Boxing as medicine

"You tell me when you can't do it any more, don't you?" echoes through the boxing room at the top of the Sportcity on Cambuurplein. A very different tone from what you expect during a boxing training session. This is where a group of around 10 people train every week. Not with regular trainers, but social workers from Amaryllis.

"The experience of trainers Hendrik, Piet and Saïda ensures that everyone is in their place here," says participant Harm-Jan. "Everyone here has a different past, so everyone needs a different approach. Some need a break from time to time, while others need encouragement."

Until recently, Harm-Jan hardly left the house and did not take good care of himself. He regularly suffered from depression. After a course at the GGZ, he came into contact with Amaryllis' social neighbourhood team. There he met social worker Hendrik. "I thought: boxing? That's nothing for me. I am as peaceful as it gets. Yet Hendrik won me over with his enthusiasm. It surprised me how much fun this is. The casual way the training sessions are conducted makes me come back every week."

"Fun is paramount," says trainer Hendrik. "This is where people come who have suffered trauma or want to become more confident, for example. They have always allowed themselves to be walked over. We teach that they are allowed to set their limits and take the space they need." All three trainers have experience as social workers in addition to years of boxing experience. "I have personally experienced what martial arts can do to you. I was searching for my identity as a teenager. Boxing became the common thread. It gave me discipline, it became a way of life. People respected me, which made me see that I can really do something. I want to give that to others too."

"We take everything into account," he continues. "Everyone is different and we put everyone in their? strengths. It's wonderful to see from this group that everyone has so much respect for each other."

Besides boxing, someone from Amaryllis visits Harm-Jan every week. "I need that big stick. I can take care of others very well, but not so well for myself. If no one comes by, I don't leave the door, I don't take good care of myself and I even pass up housework."

Harm-Jan is positive about the future. "Partly thanks to Amaryllis, I have made progress. I'm getting better at accepting that there are things I can't do. You don't have to be ashamed if you need help, but accept it. I really like the way Amaryllis works, in groups. It's nice to have people around me to share experiences with."

Are you hesitating to go to your social neighbourhood team? Harm-Jan: "Not a shot is always a miss. Just try it. If it's nothing, don't do it again. It brought me a lot, maybe it can mean a lot to you too."