Welcome,
The emergence of our time calls for a generous and adventurous descend that leads us to interesting new places that open up other ways of relating in and with the world. I'm quite confident that our external challenges are intimately linked to our inner struggles, and rooted in trying to apply mechanistic world views on complex adaptive systems.
Open Up offers science-based experiential and educational learning journeys, strategic design and facilitation with breathwork at the core to recontextualise our relations and communications, and bring a brighter future into being. It's an attempt to cultivate the necessary rupture and wisdom to become other-wise in an embodied way. To open our hearts and expand our awareness. As a practice it's also addressing how we choose to move in the face of uncertainty, and experiment with how we can elevate intelligence and consciousness together for real problem-solving in the world. These processes are not merely about being and acting differently, but also about co-creating new worldviews in service of future generations and the living planet. Can you take an instant to visualize this event?
Katrien Franken
Meet Katrien
Katrien's journey with breathwork began in 2004. She founded Open Up in 2015 to guide others. She works in a variety of contexts to investigate how breath work can become available for relational and ecological application beyond individual healing. Always excited for sense-making; that when we practice and experience life, that we put it to practice to make things happen. Katrien is inspired to work with forward-thinking people, organizations and communities.
Systems
SHIFTING INITIATIVES
As someone who's passionate about whole systems change, these initiatives are a deep offerings into that. It is a human investment in a future of inspiration and longevity, unlocking new opportunities for impact, change and healing. They also serve as an exploration for how the conditions of transformation come together on the fringes of the culture, an activation of how we can be of service to our emergent future.
"My session with Katrien was extraordinary. Firstly, who knew that simply breathing in and out in a special way could provoke such a strong response in the human body! Or take a person so deeply into themselves? And secondly, how lucky it was to take a journey like that with someone as skilled, gentle, and reassuring as Katrien. Afterwards, I was pretty amazed. Really grateful too, and keen to return."
– Jessica Brinton
Extinction Rebellion
"Katrien offers The Breathwork Group Series course that is much more than just breath work. She shares in-depth content in a nice flow of exercises that challenges on many levels with a great balance between individual experience and group dynamics. I loved the support she and her team offered during the program. With even greater curiosity looking forward to the second edition."
– Nienke Dijkstra
Speakers Coach TEDx
"I decided to book 5 weekly sessions with Katrien to experience the impact of the therapy. After every session I gained new insights, felt incredibly clear and ready to break through patterns I struggled with for so long. Katrien is not only a brilliant and authentic professional, she’s also a very trustworthy and warm hearted person. I happily return every month for a session to stay ‘open’, and with much pleasure refer others to her as I belief it’s a great combination alongside psychotherapy."
– Frederique Bicker
Psychologist