Enhance your internal operating system
Many leaders lose connection with themselves, others, and the greater whole.
When head, heart and body work together, clarity, strength and direction naturally emerge.
Embodied leadership strengthens your inner organization,
allowing you to stand stronger in turbulent times.
Leadership from the inside out
Elementair werk (Elementary work) guides professionals and leaders to restore the natural coherence between thinking, feeling and action. Through direct, embodied practice you learn to turn tension into stability, noise into clarity, and pressure into direction. The result is leadership that feels grounded, congruent and naturally connected — from the inside out.
From effort to presence
- Calm focus instead of constant tension
- Natural decision-making and clarity under pressure
- Authentic connection with yourself and others
- Resilience through inner alignment
A systematic path to embodied presence
Rooted in Daoist Nei Gong — an ancient internal training for stability and vitality — Elementair werk combines depth of tradition with the clarity of modern leadership practice. A well-aligned inner organization is the foundation for clarity, effectiveness and authentic action.
Elementair werk is allied to:
About the founder
Mattijs M. van Katwijk is a mentor and trainer in embodied leadership.
Since 2015 he has guided professionals and organizations such as the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Police and Portaal.
He trains full-time in Asia with Lotus Nei Gong, deepening the internal arts that form the foundation of his work.
His approach combines precision and depth — clear, experiential and free from spiritual clichés.
Here’s more about Mattijs .
Ready to stand stronger in turbulent times?
Or learn more about the programs for organisations and professionals.
Organisations
Does your organisation want to harness the full intelligence of its people?
Elementair werk offers trainings that integrate body and mind, unlocking the full potential of teams and leaders.
Whether through inspiring weekly online sessions or a tailor-made leadership program, each approach is carefully attuned to the specific needs of your organisation.
Individual
Do you want to stay steady and flexible — in your work, in collaboration with others, or in your own life?
Elementair werk offers personal guidance in use-of-self for trainers, coaches and leaders.
You’ll learn to strengthen your inner condition, allowing clarity, effectiveness and natural action to arise from within.
Batian Nieuwerth
Mattijs has the ability to give language and substance to ’embodied leadership,’ allowing us to understand from the sensations in our bodies where we need to provide direction and what actions are required of us. In a down-to-earth manner, Mattijs helps you discover what you encounter within yourself. By offering accessible ‘simple’ exercises, he enables us to incorporate this aspect into a daily practice that we can integrate into our own lives.
Caroline Wiedenhof
, Dutch Government
Mattijs’s training prove that simplicity and depth do go together. He introduces consideration for vitality to the working space, with very practical methods for everyday. These make work healthy and joyous and they stimulate interconnectedness and judgement.
Paulus Nabbe
, Think Yellow
The love for my work makes it easy to give it all my time and attention. It is much harder to give some attention to my self. […] Inspiring classes with a healthy dose of humor and relativity. Next day I always feel sharper and more energised!
Corina den Broeder
, Ministry of Finance
Foremost, the training is fun. Moreover, it helps me to deal with most anything with a spacious and joyful mind, an open view and a healthy body – at work and everywhere. And to laugh at it, when that does not work out!
