MEET OUR COACHES
At Kayanova, you are surrounded by people who are ready to help with their heart and soul. Coaches, yoga teachers, creative facilitators, and chefs, each with their own journey of growth, life experience, and genuine passion. Together, our team creates a place where you feel welcome and supported so you can return home with lightness, clarity, and new insights.
Bernadette Laermans
Bernadette works at the intersection of science, human behaviour and leadership. As a senior trainer, coach and former leader in the corporate world, she understands what it feels like to function under pressure. For more than twenty years, she has guided employees, leaders and entrepreneurs towards more calm, clarity and conscious choice-making.
In her own life, Bernadette also lived at a high pace for many years. As a mother and entrepreneur, keeping going had become the norm. Performing, caring and constantly moving, often at high intensity. Until she discovered the power of yoga therapy. During her training, she learned in a scientifically grounded way what it truly means to feel, to connect with the body and to listen to signals that have often been present for a long time.
Today, Bernadette combines insights from neuroscience, physiology, psychology, hormonal balance, breathwork and somatic work. She helps you understand how your brain and nervous system respond under pressure, and how to create space again between stimulus and reaction. Her approach is clear, practical and profound. She is a guide, coach and sparring partner. Without judgement, but with sharpness and presence.
Bernadette is a certified stress and burnout coach, internationally certified in yoga therapy and the nervous system, and a trauma-informed facilitator. Her vision is clear: strong leadership does not begin with doing more. It begins with understanding how you function.
Annelies Espeel
Annelies has over 20 years of experience in Chinese medicine, including five years of study and practice in Nanjing, China. She runs a thriving acupuncture practice in Brussels and guides people in restoring their vitality, balance, and inner energy.
With a unique combination of ancient wisdom and practical, modern tools, she helps people reconnect with their energy and well-being in a down-to-earth and accessible way. In addition to individual guidance, she also shares her knowledge through workshops, lectures, and retreats, focusing on awareness, self-care, and sustainable vitality.
Bernadette Laermans
Bernadette works at the intersection of science, human behaviour and leadership. As a senior trainer, coach and former leader in the corporate world, she understands what it feels like to function under pressure. For more than twenty years, she has guided employees, leaders and entrepreneurs towards more calm, clarity and conscious choice-making.
In her own life, Bernadette also lived at a high pace for many years. As a mother and entrepreneur, keeping going had become the norm. Performing, caring and constantly moving, often at high intensity. Until she discovered the power of yoga therapy. During her training, she learned in a scientifically grounded way what it truly means to feel, to connect with the body and to listen to signals that have often been present for a long time.
Today, Bernadette combines insights from neuroscience, physiology, psychology, hormonal balance, breathwork and somatic work. She helps you understand how your brain and nervous system respond under pressure, and how to create space again between stimulus and reaction. Her approach is clear, practical and profound. She is a guide, coach and sparring partner. Without judgement, but with sharpness and presence.
Bernadette is a certified stress and burnout coach, internationally certified in yoga therapy and the nervous system, and a trauma-informed facilitator. Her vision is clear: strong leadership does not begin with doing more. It begins with understanding how you function.
Annelies Espeel
Annelies has over 20 years of experience in Chinese medicine, including five years of study and practice in Nanjing, China. She runs a thriving acupuncture practice in Brussels and guides people in restoring their vitality, balance, and inner energy.
With a unique combination of ancient wisdom and practical, modern tools, she helps people reconnect with their energy and well-being in a down-to-earth and accessible way. In addition to individual guidance, she also shares her knowledge through workshops, lectures, and retreats, focusing on awareness, self-care, and sustainable vitality.
Claire Escamez
Claire grew up in the Lézignan-Corbières region and returned to her roots with joy after seventeen years abroad. Yoga has been an essential part of her life for over six years and serves as her compass in daily life. What began as a personal practice grew into a life philosophy of feeling over thinking, discipline balanced with compassion, and living from gentleness and clarity.
With calm, accessible guidance, she wants to make yoga accessible to everyone, as a path to connecting with yourself, your body, and your breath.
During various Kayanova retreats, Claire invites participants to slow down, land, and make space for inner peace through yoga, inspired by Hatha and Vinyasa yoga.
Claire Escamez
Claire grew up in the Lézignan-Corbières region and returned to her roots with joy after seventeen years abroad. Yoga has been an essential part of her life for over six years and serves as her compass in daily life. What began as a personal practice grew into a life philosophy of feeling over thinking, discipline balanced with compassion, and living from gentleness and clarity.
With calm, accessible guidance, she wants to make yoga accessible to everyone, as a path to connecting with yourself, your body, and your breath.
