I’m Drs. Amélie van den Brink-El Makkaoui, BA, MA, ATR (and more). For 15+ years and internationally, I’ve supported children, young adults, and their families navigating ADHD or trauma separately. However, in the past 8 years I’ve seen that these challenges often go hand in hand—and they require a radically different treatment approach.
That's why I treat both together and use a holistic approach for faster, lasting results.
Specialized Expertise
I specialise in treating the following issues:
-childhood traumas: divorce, sexual and emotional abuse, abandonment, neglect and third culture (+) kid (TCK).
-neurodevelopmental differences: attention, impulse control, and emotional dysregulation, especially anger and anxiety.
Specialised Treatment Tools
Treating ADHD and Trauma issues requires specialised tools. That's why I've trained in the following tools and developed a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and holistic approach called, “Whole Me Therapy.”
Emotional Freedom Tapping Techniques (EFT)
and Play Therapy.
Some examples below using art therapy, play therapy, and Breathwork.
What Working Together Can Look Like
As a youth based international psychotherapist/counsellor, I offer a free 25-minute call to help you (or your loved one or family) take the first step toward support. It’s a chance for us to talk about what’s bringing you to therapy, for me to introduce how I work, and to see whether I’m the right fit for you. From there, our first full session will go deeper into your concerns and what you’d like to achieve. Every session is designed to give you a safe, confidential space to speak openly, explore what’s holding you back, and begin releasing emotional pain.
Session Types:
-Individual sessions (online or in‑person in a park in Rheden or Arnhem in Gelderland region).
-Dyads (parent & child).
-Parent support and guidance.
(We’ll discuss what fits you best during a consultation call.)
More About Me
A picture of me during my solo travel to Thailand, circa 2015.
I am mixed Burkinabé-Dutch, but consider myself a global nomad, having lived and worked in various corners of Africa, North America/the US, Europe, and Asia. I know what it is like to be in between worlds/identities and to feel trapped by a complex upbringing, including feeling 'lost', angry, anxious, and always 'on'. I've been there myself--and I understand how hard it can be to ask for help as a young person.
Getting the right support changed my life, helping me move from surviving to living fully as I am, and continuing to become. That experience drives everything I do now. My goal is to help other young people with ADHD and trauma related challenges find the same freedom, clarity, and purpose that I discovered through discovery and therapy.
I also know what it’s like to sit in the client’s chair. I’ve had various psychotherapists and counsellors throughout my own journey and during my training, so I truly understand how it feels to reach out for the first time — especially as a young person.
Let's work together and find your inner focus and safety.