Country: The Netherlands
Email: lotte.strik@signsofsafety.net
Languages: English, Dutch
Licensed Signs of Safety Trainer & Consultant 🟠🔵
Lotte Steur-Strik has worked as a trainer and supervisor in youth welfare, refugee aid, social work and women welfare in the Netherlands since 2009. Before she became a trainer, she worked as an orthopedagogic family therapist in the south of the Netherlands for many years. In her work with families and their networks her main goal was to increase the safety of the children. She is a licensed Signs of Safety trainer, post-bachelor degree education teacher of ambulant family therapy and registered supervisor at LVSC. Additionally, she worked in a support team to build resilience amongst colleagues who had experienced a shocking event at work. After joining a Signs of Safety 2-day workshop in 2008 by Andrew Turnell, her interest in Signs of Safety sparked.
Her collaborations with Susie Essex and her colleagues in the north of the Netherlands expanded her knowledge of Signs of Safety and motivated her to share her knowledge and inspire her colleagues to use the method as well. Her working methods consist of asking lot of questions, involving the children and the use of plain language (also in tough situations). Lotte believes every child has the right to feel loved, safe and understood. It’s important to her that the children understand what has happened in their lives and that they know whom and what can help them. From experience, Lotte learnt the best way to achieve this is though collaboration. This is the collaboration of professionals with the families as well as the collaboration between organisations. The beauty of the Signs of Safety approach to Lotte, is the focus on what works and what’s going well. This focus is present in the families and the organisations who work with Signs of Safety and gives people the strength and energy to learn and grow.
Her collaborations with Susie Essex and her colleagues in the north of the Netherlands expanded her knowledge of Signs of Safety and motivated her to share her knowledge and inspire her colleagues to use the method as well. Her working methods consist of asking lot of questions, involving the children and the use of plain language (also in tough situations). Lotte believes every child has the right to feel loved, safe and understood. It’s important to her that the children understand what has happened in their lives and that they know whom and what can help them. From experience, Lotte learnt the best way to achieve this is though collaboration. This is the collaboration of professionals with the families as well as the collaboration between organisations. The beauty of the Signs of Safety approach to Lotte, is the focus on what works and what’s going well. This focus is present in the families and the organisations who work with Signs of Safety and gives people the strength and energy to learn and grow.