A Portrait of Me: Therapist and Actress

At the heart of everything I do, whether in the quiet intimacy of a therapy session or under the lights of the stage,
is a deep love for the human experience.

Ariane van Vliet, therapist and actress wearing a green sweater and black pants, sitting on a gray couch with sold colored pillows, smiling at the camera.

ME AS A THERAPIST

In my therapeutic work, I accompany people to reconnect with themselves. The approaches I use include IFS, mindfulness, meditation, Somatic Experiencing, inner child work, Family Constellations, Compassionate Inquiry, and the non-dual wisdom of Advaita. They are living pathways that have deeply shaped my own journey, guiding us back to presence, wholeness, and the quiet wisdom of the heart.

I help people move from a life driven by fear – by the mind’s endless comparisons, criticisms, and loops of limiting beliefs – into a life guided by inspiration, openness, and self-compassion. Together, we uncover the painful stories hidden in the shadows: the inner critic, the guilt, the shame. Through gentle presence and awareness, we see these “monsters” for what they are – young parts of ourselves still longing to be held, seen, and loved.

Feelings want to be felt. When we meet them with compassion, they can transform. That is my mission: to help you enter the domain of your own heart, to live not from the mind’s control, but from the freedom of your inner truth.

List of trainings AND METHODS I USE

I continue to deepen my knowledge through ongoing training and supervision, integrating methods that support both body and mind.

A complex, beige labyrinth maze with a circular shape and multiple turns and pathways.
Close-up of actress Ariane van Vliet with long wavy blonde hair wearing a black textured sweater and gold hoop earrings, looking to the right against a cloudy sky background.

ME AS AN ACTRESS

Through acting, I live many lives to reveal the shared depths of our own. I love working with stories that move through emotion and speak to our shared humanity – reminding us we’re never alone. In the ancient tradition of theatre, catharsis brings an audience through laughter, pain, and recognition – into compassion. That collective silence, when a group of strangers breathe together, feel together, understand something more deeply as one being – that is sacred.

There is a beautiful symmetry between therapy and theatre. Both are about presence. Both are about surrendering to the moment, letting go of control, and trusting the flow of emotion and inspiration.

Whether I’m holding space for healing or stepping into a role, I’m not trying to fix anything. I’m simply opening to what is true, right now.