Theo van Dijk, originally a music teacher, has worked at several universities in the fields of communication, systemic theory, couples therapy and family therapy. This was followed by working at a variety of psychiatric institutions as a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist.  

He has mastered Client Centered Therapy, Relational Therapy, Systemic Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy.

He has also been educated and trained as an Emotionally Focused Therapist (EFT) for Couples and in Conflict Management. He is a registered conflict mediator and EFT-therapist.

He has also been trained in EMDR.

Since 1987, Theo van Dijk has his own independent practice as a psychotherapist and relational therapist.

From one of his clients:

“The listening skills and communication techniques that he expertly applies ultimately prove that he is the invaluable therapist that many find him to be.”

“The keywords for Theo’s therapy are: reflection and humor, acumen and discernment, a sense of wonder, and above all unconditional acceptance. Elements of the Rogerian approach which was the foundation of his schooling. With these (surprising!) effects the client comes both to new insights and understanding, as to a serenity and acceptance of the self, the other, and the problem at hand.”

Since 1996, Theo has been active as a mediator and coach. From 1997 until 2019 he’s been a trainer and educator at the Centrum voor Conflicthantering (CvC) in Haarlem. From 1997 H is also a trainer at the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute (ADR) in Amsterdam.

Theo has worked as a mediator, trainer, and educator for the Centrum voor Conflicthantering on the following projects:

• The development and execution of referral seminars for judges the Netherlands, in association with court-annexed mediation. (Rechtspraak)

• Basic and Advanced training in Mediation in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Albania and Macedonia commissioned by the IFC/World Bank.

• Basic and Advanced training in Mediation in Croatia and Serbia, commissioned by the Centre for International Legal Cooperation (CILC).

• Mediation Modules for the business mediation training commissioned by CEPINA, Belgian Centre for Arbitrage and Mediation.

As a volunteer he has been working in Kenya (MCC) and Bangladesh (PhySci). On the one hand to distribute coaching and educational knowledge and skills in order to work with people with severe and multiple handicaps, and on the other to train and educate young volunteers in conflict management and mediation.

As a Trainer and educator Theo van Dijk prefers to focus on the personality of the psychotherapist, the coach and the mediator.

It is communication in all its facets that he focusses on, because psychotherapy, coaching and mediation are intrinsically communication processes.

Communication entails change.

He specializes in guiding difficult processes in partnerships and groups in order to help participants getting back to a constructive and effective way of communicating, and to help people hear one another once again, in order to reach a solution.

Difficult and unmanageble people fascinate Theo van Dijk, and he relishes the challenge to intervene in a clear and comprehensive fashion.