Clear communication across cultures, distance, and uncertainty
I’m Mireille van Bremen, a multilingual lettering artist, graphic recorder, visual communication trainer, and facilitator working at the intersection of visual communication and empathic dialogue.
For over twenty-five years, I’ve worked internationally in illustration, design, and visual communication, including leading creative teams and facilitating visual processes and trainings. Over time, my work has moved toward the intersection of visual communication and empathic dialogue, shaped by training and experience in mediation and conflict coaching.
My work is based on the belief that making understanding visible helps people connect more honestly and clearly. I call this approach Visual Empathy: a visually attuned expression of our understanding, intended to create connection with ourselves and others.
I design visual tools, guides, and learning experiences for people navigating relationships across cultures and distance—supporting them in staying connected, understanding each other, and moving through change and uncertainty in life and relationships.
In parallel, I work as a graphic recorder, visual facilitator and visual communication specialist, helping teams, organizations, and facilitators make complex conversations visible, accessible, and meaningful.
As an artist, I explore how visual language can carry emotion, nuance, and meaning—creating work that opens conversation and supports dialogue in personal, professional, and cross-cultural contexts.
I’m a mother and co-parent of a teenage son. With Dutch nationality, Asian roots, and Slovenia as my home since 2006, I live between cultures myself. This work is not separate from my life—it grows from it.
Lettering Artist
For me, lettering is another form of attunement — a way to translate the meaning and feeling of words into form and make meaning not only understood, but felt.
I working in a variety of styles, every lettering piece being a new journey into a world of letters, color, texture, brushes, visuals, shapes and light.
Graphic Recorder
On the contrary to what many people think, graphic recording is less about drawing, and more about listening and simultaneously interpreting words, and capturing their meaning into visual language in an incredible high pace.
The visual summaries I create, are made in slower pace and are usually done in reflection on workshops, reports, and large volumes of information.
Visual Mediator & Dialogue Guide
With over 14 years of experience in Nonviolent Communication and conflict coaching, I support individuals and groups in navigating complex conversations and relationships across cultures and distance. I combine visual facilitation with empathic dialogue to make needs, values, and tensions visible and workable.
I co-created and visually designed the Mediate Your Life Guidebook, a practical tool that brings together visual communication and conflict work.
Visual Communication Trainer
As a visual communication trainer, I guide my participants in learning the visual language and visual facilitation skills they need to design their own training tools, such as flipcharts, instructions, process templates, digital presentations, and beyond—so their teaching fosters deeper retention, engagement, and connection.
More details about me
Education & Training
Education
- Bachelor of Design: Design and Visual Communications, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, (Willem de Kooning Academy) (2003, 3 years, The Netherlands)
- Bachelor of Arts: Illustration, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, (Willem de Kooning Academy) (1996, 4,5 years, The Netherlands)
- IJsselcollege (1991, 5 years, The Netherlands)
- Jenaplan School Het Mozaik (1990, 10 months, The Netherlands)
- Vrije School Rotterdam Waldorf/Rudolf Steiner School (1982, 8 years, The Netherlands)
Various Training – Participation / Certification
- The Lettering Seminar – (2025, 8 weeks, online) Trainer/Lettering Artist: Martina Flor
- ThetaHealing Basic DNA, Level 1 (2020, 4 days, Teleclass) – trainer: Dr. Lisa Cooney
- Genos Emotional Intelligence Practitioner Certification (2019, 4 days, Slovenia) – trainer: Pam Welsby, FastForward
- Awakening Coaching Training – Deepening Course (2016, 5 days, Greece) – trainer: Arjuna Ardagh
- Awakening Coaching Training – Basic Skill Course (2016, 5 days, Germany) – trainer: Arjuna Ardagh
- Methodology / Didactics, Training Design (2015, 3 days, Germany) – CNVC trainer: Klaus Karstadt
- Art of Participatory Leadership (2014, 4 days, Slovenia)
Nonviolent Communication Training – Assisting / Co-trainer
- Designing and Building Impactful NVC training (July 2019, 2 days, France) – CVNC trainer: Roxy Manning, PhD (Principal Based Teaching) and Mireille van Bremen (Visual Facilitation)
- Taste of BayNVC Leadership Program (July 2018, 8 days, California, USA) – CNVC trainer: Roxy Manning PhD
- BayNVC Leadership Program (July 2017, 20 weeks, California, USA) – CNVC trainers: Roxy Manning & François Beausoleil
Nonviolent Communication Training – Participation
- The Giraffe Business School (May 2023, 8 weeks, Teleclass) – trainer: Marie Miyashiro, Elucity Network, Inc.
