Through hypnosis closer to himself and his work with people.
Sometimes you don't discover until later that the path you've chosen doesn't quite suit you. Not because it's wrong, but because you change along the way. Because you learn to see things differently. Or because you finally start to feel what's right for you.
For Rik Gooris, that realization became the beginning of a new direction. From a life centered on sports, teaching and performing, he grew into something different: working with people on a deeper level. Not only physically, but also mentally.
Today he combines sports, coaching and hypnotherapy. But this combination did not arise from a rigid plan. It was precisely by letting go of what "belonged," that space was created for something that suited him better.
From sports instructor to seeking more depth
Rik has always been active in sports. He worked as a sports teacher, is a gymnastics coach, is training to become a personal trainer and also volunteers in scouting. Working with people, guiding and being in motion is in everything he does.
Yet while teaching, he noticed something was missing. He enjoyed working with groups, but it didn't give him the same energy as the moments when he could really help someone personally.
"The moment when I really had some time to work with someone personally, that's what energized me." Tells Rik, "Those are the moments when someone suddenly transcends themselves, that's what I like best."
Those very moments made an impression. When someone gets stuck, thinks something won't work and then, with the right guidance, takes a step anyway. That process, that turnaround, touched him.
And that's where an important question arose: if this is what energizes me, what else fits with that?
Living by expectations rather than feelings
His choice of HALO and teaching came from inspiration. His gymnastics coach was a role model: someone with passion, energy and dedication. That's what Rik wanted, too.
But in retrospect, he sees that at the time he was mostly looking at what someone else was doing, rather than what was right for himself.
"Then I'm going to do what he does, and that'll work out, too." Laughs Rik. "I was mostly looking at what was expected of me, not what energized me."
This is something many people recognize. At the stage when you are making choices about study and work, the emphasis is often on what is logical, what is sensible and what is proper. Less on what you really feel.
In Rik's case, this slowly led him to become more distant from himself. Not with big, clear signals, but subtly. For example, tension or stomach aches for internships, which he considered normal at the time.
"At the time I thought: that's just part of it. But so it's not. Retroactively, I see that I was already not listening to myself well there."
He did complete his training. Out of perseverance and the idea that if you start something, you finish it. But only after that did space arise to stand still.
Not to immediately move on to the next step, but to first consider: what am I actually doing? And what do I really want?
The quest that led to hypnosis
During that period of reflection, something came back that was actually always there: an interest in psychology, spirituality and the mysterious. The part of life that cannot always be explained directly, but can be felt.
At the same time, one experience kept coming back: the moment when someone makes a turnaround. That someone thinks something can't be done, and then discovers that it can.
"That moment when someone transcends themselves, that energized me. Then I started looking: where else can I find that?"
From that search, he came across the website of the Hypnosis Institute Netherlands. There he read about the 1.0 training. Without knowing exactly what hypnosis was, he felt this could be something.
"I didn't know exactly what it was, but there was something mysterious about it. And it had to do with helping people, so I thought, I'll just give it a try."
That was a different way of choosing than he was used to. Based less on certainty, more on feeling and curiosity.
And therein lay the change.
An education that opened everything up
Rik started the 1.0 training in 2020, followed by the 2.0 and later the 3.0. He took the first parts online, which worked fine for him.
Although he sometimes missed the contact with other participants, online learning also brought peace of mind and flexibility.
"It actually worked just fine; I didn't know any other way, either." Says the hypnotist, "And it was also kind of nice to be able to start at home with a cup of coffee."
But the real impact was not in the form of the training, but in what it did to him.
"It has given me a totally different perspective on life. Where before I thought there was one fixed future, I suddenly saw multiple possibilities."
That insight changed a lot. Where previously he thought he had to follow one route, he discovered there is much more room.
"I get to check in every moment: what feels right now? Instead of making one choice and just sticking to it."
That gave him freedom. Not because everything suddenly became clear, but because it no longer had to be fixed.
Creativity, letting go and less judgment
One of the most impactful moments from the training was in a seemingly simple exercise. Participants passed something imaginary to each other that kept changing. As a participant, you let it happen and what "it" is emerges from your subconscious.
During that exercise, something happened to Rik.
"I gave myself permission to be creative again. That was something I hadn't really used for years."
In the beginning came doubts. Am I doing this right? Isn't this weird? But gradually that judgment fell away.
"At one point judgment fell silent. Then it was just allowed to emerge, and that was liberating."
That moment shows what hypnosis has brought him on a deeper level. Not just insights, but space. Less having to, less control, more trust.
Hypnosis as a complement to his work
Meanwhile, Rik has his own hypnosis practice, in addition to his work in sports. It is not yet a full-time practice, but it is an important part of what he does.
He also sees more and more clearly how hypnosis and sports can reinforce each other.
"The connection between physical activity and how you experience it makes a huge difference. When I train alongside fanatical people, I go harder myself than when I'm alone."
He wants to bring the mental component into his work as a personal trainer. Working not only on the body, but also on beliefs and mindset.
"Conversational hypnosis can be very helpful in that. I ultimately want to coach people both physically and mentally."
There, a direction emerges in which he can help people on multiple levels. Not only getting stronger physically, but also becoming freer mentally.
What hypnosis has brought him personally
If you ask Rik what hypnosis has given him, the answer is not one specific moment. It is a broader change in how he feels and looks at life.
"I have become much freer in my skin. It feels less like everything is fixed."
That doesn't mean everything always goes right. Life continues to consist of peaks and valleys.
"Sometimes you feel good, sometimes not so good, that remains. But despite what happens, you can still be okay."
That insight makes a big difference. Problems feel less final, emotions less all-consuming.
"A problem is often temporary." Tells Rik, "You don't have to believe that how it feels now will always stay that way."
This is also what he wants to give others.
From fixed to free
If there is one common thread in Rik's story, it is the movement from fixed to free. From living by expectations to living from feelings. From one fixed path to multiple possibilities.
"From cramped to open, that's the movement I've experienced myself. And I wish other people the same."
In this, hypnosis was not an endpoint, but an opening. To more contact with oneself, more space and more direction that is truly right.
Today he works from Rotterdam, including a practice space in Het Coachhuis. You can find him through this link.
Also learn hypnosis
You can take the training in person or online. Would you like to have a no-obligation chat to see if this is right for you? Schedule a one-on-one consultation here. You won’t be speaking with a salesperson, but with an experienced HIN coach who works with this training program and clients on a daily basis. In 20–30 minutes, you’ll get a clear sense of whether this is the right step for you and which start date suits you best.
The schedule for these sessions fills up quickly around the start of each group. Is there still a time slot available that works for you? Then book it now.
