Marianne Kolkena IBCLC, MSc
Co-founder & Editor-in-Chief
Why do some people encounter so many illnesses and adversities, while others seemingly float through life in good health and with satisfying experiences? Marianne’s early years and a book about the meaning of disease made her curious about answers to this question.
During a stay in the labour ward after her third home delivery, she saw many young mothers struggling to heed their instinctive, intuitive knowledge, and to hold, breastfeed, and cherish their babies confidently. Therefore, she entered the field of lactation, in which breastfeeding gradually became less of a goal and more a means towards a healthy start. Her personal and professional awareness of the importance of the early stages for health and happiness were boosted by the concept of ‘psychoneuroimmuno-endocrinology’ - humans as organisms in which hearts and minds, bodies and souls are one integrated whole, shaping who and how we are.
During her (medical) anthropology studies, Marianne noticed the intertwinement of physiology with sociocultural factors and power relations. The origin and prevention of toxic stress thus grew into a more societal topic.
In the concept of ACEs, all this knowledge converges. This is why Marianne wants to cooperate with all relevant disciplines to increase awareness around the impact of adverse experiences and the importance of connection, compassion and curiosity in childhood. Children thrive on nurturing relationships, on true love and honest attention. Adults do, too, by the way, so a sharper focus on solid relationships, acknowledging basic needs, will help to build resilient people and flourishing communities.
Besides her work, Marianne loves reading, writing poetry, photography, taking long walks, gardening and doing different kinds of needlework for and spending time with the (grand)children.
Victor Andrei Bodiut MSc
Co-founder & Editor-in-Chief
Vic has Romanian roots and studied with Marianne in Amsterdam. His childhood founded in him a deep sensitivity and interest towards fellow humans and beings. Consequently, his main professional goal is to have a tangible positive impact in people’s lives through his daily work. Trained in social and brain sciences, with experience in academic and global health research, and keen on bridging the gap between science and society, Vic co-founded the ACE Aware NL project together with Marianne in 2020. He is particularly interested in the mental health components and consequences of ACEs and trauma, pushing towards well-informed national and international policies targeted to prevent them. Besides, Vic is a tennis player and coach, freelancer, photography hobbyist, non-serious writer of short poetry, passionate about the environment, astronomy, philosophy, and arts.
Aspa Kandyli MA
Editor-in-Chief
Aspa Kandyli is a Greek-Dutch living in Loosdrecht. She is a teacher by training and at heart. She holds a BA in Education from the University of Athens and an MA in American Studies/Sociology (with a focus on race, ethnicity, and identity formation) from the Utrecht University. She had worked for over a decade with children of different ages as a baby and a private tutor in Greece and as a high school teacher in the Netherlands.
After the birth of her daughter in 2017, Aspa was immersed in the world of perinatal health and early life mental health. She realized then and there that in order to grow healthy children, a major shift needs to happen in child-rearing, adult support (especially in at-risk populations), and in society as a whole.
She is a Certified Sleep Consultant (working from a trauma-informed and responsive parenting perspective), a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Advisor (ELMO), and an Attached at the Heart Parent Educator (API).
Her interest in ACEs lies in the mental health aspects, and in particular in applications of ACEs knowledge in parenting and in the classroom and other education settings. Her mission is to bridge the gap between academic knowledge shared in journals and conferences by scientists on the effects of toxic stress on child development and in adulthood and what is shared by media outlets. She works to bring this knowledge to the people who need it the most: parents, educators, and laypeople.
Besides her work, Aspa loves spending time with her family, reading, traveling, and photography.