Young Profs discuss Mental Resilience
At this year’s CHIO Rotterdam, the annual Young Professional Event was once again on the agenda. Young Professionals from several CHIO Friends and ICA member organizations — including Damen, Dura Vermeer, NautaDutilh, ING, BAM, TNO, and KPMG Netherlands — were in attendance.
The central theme of the event was mental resilience, a topic more relevant than ever in an age of constant stimuli, performance pressure, and information overload.
Three inspiring speakers shared their insights during the session:
Thijs Launspach, psychologist and author, spoke about how to manage stress in a healthy way. He emphasized that stress itself isn’t necessarily harmful — it’s the lack of recovery time that wears us down. He offered practical tips such as limiting email checks, doing a “brain dump” at the end of the day, setting boundaries around availability, and taking walks in nature.
Barbara van Bergen, Paralympic athlete, shared her powerful story of resilience following a motorcycle accident that left her in a wheelchair. She demonstrated how meaning, connection, and goal setting all contribute to vitality. Her message: resilience is not a solo journey — we need others.
Josephine and Amy from KPMG Netherlands’ People & Change team provided insights into how organizations can measure and strengthen vitality. They stressed the importance of fostering a culture where physical, social, and mental aspects are integrated, and posed the question to the audience: “What is your organization already doing well in terms of vitality?” — sparking valuable insights and lively discussions.
After the session, guests had the opportunity to continue the conversation and network over drinks and delicious bites in the Stroodorp, with a perfect view of the show jumping arena.