- Mediate Your Life (September 2021, 9 months, Teleclass) – CNVC trainer: John Kinyon
- NVC for Real: Coaching Across Racial Microaggressions (September 2020, 5 weeks, Teleclass) – CNVC trainer: Roxanne Manning PhD
- Street Giraffe (2017, 2 days, Slovenia) – CNVC trainer: Marjeta Novak
- BayNVC Leadership Program (Yearlong NVC training) (2016, 12 months, Teleclass/California, USA) – CNVC trainers: Roxy Manning & François Beausoleil
- Empathic Livelihood Coaching Program (March 2016, 4 months, Teleclass) – CNVC trainer: François Beausoleil
- Contact Improvisation & Nonviolent Communication (2015, 2 days, Slovenia) – CNVC trainer: Robert Kržišnik
- Brain Science – on healing childhood pain and trauma (2015, 4 days, Germany) – CNVC trainers: Sarah Peyton & Sarah Hart
- Awakening the Flow of Life Retreat (April 2014, 6,5 days, Slovenia) – CNVC trainers: Robert Gonzales & Robert Kržišnik
- Intensive International Training (IIT) (2014, 10 days, Palestine/Israel) – CNVC trainers: Klaus Karstadt, Robert Kržišnik, Roberta Wall, Arnika Kashtan, Hagit Lifshitz
- Self-Empathy (2013, 2 days, Slovenia) – CNVC trainers: Robert Kržišnik & Marjeta Novak
- Communication with Children (2013, 2 days, Slovenia) – CNVC trainers: Robert Kržišnik & Marjeta Novak
- Deepening Course on Nonviolent Communication (2013, 7 days, Greece) – CNVC trainer: Louise Romain, Marianne Götlin, Towe Widstrand, and Kaspar Ritz
- Nonviolent Communication based Conflict Resolution (2012, 2 days, Slovenia) – CNVC trainers: Robert Kržišnik & Marjeta Novak
- Introductory training on Nonviolent Communication (2012, 2 days, The Netherlands) – CNVC trainer: Nicole van Ladesteijn
Experience
- Graphic Recorder, Lettering Artist, Visual Empathy & Mediation Guide, Visual Communication Trainer at The Visual Mediator formerly known as The Visual Catalyst (2019) and Empathic Pathway (2015).
- Assisting / Co-trainer
> Designing and Building Impactful NVC training (July 2019, 2 days, France) – CVNC trainer: Roxy Manning, PhD (Principal Based Teaching) and Mireille van Bremen (Visual Facilitation)
> Taste of BayNVC Leadership Program (July 2018, 8 days, California, USA) – CNVC trainer: Roxy Manning PhD
> BayNVC Leadership Program (July 2017, 20 weeks, California, USA) – CNVC trainers: Roxy Manning & François Beausoleil` - 9 years Head of Design & Art Director in an internationally operating advertising agency in Slovenia
- 5 years owner of Studio LiEF – graphic design & illustration studio based in The Netherlands
- Trained hundreds of trainers, coaches, facilitators, leaders, designers, project managers, lecturers and teachers in developing their visual empathy skills
- Supported many entrepreneurs in being more impactful with their marketing & communications
- Created countless graphic recordings, visual summaries and other visual representations & illustrations
Skills
- Visual literacy
- Digital literacy
- Critical thinking
- Leadership skills
- Organisational skills
- Trainer skills
- Communication skills
- Facilitate trainings, conversations, workshops, …
- Empathic listening & Empathy skills
- Visually capture the essence of a story, conflict, idea or plan with striking clarity
- Visualise the bigger picture of ideas, concepts, models, processes, visions, plans, etc.
- Generate new value & tons of ideas
- Reduce complexity to what truly matters
- Make the invisible visible & tangible
- Graphic Recording, Visual Translation
- Art direction, Graphic design
- Illustration
- Handlettering, Lettering design, Lettering art
- Conflict Resolution, Coaching & Mediation
- Nonviolent Communication (NVC)
- (Online) Marketing & Business
Expertise
- Visual communication
- Empathy
- Graphic recording
- Graphic Facilitation
- Lettering design and art
- Training
- Coaching
- Facilitation
- Nonviolent Communication
- NVC based Mediation & Conflict Coaching
Languages
- Dutch (native)
- English (professional)
- Slovene (professional)
- German (basic)
- Any other language with simultaneous or consequative interpretation
Work locations
- Internationally
- In person
- Online
- Hybrid
ORGANIZATIONS WORKING WITH ME
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I share ideas and tools on communication, connection, and relationships across cultures and distance.
Get in Touch
Are you working across cultures, languages, or distance—and want communication that truly connects?
I offer visual facilitation, graphic recording, and communication support for complex conversations, as well as tools and programs for individuals navigating life across cultures.
Email me at clarity@mireillevanbremen.com to explore how we can work together.
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The Visual Mediator
Mireille Annette van Bremen s.p.
Žlebej 1a
8000 Novo mesto, Slovenia
VAT ID: SI10975748