Some teachers carry a quiet strength — a presence that speaks through their hands.
Anne is one of them. Her story moves between physiotherapy, movement, and the deep listening of Esalen® Massage.
A Year at Esalen — Learning by the Ocean
“Exactly twenty-five years ago, I lived for a year at Esalen,” Anne recalls. “I was already a physiotherapist then.”
During that year she joined the in-house programs and studied Esalen® Massage with three different teachers.
“We were in the yurt, looking out over the ocean,” she remembers. “It was wonderful to learn and practice massage in that place.”
One moment changed everything: watching practitioners on the deck, then seeing the faces of those who rose from the tables.
“There was such peace,” she says. “I thought: I want to learn that. I want to feel that. I want to pass it on.”
It was also at Esalen where she started dancing, practicing yoga, and exploring Gestalt therapy. Back home, she continued with different dance forms such as 5Rhythms, Body-Mind Centering, Authentic Movement, and Contact Improvisation.
She became a yoga teacher and completed a four-year Gestalt Bodywork training. Gradually, she began to integrate everything she had learned.
One day, after a simple back massage, a patient said, “Something is different about you.”
Anne smiles. “It was the presence. I hadn’t changed my technique — only the way I was there.”
From Fixing to Listening
In the beginning, the physiotherapist in her still wanted to analyse and correct.
“My hands looked for what was wrong,” she says. “But little by little I learned to trust stillness — to see the body as whole.”
“It’s not about doing more,” she says softly, “but about being more present. That’s what makes the difference.”
Learning in the Circle — Teaching Together
Today Anne teaches Esalen Massage introduction courses and full trainings in Germany.
She often collaborates with Ingrid May, Eva-Maria, Nina Ottenheym, and Elke Bartsch.
“We support each other,” she says. “When we teach, there is never competition — only kindness. That atmosphere of trust means a lot to me. It’s a field of learning that feels alive.”
This benevolence — the spirit of shared growth — is what she recognizes as the living essence of the Esalen Massage Global Village.
“When we come together,” Anne says, “something larger appears. It’s not about technique; it’s about connection.”
Movement as Renewal
Dance and movement have always accompanied her — Authentic Movement, Contact Improvisation, 5Rhythms, and yoga.
“They help me come back into flow and into my body,” she explains.
At the Gathering, she will offer an Authentic Movement morning practice.
“People move without music,” she explains. “One person moves, another witnesses. Afterwards they exchange a few quiet words. It’s about sensing what wants to move — a way of listening with the whole body, just like in massage.”
Together with Lili Imboden, she will also guide a full-day workshop: Belly, Heart & Hands – From Structure to Flow in Esalen® Massage.
This day offers a clear bridge between anatomy and the gentle flow at the massage table.
Participants explore key structures — diaphragm, ribs, sternum, and shoulder girdle — and discover how form and function support ease and presence in movement.
Staying Connected to the Field
To her students she offers simple encouragement: stay in touch with the work, join advanced trainings, and stay connected with community.
“Even if not many clients come,” she says, “don’t lose the thread. Meet friends, stay in the flow, stay in the field.”
An Invitation to the Global Field
Looking toward EMGV26 in Switzerland, Anne’s voice brightens.
“I really hope that some people from Esalen and from America will come,” she says. “I’m looking forward to meeting everyone again, spending a week together, diving into this work and this connection.”
If she could speak to practitioners around the world, her invitation would be simple:
“Be curious. Learn from many teachers. Meet people from different places. Let’s create a big field where it’s possible to be, to feel, and to share this beautiful work.”
Where Her Work Finds Home
Anne lives near Bonn, Germany, where she runs her own physiotherapy practice for children and adults — a space of attentive care and quiet connection.
Alongside her practice, she offers Esalen Massage introduction courses and teaches within the Esalen Massage Germany certification team.
For those who wish to explore her upcoming courses and trainings, please visit Esalen Massage Germany — the shared home for Esalen Massage education in Germany.