During various Kayanova retreats, Claire invites participants to slow down, land, and make space for inner peace through yoga – inspired by Hatha and Vinyasa yoga.
Claire Lautier
Claire is an American transformational guide, yoga teacher, certified natural health coach, and the creator of the podcast The Grace Space. In her work, she connects spirituality with holistic healing and invites people to remember who they are in essence.
Thanks to her background as a professional actress and international keynote speaker, Claire brings depth and clarity together in everything she does. Her teachings are focused on embodiment, detoxification, and releasing old, non-native layers so that people can reconnect with the natural intelligence of their body, the Earth, and the greater whole. Simplicity and trust are at the core of her approach.
Claire Lautier
Claire is a transformational guide, yoga teacher, certified natural health coach, and the creator of the podcast The Grace Space. In her work, she connects spirituality with holistic healing and invites people to remember who they are in essence.
Thanks to her background as a professional actress and international keynote speaker, Claire brings depth and clarity together in everything she does. Her teachings are focused on embodiment, detoxification, and releasing old, non-native layers so that people can reconnect with the natural intelligence of their body, the Earth, and the greater whole. Simplicity and trust are at the core of her approach.
Elke Van Hoof
Elke is a psychologist and expert in psychodiagnostics. She obtained her doctorate at the VUB and further specialized at KU Leuven. She played a central role in the Belgian mental health strategy during COVID and co-authored the Federal Mental Health Action Plan of Belgium. She is still involved in research and publishes in internationally recognized and scientific journals.
Today, she guides and advises organizations, governments, and employees on well-being at work and sustainable return to work. Within the RIZIV, she strengthens stakeholders with clear, scientifically based insights into mental health and reintegration. She regularly shares her expertise on stress, burnout, and resilience through media such as in her podcast Stress als BFF, with practical strategies that are truly applicable.
Elke Van Hoof
Elke is a psychologist and expert in psychodiagnostics. She obtained her doctorate at the VUB and further specialized at KU Leuven. She played a central role in the Belgian mental health strategy during COVID and co-authored the Federal Mental Health Action Plan of Belgium. She is still involved in research and publishes in internationally recognized and scientific journals.
Today, she guides and advises organizations, governments, and employees on well-being at work and sustainable return to work. Within the RIZIV, she strengthens stakeholders with clear, scientifically based insights into mental health and reintegration. She regularly shares her expertise on stress, burnout, and resilience through media such as in her podcast Stress als BFF, with practical strategies that are truly applicable.
Els Pastijn
Dr. Els Pastijn built a strong medical career over the course of twenty years as an anesthesiologist in academic hospitals. Working in these demanding, high-performance environments, she developed broad and in-depth clinical expertise. Her experience was further enriched through research, including at Harvard Medical School, which expanded her perspective on healthcare.
Throughout her career, she became increasingly aware of the impact of delayed or insufficient health guidance. She saw many women struggling with conditions that might have been prevented with earlier, targeted support. This realization became a turning point and inspired her to specialize in preventive medicine, with a particular focus on menopause.
Today, Els supports individuals through a preventive and holistic approach to health. Her areas of interest include menopause, lifestyle medicine, and sports medicine. She combines her medical expertise with a genuine passion for movement and sustainable behavior change, helping people achieve meaningful and attainable goals at their own pace.
Els is not only an experienced physician, but also a warm and engaged person. As a mother of two teenagers, an animal lover, and someone who deeply values connection, she places great importance on understanding the story behind each person she works with.
Els Pastijn
Dr. Els Pastijn built a strong medical career over the course of twenty years as an anesthesiologist in academic hospitals. Working in these demanding, high-performance environments, she developed broad and in-depth clinical expertise. Her experience was further enriched through research, including at Harvard Medical School, which expanded her perspective on healthcare.
Throughout her career, she became increasingly aware of the impact of delayed or insufficient health guidance. She saw many women struggling with conditions that might have been prevented with earlier, targeted support. This realization became a turning point and inspired her to specialize in preventive medicine, with a particular focus on menopause.
Today, Els supports individuals through a preventive and holistic approach to health. Her areas of interest include menopause, lifestyle medicine, and sports medicine. She combines her medical expertise with a genuine passion for movement and sustainable behavior change, helping people achieve meaningful and attainable goals at their own pace.
Els is not only an experienced physician, but also a warm and engaged person. As a mother of two teenagers, an animal lover, and someone who deeply values connection, she places great importance on understanding the story behind each person she works with.
Kjenta Robert
Kjenta is a yoga teacher, cacao ceremony facilitator, and certified holistic coach. Her path began in the world of IT and digital marketing, but from a young age she felt that life could be more than constant striving and pushing forward. That inner knowing led her back to her body, to stillness, and to what truly matters.
