About Ivo

My name is Ivo van der Wal.

I am the founder of Sail4Recovery, developer of the IVO-Lens, and work as an ecosystem analyst & systemic architect.

Additionally, I am an expert by experience and a Social Worker in mental healthcare, and a lifelong learner of the sea, consciousness, and system dynamics.

For me, Sail4Recovery is the place where everything comes together:

  • my own story
  • my work in and around mental healthcare
    the research into structure and systems
  • and my love for sailing, wind, and water.

I believe that recovery is not just about “fewer symptoms”, but about:

  • more direction
  • more connection
  • and a different relationship with yourself, others, and the context in which you live.

Why I sail

The sea does not judge. It listens.
It invites silence, movement, and being.

At sea, the system falls away for a moment, creating space for who you truly are.

That is why I perform.

Because recovery is not a square room, but reaches to the horizon.