beyond coaching. The sessions include so much more than I had expected when I signed up for her coaching programme. With her enthusiasm, professional attitude and a sort of ‘superwoman’ radar, she always asks the right questions to establish clear goals for each session, no matter what area it relates to. She combines kindness with firmness in a remarkable way to achieve the best results, even without knowing in advance what those results will be or which direction to take.

Karin Oversloot-van der Zel

Coaching with Marianne van Oosterhout is not just an investment in yourself; it is also a gift to yourself. Sessions are always a combination of intensive work and moments of calm.

Intensive, because coaching with Marianne involves a – sometimes profound – confrontation with conscious and subconscious patterns and beliefs, exploring where they originate and how they influence you. It also involves hard work to internalise new patterns. This simply cannot be achieved without a bit of trial and error.

Finding peace, because Marianne creates an atmosphere in which you are allowed to be yourself, with all your quirks and struggles, and can focus on what you need at that specific moment to continue growing.
The reason this can coexist within coaching sessions is that Marianne combines thorough professionalism with a high degree of personal commitment, which extends beyond the sessions themselves.

Coaching with Marianne is therefore the most valuable gift you can give yourself.

JMG

Although I am a highly qualified coach and mentor myself, I have benefited greatly from Marianne’s intuitive and compassionate coaching and mentoring on a number of occasions over the past few years.
I have no hesitation in highly recommending Marianne for her insights, particularly in leadership and personal development. You’ll be glad you chose Marianne’s support.