About me

I am Sarah Van Gestel, 30 years old and the driving force behind Op weg naar jezelf, based in Lommel.

My childhood was marked by several profound traumatic experiences that left me completely emotionally and spiritually paralyzed. For years, I sank deeper and deeper and lost myself more and more. The classic circuit of medicine and psychology did not offer me a way out personally. I needed a more profound, yet gentle and non-confrontational approach—something I did not find there. Consequently, I felt there was no solution to the psychological problems I was struggling with. Out of sheer necessity, I pulled myself together and struggled on for years, with an overfilled backpack (or rather, a suitcase) that I constantly dragged along with me.

Along the way, I started as a tattoo artist. Creativity has always been a part of me, and pouring someone's story into a piece of 'skin art' grew into a true passion. This found its home in my tattoo shop Create Tattoo. But as the years passed, I began to derive more and more satisfaction from listening to people and supporting their stories.

Yet, I remained lost. My heavily laden backpack continued to haunt me. Time and again, I became stuck in recurring patterns, did not understand my emotions, and continued to struggle with my inner demons. The past still accompanied me on my path.

Coming home to yourself is not only my own path, but also the path I help others to walk.

After hitting rock bottom once again, I realized that I could no longer go on like this. Shortly thereafter, the right therapy crossed my path. In the three years that followed, I underwent a profound transformation thanks to FKC counseling. There, I learned to cope with my traumas, PTSD, and high sensitivity. I was finally able to let go of the old baggage, heal my wounds, and rediscover my true self.

 It turned out that painting played a crucial role in that recovery process. Through paint and canvas, I slowly but surely discovered a deeper connection to my feelings and thoughts. Painting became a path inward for me—a healing outlet and a key to my true self.

After this intense transformation, I received an even greater gift: I began to grow, and grow, and grow some more. From that growth, I discovered my soul mission: to guide others on their path, with everything I have learned myself.

In 2026, I took the major step of fully ending my work as a tattoo artist to focus entirely on counseling. A choice that aligns more closely with who I am and what I want to share with the world. Yet, the creative side remains an important part of me, something I need to express myself and bring to life what dwells within me. That is why it feels very natural for me to bring both worlds together into one whole, in which my passion for creation and my desire to guide others complement each other.

Wist je dat?

Ik heb mijn hart verloren in de prachtige onderwaterwereld. Duiken is voor mij ultieme rust en hierbij ga ik altijd op zoek naar mijn spiritueel lievelingsdier: de zeeschildpad. Deze brengt ons deze mooie boodschap: 

De schildpad is traag, wijs en diep verbonden met Moeder Aarde. Zijn reis symboliseert het pad naar binnen — terug naar je ware zelf. De schildpad vertelt je dat alles dat bepaalde situaties en anderen aan jouw beekje toevoegen of toegevoegd hebben in het verleden, in ieder geval niet van jou is en daardoor niet bij jouw unieke 'zijn' hoort.

Maar nu is het tijd voor zuivering. Alles wat niet bij zijn essentie hoort, laat hij los. Gestaag, met geduld, vertrouwen en liefde. Hij leert ons: je mag jouw stroom zuiver maken, jouw tempo volgen, jouw keuzes maken, op weg naar jouw bron. 

Deze prachtige wezens en zijn betekenis, zijn daarom ook de inspiratie voor de holistische praktijk 'Op weg naar jezelf'.

Verder draag ik ook mijn steentje bij voor Moeder Aarde: tijdens het duiken neem ik actief zorg op voor de onderwaterwereld. Ik ruim afval en plastic op waar ik het tegenkom, zodat de omgeving zuiver blijft en ook de dieren en koralen kunnen blijven leven in een schone en natuurlijke omgeving.