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Athalie de Koning combines her passions for music and mental health advocacy in Bangkok. From performing jazz to leading ACT, she nurtures creativity, care and community impact.
In this Friday Future Lister edition, we celebrate women who inspire, lead and create impact in their communities. Some push their own horizons while uplifting the communities around them. Some breathe new life into tradition through innovation. And some transform personal passion into wider purpose.
Among them is a woman whose life bridges two worlds: music and mental health, each influencing the other in profound ways.
Koktail delves into the story of Athalie de Koning, a Dutch-born, Bangkok-based musician, educator and mental health advocate whose dual roles reflect both her artistic spirit and her commitment to community wellbeing. Through her voice, her teaching and her leadership in founding the Accredited Counsellors of Thailand (ACT), she continues to shape spaces where creativity and compassion meet.
Athalie’s Melody: A Story of Passion and Sound
“Growing up, each of us in the family played a different instrument and singing was simply part of daily life. We sang before dinner and after dinner, a song of thanks, and we sang again before going to sleep. That rhythm has stayed with me. Music has become so deeply woven into my life that it sits alongside my thoughts, as natural and present as breathing.”
She was born in the Netherlands, but Thailand became her main home, with periods spent living in Malaysia and England from time to time. Her relationship with instruments has always been guided by curiosity and purpose rather than the pursuit of virtuoso skill. She has an impressive singing voice, plays the piano and flute and has picked up pieces of many other instruments along the way. She often jokes that she knows a little bit of everything, but prefers to let more skilled musicians take the lead. In truth, this is what defines her approach: she thinks like a composer, works like a collaborator, and uses instruments not as a stage for herself but as tools to shape ideas that others can bring to life with their own artistry.
She went on to earn a Bachelor of Education in Music, followed by a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on Voice and Interdisciplinary Improvisation at Utrecht Conservatory in the Netherlands.
“What I really appreciated about this programme was how well-rounded it was. While many musicians focus on a specific niche such as jazz piano or classical piano, this course provided a broad foundation in everything. Instead of studying only jazz music history, we had to learn the full span of music history and to study all the instruments in both band and orchestra settings.”
Upon returning to Bangkok, she formed two bands: Jazziam which focused on classic jazz, and Chilla Nova combining jazz with steel drum influences. Both bands perform at notable Bangkok venues, including the St. Regis, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Royal Dutch Embassy, British Club, Fubar, Chatrium Hotel and Siam Kempinski Hotel. She also works as a vocal health specialist and singer educator.
“I’d say Bangkok is a fantastic city for jazz. A big influence was the late King Bhumibol the Great, a jazz lover, which left a lasting imprint on the city’s musical culture. Bangkok is also a hub for live music, with countless venues offering daily gigs. One of the biggest compliments I can get is when someone says, “I don’t usually like jazz, but I enjoyed what you played.” That’s when I know the music has truly connected with them.”
Her passion extends beyond performance, leading her to projects like recording a tribute song for the late King Bhumibol.
“I had an aunt who cared for me when I was little and stayed close even as I moved away. She respected the King and often took me to parades. Through her I first became aware of how significant he was in Thai life.
In middle or high school, I heard a piece of music with trumpet and other instruments that completely captivated me. I learned it was jazz, written by the King of Thailand. That experience opened me to the wider world of jazz, its history and its global roots.
Years later, when I was invited to record a tribute song, it felt like a way to give back to honour my aunt’s influence, the King’s legacy and my own journey with jazz.”
Building Community for Care for Counsellors
Apart from singing, she also worked part-time with New Counselling Service (NCS) as a corporate trainer, supporting clients in areas such as public speaking, project management, communication, vocal health, and managing workplace stress. During this time, she identified a significant gap: many people were keen to help others but lacked the formal training needed to address serious mental health issues safely and effectively. This realisation became a turning point in shaping her path forward.
She has now taken on the role of Art Director at NCS, further deepening her involvement in creative approaches to mental healing. And in 2024, Athalie co-founded the Accredited Counsellors of Thailand (ACT), a non-profit focused on standardising counseling practices across the country. ACT provides a framework to ensure counseling is safe, ethical and accountable, offering support to those who may not need or want medication. Athalie’s work creates accessible options for professional guidance, combining care with practical standards.
Courtesy of Accredited Counselors of Thailand – ACT
Athalie spent years working with the ACT board by focusing on research, guidelines and organising the foundation. Earlier this year, the organisation officially launched at the Dutch Embassy, bringing together around 60 counsellors from across Thailand, including some who travelled from Chiang Mai. They represented a range of fields, from trauma and addiction to schools and community work.
“There was a moment when a counsellor came up to us and said, ‘I’ve been working alone for many years helping people, and I’ve been looking for a community to turn to. Because healers need healing, too, or helpers need help, too. When you’re someone who loves to help others, it’s easy to forget to take care of yourself.’ Hearing that was meaningful for me, because it showed how many people had been searching for a place where they could find support as well.”
For Athalie the most meaningful part of the launch was seeing people come together to discuss mental health openly. One counsellor shared that they had been working mostly alone for years and were looking for a supportive community. Athalie realised then how important it is to create a space where those who care for others can also find guidance, connection and support for themselves.
Harmonising Passions: Bridging Music, Mental Health, and Meaning
In many ways she stands between two worlds, music and mental health, creativity and structure, Thailand and the Netherlands, meeting each with the same sense of purpose. Whatever she commits to, she does so fully, bringing curiosity, discipline and genuine care. Her work reflects an aspiring woman who isn’t defined by a single path, but by the integrity she brings to every one of them.
“Music has always been the thread running through my life, and I think it runs through humanity the same way. In the worst of times, people turn to music to survive. For example, during slavery in the US, the blues were born as a way for people to sing through their suffering. During the Holocaust, even in concentration camps, people created music in the midst of unthinkable hardship. To me that shows how deeply creativity grounds us. It helps us express, endure and stay connected.”
Athalie is looking ahead with purpose and curiosity. She plans to record and release some of her original music while launching Voice Nerd Pod, a podcast exploring quirky facts and the science of the human voice.
At the same time, she is expanding the Accredited Counsellors of Thailand (ACT). The organisation will offer public courses like Foundations of Counselling and Mental Health 101, alongside workshops and gatherings. Through both music and mental health, she continues to create spaces for connection, growth and shared discovery.
