Julia is the founder of- and trainer for Train for Change. Besides that she is a child-psychologist, a primary school teacher, and a university lecturer in the department of developmental psychology. Julia started with a double bachelor degree in educational and pedagogical sciences at the University of Amsterdam. After finishing her bachelors Julia gained experience as a teacher in multiple schools across Amsterdam, where she was most passionately working as a teacher in refugee-classes and being a schoolcoördinator for the commission of diversity and anti-racism. Seeing the consequences of trauma that the children in her classes were facing, and not feeling capable yet to respond in a helping way, it was this experience that inspired Julia to learn more about psychology and trauma. Julia graduated with honors in her masters degree of developmental psychology at the VU university of Amsterdam, while gaining counselling experience working with 0-23 year old’s and their families with severe cases of psychopathology or difficult family conditions. Besides that Julia followed courses in PTSD and became a certified trainer in Trauma-sensitive teaching. Always having had a desire to work abroad in communities where care, support and protection for children and their families are most needed, Julia started working as a child-psychologist for Little Lions Child Coaching in and around the townships of Cape Town, South Africa. Working together side by side with the amazing local coaches of Little Lions, fuelled Julia's aspiration to empower local communities and leaving a sustainable impact. Since founding Train for Change International it's Julia's mission to train local (aspiring) professionals, so they are equipped to best respond to the kids in their care that are facing difficulties. By providing trainings and sharing knowledge and skills Julia hopes to contribute for local professionals to be the actual changemakers.