As you grow older, you discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others
Audrey Hepburn
Website design and photos by me. No stockfotos used!
These are my hands and my daughter. Copyright protected.
Sean de Koekkoek
Motivation and Method
Massage is not a luxury
I grew up in a family of chiropractors with a holistic vision of prevention and healing. Because of this, I developed a deep respect for the body's self-healing capacity at a young age. After a career as a language teacher and university scholar, I decided to change course. I now dedicate myself entirely to massage, bodywork, and mindfulness. For me, this is the perfect combination to help others, as it is also what has benefited me the most.
Massage is one of the oldest forms of caring for one another. Worldwide, there are now more than 350 official traditions. Modern science confirms what we have intuitively known for a long time: massage is not a luxury, but an essential part of your health and vitality. Because every body is different, I always adapt my massage styles and bodywork techniques to your specific needs.
From massage to bodywork
While massage often focuses on relaxing the muscles, my approach as a bodyworker goes one step further. I look at the whole body in terms of movement and flexibility, partly inspired by deep insights from yoga. In my sessions, I specifically focus on:
- Fascia (connective tissue): releasing deeper blockages and restrictions to create more 'space'.
- Flexibility: restoring and strengthening your natural freedom of movement—both physically and mentally.
- Joint mobilization: subtle techniques to alleviate pain and help joints function more smoothly.
Mindfulness: in ontwikkeling
Mindfulness kwam pas later op mijn pad. Inmiddels besef ik dat dit proces nooit stopt en dat het betekenis geeft aan bijna elk aspect van mijn leven. Terwijl ik het potentieel hiervan blijf ontdekken, deel ik deze reis graag met jou.
Training & Experience
Alongside my university studies in anthropology, literary studies, and critical theory (modern philosophy), I completed my formal training in massage, bodywork, yoga, and mindfulness with various inspiring trainers and organizations in the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United States.
Bodywork (selection)
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- Transformative bodywork (Alchemy of Touch, Spain)
- Classical (Swedish) massage (various trainings)
- Massage Therapy (Libosan, the Nederlands)
- Yoga-Massage (S. Theben en elsewhere)
- Myofascial Release & Structural Integration (online, Tom Myers)
- Anatomy Trains in motion (online)
- Massage & fibromyalgia (Mood Massage)
- Foot massage (Portugal)
- Medisch Basiskennis (MBK, Conamor)
Yoga & Mindfulness (selection)
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- 5-month Mindfulness Mentor Training, with Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, Sharon Shelton, et al.
- Level 1 Breathwork Biohacker (online and in-person)
- Advanced Master Program on the Treatment of Trauma, Nicabm
- 200-hour Yin Yoga Teacher Training - De Nieuwe Yoga School (Amsterdam)
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction - MBSR (StressWise, Hilversum)
- 10-day Silent Retreat - dharma development (Ekutheleni, France)
- 2-month residence at Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village Zen monastery (France)
- 3-month residence at the Himalayan Institute (Pennsylvania, USA)
Background and Vision
I was born in Zambia and lived in the United States and the Netherlands for many years. I come from a family of chiropractors and therapists who focused on stimulating the self-healing abilities of the body. ‘Alternative’ and holistic approaches to discomfort, illness and health, and especially the importance of hands and touch in healing, have always been a part of my life.
For many years, I studied as a literary theorist and philosopher and worked as a scholar and English teacher at various universities and organisations (in the Netherlands, Turkey, and the United States). Several years ago, I made a return to the body and the world of healing and I decided to make massage and mindful integration the path of my life and work.
My work as an adacemic scholar and teacher taught me to be open to the many ways of approaching a single problem, and to be both critical and innovative, using the insights of the mind and modern science in combination with age-old ways to stimulate the regenerative potential of the human body. Unfortunately, this potential is largely neglected by standard medicine and thwarted by our modern way of life.
Vision
My commitment and adventure are to always learn more and to try to incorporate a variety of insights and effective techniques within the Down-to-Earth approach that I am continually developing.