The Waking Up Program · Portugal
From the head to the heart.
When was the last time you truly took a moment for yourself?
Perhaps this sounds familiar. Life is going pretty well. You do what needs to be done, your calendar is full, you take care of others and you keep going.
But somewhere inside you feel the need to step out of the routine for a while. Not because anything is wrong. Because you need space, quiet and a different place, and time to feel what is really going on inside you.
In and around Caldas da Rainha and Foz do Arelho, on the Portuguese coast, I put together a program that fits where you are in life right now.
This is not a holiday or a retreat. It is an inner journey. No fixed schedule you have to follow, and no endless talking therapy.
I am not a therapist, and I don't pretend to solve your problems.
- I create space.
- I connect you with people and experiences.
- I listen.
- I ask questions.
- And sometimes I give you a little kick up the backside.
Not sure yet? Start with a free inspiration session, online or by phone, to see whether this is right for you.
Sometimes you know perfectly well what you need to do. You just need someone to look at it with you, hold up a mirror and help you get moving again. That is what I do.
What can happen when you wake up?
Waking Up Moments
We look at the habits and beliefs that may be holding you back, and make room to let go of old stories and see what matters to you now.
The program is built around Waking Up Moments: time, attention, good conversations, nature, the ocean, movement, rest and inspiring people from my Portuguese network. Depending on what you need, they can include:
- Personal coaching and reflection
- Mindfulness, meditation and yoga
- Breathwork
- Walking and connecting with nature and the ocean
- Massage and bodywork
- Working with horses
- Ayurveda and natural healing practices
- Silence and moments of solitude
- Family and organisational constellation work
- Exploring emotional patterns and relationships
- Herbal and plant-based experiences
You choose what is relevant for you. There is no fixed formula.
From awareness to action
Besides understanding yourself better, you work out what your next step could be.
- What do you want to change?
- What are you ready to leave behind?
- What would you like to create?
And perhaps most importantly
How do you want to live the next chapter of your life?
A central theme of the program: taking responsibility for your own life, choices, feelings and direction.
A source of inspiration
The Waking Up Program is partly inspired by the philosophy and work of Elmer Hendrix and his book Growing Up for Grown-Ups – A Path to Emotional Maturity.
The book explores the journey towards inner maturity: learning to look at ourselves honestly, and becoming aware of old patterns, unresolved emotions and automatic responses.
These insights connect closely with the essence of the program: moving from the head to the heart, from unconscious to conscious living, and from old beliefs towards greater freedom, connection and personal responsibility.
An invitation to become more aware, more authentic and more fully yourself.
An inner journey of 5, 8 or 12 days.
Each program is personal and can be adapted to your needs.
5days
A first awakening
Time to slow down and try the first Waking Up Moments.
€2,950
8days
Going deeper
More time for coaching and personal reflection.
€3,950
12days
A deeper transformation
The longest format, with time to explore, let go and decide on your next steps.
€5,950
The follow-up journeys
You've been shaken awake. What's next?
A program can set something in motion. New insights, other perspectives, perhaps a little closer to yourself. Real change sometimes needs time to settle.
So afterwards you can continue with a follow-up journey. Together we look at what is changing in your daily life, and you keep making room to feel and go deeper. There are three options, each with its own intensity.
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1
Let's keep going
Three months in which we meet online once a week for a personal consultation. We look at what has been set in motion, what you run into, and how to bring your new insights into everyday life.
IncludesOne online consultation a week for three months.
€650
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2
Let's keep going, and stay connected to what I feel
Three months of weekly online sessions plus four treatments chosen for you. It is not only about talking and understanding; there is room for what you feel and what is going on at a deeper level.
IncludesWeekly online sessions for three months and four personal treatments.
€1,150
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3
Going deeper
For those who want to take the next step. Everything in journeys 1 and 2, plus a full day to step out of your routine and immerse yourself in your own process.
IncludesFollow-up journeys 1 and 2, plus one intensive day.
€1,950
In their words
“I landed in Portugal, literally and figuratively. Sitting by the sea together, saying nothing, in silences that were not uncomfortable: that was new. A few days taught me to feel again, to pause and to come back to myself.”
“Everyone is busy, running from day to day. Stepping out for a while and working on yourself is a gift you should give yourself. Not for others, but for yourself.”
“A fantastic setting, where you can really unwind, take beautiful walks and eat well. In the conversations with Alex you gain insight into your own patterns, recognise and acknowledge them, and then find another way forward. For us it comes down to three words: gratitude, love and inspiration.”
“Alex takes you to special places. Because he knows all the session leaders well, everything felt safe and familiar. From accommodation to food, he arranges it all with personal attention, creativity and pragmatism. We came home full of energy, inspired, and with a healthy glow.”
“Alex is not an adviser who comes in to fix something. He is a guide who helps you remember who you are, what you stand for, and how to put that into motion.”
Translated from Dutch.
Gift voucher
Give someone time for themselves.
Know someone who could use a pause? A Waking Up gift voucher can be for one of the programs, a follow-up journey or an amount of your choice.
Tell me who it is for and what you have in mind, and I will send you a personal voucher.
You don't have to know exactly what you are looking for.
- Perhaps you need to step away from your everyday surroundings for a while.
- Perhaps you want to reconnect with what really matters to you.
- Perhaps you are at a crossroads, or want to make a change.
- Or perhaps you simply want to do nothing for a while and find your way back to yourself.
Then this may be the moment to stop and listen.
Wake up, come back to yourself and find out what comes next.
Welcome to Portugal. Welcome to your Waking Up journey.
Ask Alex, or book a free inspiration session.
Tell me a little about what you are looking for. I will reply personally, usually within a few days.