About Us
We believe everyone deserves a listening ear, right when they need it.
Our goal
Why we exist
"Seeking help is not weakness. It is the first step toward more clarity in your mind."
Millions of people in the Netherlands deal daily with stress, anxiety, or feelings they can't quite place. Seeking help often feels like a big step, and waiting lists in regular care don't make it any easier.
Gedachten Makelaar was founded on the belief that this step can be smaller. By lowering the threshold, making support more accessible, and using technology to facilitate real human connection, not replace it.
We collaborate with a diverse network of professionals, including coaches and therapists who use methods from CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and other evidence-based approaches. In addition to traditional coaching, we also work with music therapists: professionals who use music as a therapeutic tool to reach emotions that words sometimes cannot.
The person behind the project
Demi Heijligers
Founder & coach
Demi Heijligers
Coach and music therapist in training (HBO Vaktherapie — Music Therapy).
Talk to Demi →A couple of years ago, I was the one who needed help.
But getting help turned out to be far from straightforward. Long waiting lists meant I had to wait months before I could go anywhere. Looking for faster help from a self-employed professional? For me, that was simply too expensive.
I found that strange. Precisely when you're stuck, you don't want to wait months until someone finally has time for you. And help shouldn't depend on how much money you can spare, either.
Part of the idea for Gedachten Makelaar grew out of that experience.
I want to create a place where you don't first have to stand on a waiting list for months, and where help doesn't have to cost a fortune. A place where you can go to talk, put your thoughts in order, and explore together what can help you move forward.
But talking isn't the only way we can understand ourselves.
During my training as a music therapist, I discovered that music goes far beyond relaxation or expressing feelings. Music can be used purposefully to work on things like emotional regulation, self-confidence, connection, behaviour and recognising patterns. Sometimes what's hard to reach in conversation becomes visible, or felt, in music.
I think that's still often underestimated. Music isn't just something that sounds nice or offers comfort. It can be a way to actually work on yourself.
That's why, within Gedachten Makelaar, I don't just want to offer space for conversation. I also want to show what becomes possible when we take music seriously as a way to help people.
Without months of waiting. Without sky-high costs. And above all: in a human way.
Our principles
How we do it
No data selling
We don't sell your data — not to advertisers, not to third parties. Your conversations stay yours.
No subscriptions
You pay per minute or per session. No auto-renewal, no hidden fees, cancel in one click.
Only real reviews
We never write reviews for you and we don't remove critical feedback. Everything you read is from real users.
No medical claims
Coaching isn't a replacement for medical care. For severe complaints or crisis we refer you to the right place.
What's the difference between a coach, a therapist and a music therapist? Read more →
Our values
What we stand for
Accessibility
Help when you need it, not months later. No waiting list and no subscription: you pay per minute and your first 5 minutes are free.
Safety & Trust
Every conversation is confidential. We screen every coach on experience and commitment, and check every therapist's diploma and registration with their professional association.
Humanity
Technology makes the connection; people do the work. Behind every screen is a real professional who listens and thinks along with you, in words or, when words fall short, through music.