Burnt out as a parent? We can talk about it in English.
Online support for parental burnout and overload, for parents who live in the Netherlands and would rather talk in English.
One-to-one sessions with a psychologist or orthopedagogue who specialises in parenting.
This page explains our support in English. The rest of our website is in Dutch.
This is more than being tired
Everyone tells you to take good care of yourself, as if a candle and a hot bath will reset the whole thing.
Lovely idea. But if you wake up exhausted before a single child has even called for you, you are well past a shortage of me-time. Your system has been running at full speed for months, and now it has simply decided to pull the plug.
Researchers Isabelle Roskam and Moïra Mikolajczak call this parental burnout. They see 4 signs. An exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix. A gap between the parent you are now and the parent you want to be. Being completely fed up with it all. And a growing emotional distance from your children.
Many of the parents we support have a spirited, intense or highly sensitive child. When your child asks more of you than average, your reserves run out faster than average. That explains how you got here. The way out lies mostly in the things that can change around you, such as the daily interaction with your child, how the load is shared at home, and the moments you actually get to recover.
How the support works
One-to-one online sessions with a psychologist or orthopedagogue who specialises in parenting and parental overload. Together you look at you as a parent, at your child, and at the family dynamics that keep the exhaustion going.
A free intake call
30 minutes by video call. You tell us what's going on, and together we look at how heavy things are for you right now and whether our support is a good fit.
A proposal that fits
If it fits, you receive a proposal for a programme of 4, 8 or 12 sessions, with the content and the cost, so you know exactly what you are deciding on.
Sessions that fit your life
We draw on elements of CBT, ACT and systemic work, and turn them into steps that still work on a Tuesday evening, with the energy you actually have left. You join from home, from work, or from the sofa in your pyjamas.
A programme includes access to our online learning environment with trainings and masterclasses. That environment is in Dutch.
Your employer may pay for it
Many employers in the Netherlands have a budget for coaching, wellbeing or sustainable employability, and support for parental overload can fall under it. Mention it in your intake call and we will think along with you about how to ask. Paying yourself is possible too, in one go or in instalments.
What we never share
What you tell us stays confidential. We don't share anything about you, your child, your family or your health with your employer, not even when your employer pays.
What we do arrange with your employer
Only practical and business matters, such as the quote, the invoice and whether the programme has started.
Only with your permission
We only share information about your request or programme if you give us explicit written permission.
Practical questions
Who is this for?
For parents who live in the Netherlands and would rather talk about this in English. Often one of you grew up here and the other didn't, or you both moved here for work.
What does it cost?
We work with a fixed price per programme, the same as for our support in Dutch. In the intake call we look at which support fits and how many sessions you need. Afterwards you receive a proposal with the content and the cost, so you know what you are deciding on.
Who will I talk to?
A psychologist or orthopedagogue who specialises in parenting and parental overload, in English.
Can we also talk in Spanish or Dutch?
Yes. Sessions are possible in English, Spanish and Dutch. Leer en español
Where do the sessions take place?
Online, by video call. No travelling and no babysitter needed.
Is this the right kind of help for me?
We don't make diagnoses and we are not a crisis service. If we see that you or your child need something else, we will tell you and help you find the right place.
What if I need help right now?
Don't wait for an intake call. Call your GP (huisarts), or the out-of-hours GP service (huisartsenpost) in the evening and at weekends. If you are thinking about suicide, call 113 or 0800-0113, free of charge; 113 has information in English at 113.nl/english. In an emergency, call 112.
The fine print, in plain English
- Online Opvoed Uni is based in the Netherlands (Chamber of Commerce number 80207251). We offer our support from the Netherlands, under Dutch law and our Dutch terms and conditions, with prices in euros.
- Our support is for families who live in the Netherlands. If you live elsewhere, we unfortunately can't take you on as a client.
- You have 14 days to change your mind after booking a programme, without giving a reason. If you ask us to start within those 14 days and then withdraw, you only pay for the part that has already taken place.
- You can move or cancel a session free of charge up to 24 hours before it starts. Later cancellations or no-shows may be charged.
- If you stop a programme early, you pay for the sessions that have taken place and, where the law allows, reasonable costs we can no longer avoid. We don't automatically charge the rest of the programme.
- Details about your health are only recorded after you have given explicit consent, and you can withdraw that consent.
- Not happy with something? Email team@onlineopvoeduni.nl. You will get an acknowledgement within 2 working days, and we aim to respond fully within 14 days.
This is a summary. The Dutch terms and conditions are legally binding; if the two differ, the Dutch text applies.
Terms and conditions (Dutch)Privacy policy (Dutch)Complaints procedure (Dutch)Withdrawal (Dutch)
You can start with one conversation
The intake call takes 30 minutes, it's free, and it happens by video call. You tell us what's going on, and together we look at how heavy things are for you right now and whether our support is a good fit.
Leave your details and we will get back to you within 2 working days to plan the call.
For parents who live in the Netherlands.