Kjenta Robert
Kjenta is a yoga teacher, cacao ceremony facilitator, and certified holistic coach. Her path began in the world of IT and digital marketing, but from a young age she felt that life could be more than constant striving and pushing forward. That inner knowing led her back to her body, to stillness, and to what truly matters.
Laurenz Verkruysse
Laurenz has been teaching yoga for many years. Growing up with dance and movement, he became a yoga teacher at a young age. Today, he is a wellbeing entrepreneur and founder of Atelier Du Mon, his own yoga studio, AYU, an Ayurvedic-inspired conscious coffee bar, and ADM Care, a group practice for verbal and body-oriented therapy.
Besides spending many hours on the mat, Laurenz organizes teacher trainings, retreats, and immersions both locally and internationally. His classes are creative, poetic in movement, and balanced with a healthy dose of clarity, humor, and groundedness.
Inspired by his background in psychology, Laurenz’s teaching style helps students explore the deeper layers of their yoga practice. As he often says: “People may not remember your flow, but they will remember how you made them feel
Laurenz Verkruysse
Laurenz has been teaching yoga for many years. Growing up with dance and movement, he became a yoga teacher at a young age. Today, he is a wellbeing entrepreneur and founder of Atelier Du Mon, his own yoga studio, AYU, an Ayurvedic-inspired conscious coffee bar, and ADM Care, a group practice for verbal and body-oriented therapy.
Besides spending many hours on the mat, Laurenz organizes teacher trainings, retreats, and immersions both locally and internationally. His classes are creative, poetic in movement, and balanced with a healthy dose of clarity, humor, and groundedness.
Inspired by his background in psychology, Laurenz’s teaching style helps students explore the deeper layers of their yoga practice. As he often says: “People may not remember your flow, but they will remember how you made them feel
Veerle Pappaert
Veerle is an artist and coach with a passion for “making the invisible visible.” Intuitively and full of wonder, she creates colorful, expressive paintings that connect the inner and outer world, the earthly and the spiritual. Her work invites you to look beyond the familiar and discover new perspectives.
In addition to her artistic path, Veerle guides teams in transition and organizes inspiring retreats, in which connection and awareness are central. Together with her partner and son, she travels the world, where diverse cultures and natural areas continue to inspire her.
Veerle Pappaert
Veerle is an artist and coach with a passion for “making the invisible visible.” Intuitively and full of wonder, she creates colorful, expressive paintings that connect the inner and outer world, the earthly and the spiritual. Her work invites you to look beyond the familiar and discover new perspectives.
In addition to her artistic path, Veerle guides teams in transition and organizes inspiring retreats, in which connection and awareness are central. Together with her partner and son, she travels the world, where diverse cultures and natural areas continue to inspire her.
Veerle van Roij
As a natural connector, Veerle has always brought people together and opened doors throughout her career. Today, she does this in a way that suits her completely: inspired, attuned, and focused on real transformation. In doing so, she guides people towards inner growth by connecting them with the right coaches, whom she carefully selected based on intuition, gentleness, and trust in connectedness.
Her interest in well-being and energetic balance led to a Yin Yoga Teacher Training, with in-depth study of Traditional Chinese Medicine. A wisdom that she weaves into the retreats where yin yoga forms a gentle but powerful basis for relaxation, recovery, and inner peace. This path ultimately led her to open her own retreat center: Kayanova, a place where homecoming and transformation come together.
Veerle van Roij
As a natural connector, Veerle has always brought people together and opened doors throughout her career. Today, she does this in a way that suits her completely: inspired, attuned, and focused on real transformation. In doing so, she guides people towards inner growth by connecting them with the right coaches, whom she carefully selected based on intuition, gentleness, and trust in connectedness.
Her interest in well-being and energetic balance led to a Yin Yoga Teacher Training, with in-depth study of Traditional Chinese Medicine. A wisdom that she weaves into the retreats where yin yoga forms a gentle but powerful basis for relaxation, recovery, and inner peace. This path ultimately led her to open her own retreat center: Kayanova, a place where homecoming and transformation come together.
The quieter you become, the more you can hear
The quieter you become, the more you can hear
- Ram Dass, American spiritual teacher and author
Nature does not hurry, yet everything gets done
Nature does not hurry, yet everything gets done
- Lao Tzu, ancient Chinese philosopher and founder of Taoism
Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you
Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you
- Anne Lamott, American writer and spiritual teacher
To shine your brightest light is to be who you truly are
To shine your brightest light is to be who you truly are