Sergei Zhilin
(he/him)
Humanistic Counsellor & Life Coach
Verified by It's Complicated
Available for new clients
The world is on fire. You want change and don't know where to begin. Let's start with what truly matters for you and find a way to live with more joy and meaning.
I specialise in:
At a glance
€50 per session
Amsterdam, NetherlandsAvailable online onlyLast active
Offers free 20 minute introductory callThis provider offers a free introductory call
Usually responds within 4 hours
About me
Growing up queer and neurodivergent, I learned early what it means to feel out of sync with the world around me. That experience now helps me support others with deep empathy and without judgment.
I have a PhD in sociology, studying how people build collective life outside of extractive systems. I'm a practitioner in a Buddhist-rooted mindfulness community. I've reinvented myself several times — from engineer to researcher to activist to a non-profit founder — and I know what it feels like to build a life around something that matters, and how disorienting it is when it stops fitting.
I live in Amsterdam for 10+ years, with a partner and two cats.
I speak:
EnglishRussian
Location:
Zeeburgerdijk 25, 1093 SK Amsterdam, Netherlands
Media Gallery
Approach
Treatment Approaches
ACT: Acceptance and Commitment TherapyRecommended for those who want to stop fighting negative thoughts and learn how to live with more acceptance and focus on what really matters in life.
CoachingRecommended for those who want support and motivation to achieve personal or professional goals, often with a structured, goal-oriented approach.
Humanistic psychologyRecommended for those looking for a therapy that emphasizes personal growth and self-fulfillment, focusing on becoming your best self in a positive, non-judgmental space.
I work with people who feel the weight of living in a world that is ecologically and socially unravelling — and who are trying to figure out how to live honestly inside that.
I combine evidence-based methods with intuition, drawing on humanistic psychology, and mindfulness practices — approaches that share a common thread: you are not the problem to be fixed. We work with your values, your story, and what you actually want, rather than optimizing you for a life built on values that were never quite yours to begin with.
I create a calm, grounded space where things can slow down. Clients often describe me as a mirror: I listen closely, reflect back what is often unseen, and help uncover what's actually going on beneath the surface. Sessions feel more like thinking aloud with someone who listens very carefully than being told what to do.
Experience
Counselling and Coaching (2024–present)
Non-profit association eCommons, co-founder (2024 - present)
Researcher in Social Sciences (2013–2024)
IT and digital innovation (2006 - 2016)
Education
Certified Coach and Counselor
Academy of Coaching and Counseling, the Netherlands - 2023-2025
Doctor of Philosophy
TU Delft, the Netherlands - 2016-2023
MSc in Design of Urban Ecosystems - 2013-2015
MSc/BSc in Applied Informatics - 2005-2010
Services
Intro Call
Free • 20 min • Online
Individual Session
€50 • 50 min • Online
Insurances
Private Pay
At a glance
€50 per session
Amsterdam, NetherlandsAvailable online onlyLast active
Offers free 20 minute introductory callThis provider offers a free introductory call
Usually responds within 4 hours
Next available: May 24