Do you feel a lack of concentration or motivation? Do you keep procrastinating? Do you experience anxiety at exams or even when you sit down to study? Do you think you are an imposter and you don't belong? Are you making long hours to keep up the good results and you're starting to feel exhausted? Do you experience loneliness, grief, moodiness or do you just feel down?   

According to a recent report a large percentage of the student population is struggling with mental health issues like this. The support provided by study advisors, student councillors and student psychologists, including the (on- and offline) workshops and modules that are organised, isn't always sufficient to address the mental wellbeing of students. 

Therefore the College and the Graduate School of Informatics decided to offer professional coaching to those students who could use some extra personal support.

• How do you get coaching?

  Students of the College of Informatics will be referred by their study advisor. So if you want coaching, make sure to get an appointment with your study advisor and discuss it with them.

  Students of the Graduate School of Informatics can also be referred by their study advisor, but they can also contact the coach directly. 

  Tanja Kassenaar is available for coaching during 8 hours a week.

  If you are interested and you want to contact her, just drop her a line at coaching-science at uva.nl

• About the coaching

  At the moment only individual coaching is offered.

  Individual coaching consists of 6 individual meetings, each 1 full hour.

  In the first meeting we will establish the underlying source of the problem you encounter and what exactly you will be working on.
  The remaining meetings will consist of coaching exercises and techniques which will support your work.

  Most of the work you will be doing at home, in between the meetings. I will give you several homework assignments and exercises to help you in your process. Please make sure that you plan plenty of time in your agenda to be able to do this thoroughly. That might be tricky, but you are worth it.

  The whole programme is supported by Teams in which I will put the assignments and other useful information. There is room for you to take notes of what you learn in the meetings, to keep a log and make homework assignments. This way you and me both can keep track of your progress and I can give you feedback.

• About the coach

  My name is Tanja Kassenaar. I have been a (sort of) study advisor for the Master of Logic and the PhD programme of the ILLC for about 15 years or more. Apart from that I have my own coaching practice, working from home. You can find more info about that on the website of my practice: Kassenaar Coaching (in Dutch only).

  I got my coaching diploma from an accredited post-HBO (Higher Vocational Education) programme on professional coaching at de Academie voor Psychodynamica. After that I took several extra courses, and I am not done learning. I am affiliated with the NOBCO, which is the Dutch association for professional coaches.

  I talk to many students who struggle with themselves and the world around them. Often they don't find themselves very valuable or worthy and not contributing much, unless they do their very best to meet some ideal image or the expectations of the people around them. This can cause all sorts of pressure, negative thoughts and feelings, ineffective behaviour, stress, resistance and exhaustion.
  While all that I see when I talk to them are beautiful and accomplished young people who do already contribute greatly to the world around them, just as they are, without any special effort.
  I would love to show you your unique set of qualities, values and talents and to make you see how precious you actually are, exactly as you are, with all your flaws and idiosyncrasies, so that you are able to make the right choices for you and live the life you want, free and fulfilled.