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Get to know me a little better
Crazy about psychology
Hi, my name is Bas den Blaauwen.
I am married, a father of two, and we live in an old house in Sweden that we are constantly renovating, together with a bunch of chickens.
Life is quite busy, sometimes chaotic, but fulfilling. The latter has not always been the case.
When I was younger, my life was dominated (unnoticed) by stress. By the age of 24, I was already burned out. I kept pushing myself to work harder, chase expectations, and even tried ADHD medication to keep up. At the same time, I longed for rest, which I tried to solve by doing 'nothing'. My head felt foggy, I was constantly 'on', and fun was nowhere to be found.
That was the moment I started delving into personal development. I discovered tools that really worked: practical ways to calm my nervous system, change my thought patterns, and find more balance. I dove into methods such as NLP, neuroplasticity, and polyvagal theory, and began applying them first to myself and then to others. Step by step, I found not only peace but also my calling: helping people create lasting change.
After our move to Sweden, I discovered how powerful it is to coach in nature. Walking through forests, making a fire, swimming in lakes—nature creates space for reflection and change. That is palpable and immediately noticeable.
What started with one coachee from the Netherlands quickly grew into a new way of working.
Today, I combine scientific knowledge with practical experience, humor, and a down-to-earth, open approach. I combine and apply everything I have learned so far.
My goal is simple: to help you find more peace of mind and the energy to live the life you want.
Expectations
I was 24 when I was already on my second “adult” job. Around the age of 17, I dropped out of school and never looked back. The pressure of the school system was apparently too much for me. I had worked as a sports coach for a few good years, but I wanted to earn more, so I started as a branch manager.
Of course, there were expectations. I felt that I could only meet them by working extremely hard and making no mistakes. At a certain point, it seemed as if I was hitting a glass ceiling. No matter what I tried, I didn't improve at my work without making all sorts of small mistakes. I even started taking ADHD medication to advance, until there was nothing left to climb.
Proud? Not really. I kept pushing myself beyond my limits. My head was constantly foggy and full, I was always 'on', had mood swings, and neglected myself.
Personal development and research
At some point, I started taking personal development courses. That gave me incredibly valuable tools. Not only did my tension decrease, but the way I thought and felt also changed. I learned how to make changes at an unconscious level, so you don't have to work extremely hard for it.
I also learned how to directly influence the autonomic nervous system, the place where automatic behavior originates. Think of those endless thought spirals you get stuck in, or repeating the same behavior over and over even though you know it doesn't work for you. As you can imagine, I still had quite a bit of work to do myself just to be able to relax and feel good.
I learned a lot and delved extensively into the nervous system. I started applying that in my coaching. And it worked surprisingly well.
Systemic work, NLP, Polyvagal theory, neuroplasticity, and more—I absorbed it all like a sponge. If you understand how the system works and apply this in simple, low-maintenance exercises, you can change thought patterns, reduce stress, and even influence behavior related to ADHD; I was actually dediagnosed myself.
The request that started it all
About a year after we moved to Sweden, I received a message from someone in the Netherlands. She asked very directly (the way the Dutch do 😉):
I want to come to Sweden for a week and I want you to coach me.
That was Anne (from the review on the homepage). After the coaching, she was super happy — and so was I. We discovered how powerful and refreshing it is to coach — or be coached — in the Swedish nature.
She wrote a review, and because of that experience, more people wanted to come. And that is how it started to grow.
My coaching and training style
Not one method
I don't like being tied to a single method during coaching. As far as I'm concerned, it's about doing what works for *you*, not what a method says you should do. It works faster and better to use the right tools that help you calm down again.
With this approach, I help people with all kinds of challenges: being overweight, quitting smoking, depression, ADHD, sleep problems, stress, burnout, bore-out, and much more. We coach in the here and now, and only look at the past when necessary.
No solid plan?!
Yes, you read that right. It seems as if you have to work with a rigid plan everywhere in mental healthcare. I don't do that. I maintain an overview and certainly have a common thread, but for me, coaching is something that adapts to what you need and helps you best.
In my experience, your needs change during the process. In that case, it makes no sense to stick to a plan that no longer fits. I prefer to attune myself to you. With my experience, I ensure balance, a clear common thread, and insight into where you stand in your process.
I am open, non-judgmental, have a good sense of humor (I think so myself), and work with stories, mental and physical exercises, and various coaching techniques to help you experience a calm mind. Are you spending a whole morning with me? Then, in addition to the coach, I also step into the trainer role and ensure that newly learned skills are reinforced time and again.
Additionally, I enjoy sharing a bit of Sweden with everyone who comes here to coach. So, besides hiking, we will probably also make a fire and, for example, swim in nature.
I work with adults aged 18 and over, of all genders, who are in good physical health. I speak Dutch, English, and a little Swedish. I may make an exception to this if appropriate.
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Other relevant projects you might know of mine and credentials
I actually don't really like talking about everything I have done or achieved. But I have often been advised to share my background, projects, and experience on this website anyway. In case you find it interesting:
Largest Projects
I previously had a project called Hersenbrekers. On that project, we provided job coaching for the government, created online training courses, produced a well-known podcast, and delivered training at companies.
I ran the company together with Trainer Raoul Eggen.
My own coaching practice was called PuurBlaauw, where I coached people with ADHD-related issues for years.
After our move to Sweden, we scaled down Hersenbrekers, but the podcast still exists on YouTube. (We do look very young there, by the way 😉). PuurBlaauw has been completely discontinued.
After our move to beautiful Sweden, I decided to start a new coaching center, but this time with the goal of improving the quality of coaching and increasing people's knowledge of ADHD. All kinds of people have found their way to us by now. I started ADHD Masters in early 2023, and 11 months later, 10 coaches were already working through ADHD Masters.
Our podcast “What about ADHD?!” was number 1 on Apple Podcasts in the Netherlands for a long time and now has more than 50,000 listeners, including general practitioners and healthcare psychologists.
We are official neurodiversity trainers for managers within Bol.com and train coaches with expertise in neurodiversity.
Because running a coaching business in two countries is quite an administrative undertaking, the ADHD Masters website will soon be downsizing. You will then be redirected to this website.
Credentials
-Executive Writer for Brainz Magazine
-Two successful Dutch podcasts: De Hersenbrekers Podcast and Wat nou ADHD?!
-Rated 9.5 on Studytube as a trainer in neurodiversity
-Founder of ADHD Masters
-Included in the Brainz 500 list of most influential entrepreneurs in 2023
- Neurodiversity trainer for managers within Bol.com and training coaches with expertise in neurodiversity.
Licenses
I am a certified Life/ADHD/NLP coach, international NLP trainer, and affiliated with CORE NLP. Incidentally, I do not go for major quality marks where you pay for a fancy title.
It all sounds nice, but honestly, I would rather just coach someone or train a group of nice people to feel more comfortable in their own skin than have to do all this again.
So, enough about me. We will get to know each other better during a beautiful and relaxed walk.
Don't put it off, and take a small first step by filling out the form below. You don't have to say “yes” to anything yet.
Are you ready?
Perhaps you are feeling enthusiastic but aren't quite sure where to start. In that case, please do get in touch. In a brief conversation, I can advise you on the best place for you or us to begin.
