We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Karin Valk a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Karin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My mission began with a question I kept returning to as an international school teacher: Where do kids go for support when everything around them keeps changing and they don’t speak the host country’s language?

International school students — like their families and teachers — often live in a constant state of transition. People come and go. Cultures mix and shift. And yet, beneath the surface, many children quietly carry the weight of change, loss, and the confusion of belonging to everywhere and nowhere at once.

As someone who has been a “stayer”, watching others leave again and again, I felt these patterns personally too. I started to ask bigger questions about grief, identity, attachment, and connection. Over time, I started noticing the impact of all that change: grief that had no name, a lack of deep connection, and a sense of disconnection from the body.

Eventually, my questions led me to embodiment work. It gave me tools to feel safe and steady in myself. Even when everything outside was shifting. I finally learned what it feels like to have a calm nervous system. It quite literally changed my life. And I started to wonder: What if kids had access to this, too? What if we could teach regulation, connection, and confidence not just through words, but through the body?

That’s what I’m building now. Through my blog and coaching practice, I support international school families and teachers in feeling more grounded, connected, and emotionally expressive. No matter their language background. Because when we feel safe in our bodies, we can feel at home anywhere.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi, I’m Karin! An embodiment coach, blogger, and former international school teacher supporting families and educators who live between cultures, languages, and constant change.

Through my experience teaching in international schools, I saw how children, families, and teachers are often navigating emotional overwhelm, frequent transitions, and a quiet sense of disconnection; all while trying to adapt across languages and cultures. Support does exist, but it’s not always accessible or tailored to the unique needs of globally mobile communities. Language barriers, cultural nuances, and the constant movement can make it hard to find help that truly fits.

My own story mirrors a lot of what I saw in others. As a “stayer” (someone who stayed while others came and went), I became deeply aware of the emotional undercurrents that come with this lifestyle: grief, identity questions, attachment wounds, and the ache for deeper connection. Discovering embodiment work gave me something I hadn’t even realized I was missing: a way to feel steady, safe, and at home in myself, even in the midst of change. And I began to wonder what it would look like if children and families had access to this kind of support too.

That’s the heart of what I now offer. Through my blog and coaching practice, I support international school families and teachers in feeling more grounded, connected, and emotionally expressive, no matter their language background. My work combines embodiment and emotional intelligence with a deep sensitivity to the lived experience of international life. And thanks to my background in language acquisition, I design resources that are visually supported and accessible for multilingual learners and their caregivers.

What I’m most proud of is that my work meets people where they are. I don’t try to fix or force anything, I offer simple, supportive practices that help people feel more like themselves again. If you’ve ever felt unrooted by change, unsure how to support a sensitive child across cultures, or just longed for a greater sense of calm and connection in your classroom or home, you’re not alone. And you’re exactly who I create for.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

A few years ago, I went through a period of severe burnout. The kind that strips everything back to the core. Slowing down didn’t come naturally to me. I’ve always been full of ideas and energy and a deep passion for creating. But suddenly, I couldn’t even read and register words. My system just couldn’t handle anything.

It was one of the hardest experiences I’ve had, in ways I still don’t fully have words for. But it also became one of my greatest teachers. It taught me how to listen more closely to myself, to set boundaries, and to truly feel what’s important in life.

In the middle of all that, I kept coming back to the work I’m doing now. The embodiment practices, the vision for my business (even if I could only engage in tiny moments) it gave me something to hold onto. It reminded me that I still had a spark.

I didn’t know exactly where it would lead, but I knew this was the direction I needed to go. And so I kept going. Slowly, gently, and I’m so glad I did.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I’m not sure it’s just about creatives vs. non-creatives, but I’ve definitely noticed that my way of working doesn’t always make sense to people who prefer a clear plan and linear steps. I don’t always have a neat five-step plan or a fixed endpoint in mind. I tend to follow what feels meaningful and aligned, even if I can’t fully explain it yet.

That doesn’t mean I’m scattered or disorganized. I do value structure. But for me, structure works best when it supports inspiration, not when it replaces it. I’ve had to learn to trust my process, even when the path isn’t linear. Sometimes the direction becomes clear only after I’ve started moving.

That way of working might feel unfamiliar to people who rely more on clear goals and timelines, but it’s what allows me to create work that’s honest, responsive, and sustainable. It’s not always easy to explain, but it’s how I’ve built everything meaningful in my life so far.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.karinvalk.com
• Other: Pinterest: @karinvalkembodiment. Here I share resources and ideas for emotional well-being and embodiment, for parents and teachers.