Wilrieke is the founder of Cuddle Workshops International.
Years ago, their friend Steve Pavlina told them: "You should do something with cuddling. Your cuddles are magical!"
With the support of their partner at the time, they started giving small workshops in their living room. This quickly outgrew the small space - and Cuddle Workshops was born.
By now Wilrieke had been hundreds of workshops for groups up to 250 persons all over the world. From Copenhagen, to London, to Ubud and many other places. Their roots are still firmly planted in The Netherlands, and you'll find most of their workshops near Utrecht and Amsterdam.
Wilrieke also facilitates the Cuddle Workshop Facilitator Training.
Besides all this, they’re a mother of three daughters and they hold a MSc degree in Forest and Nature Conservation.
To find more about Wilrieke, their work and other things they do, check out the website of their company Exploring Deeper.
Out of my own need for affection, connection and solidarity, I discovered the importance of touch and intimacy as healing for myself and also for a better world. I would like you to experience this empowering feeling as well.
My previous group work experience is mostly connected to activism around themes like climate justice, decolonisation, refugee solidarity and critical citizenship. I co-founded the organisation LABO (www.labovzw.be) through which I combine different group facilitation methods such as The work that reconnects, Theatre of the oppressed and Popular education.
I bring these diverse facilitating skills and work experiences together in the creating and popularising of my hugging workshops which I currently host in the city of Ghent, Belgium.
My name is Mel or Purrrrrrr (she/they/creature). I identify as a stinky raccoon, a genderqueer self-help comedy devotee, I am allergic to textile and I practice healing as a political tool. As an intersectional intergalactic crimeboss I am a learner and practitioner dismantling white supremacy, the patriarchy and capitalist indoctrination. We are a group-self, an artist, filmmaker, sexological bodyworker, a queer somatic sex coach & educator, a somatic psychonaut using the body as an earthship to travel space, a cuddle workshop facilitator and activist engaged in a peer to peer survivor run initiative tackling sexual harassment, sexism and abuse of power in the arts, schools and institutions. I love animals. I am the initiator of Skinship_a touch-based place for kinship_, which is an actual Queer/ Femme centered space in Berlin.
I want to know your touch language. Sometimes talking just isn’t enough anymore. How fluent can we become in learning each others touch language. Our body is a miracle. I believe that cultivating touch and friendship is a form of activism. We are all born into radical dependency. We restructure and reprioritize our body as a vehicle for connection, knowledge and safety by learning about our needs, desires and boundaries. Feeling is a form of intelligence. I trust that if I feel something you probably can feel it too. Let’s end this erosion of intimacy and jump and into a cuddle pile. I hear our Purrrrrr in one big friendshipgasm.
Opening people's hearts, I think that's great. Especially from those who feel alone.
When I ended up in a divorce in mid-2017, the question arose: "What do I really need right now?"
Sharing pure affection, that was what I really wanted. And I realized that I was probably not the only
one in this situation. So many people feel alone, so why not bring these people together to share this
'skin hunger'.
After the summer of 2017 I followed my personal mission and Connected Hearts was created. Within
Connected Hearts, I create purity, connectedness and a loving experience through Connective
Workshops and Tantra Massages.
I want to give my clients the feeling of coming home. Like in a wonderful cozy living room, where the
fireplace warms the entire room and you are completely surrounded by the warmth.
I stand for safety, connection, strength, purity, warmth, healing and playfulness.
Arne is a therapist and coach from the Netherlands. Seeing the increasing disconnection and lack of - so much needed - physical contact in today's society Arne is inspired to bring back normality of physical touch in a non-sexual way. "We forgot how to hug each other for the sake just being held."
Through workshops and individual sessions, Arne guides you into safe non-sexual physical contact with yourself and others. Teaching you to express desires and boundaries and re-experiencing the joy of holding and being held.
I like to contribute to a world where people are there for each other, work together, live together consciously, and with respect for each other and for nature. Personally, I feel a great desire to contribute to transforming our society into one that is more relaxed and social. I see so many people whos life force energy does not flow sufficiently. By making (physical) contact with others, this energy can start to flow again. Deep relaxation and a sense of belonging can contribute to a sense of wellbeing.
In my cuddle workshops you can experience for yourself how it feels when your life energy flows and how nice it can be to be in a state of deep relaxation. My workshops are held in a safe, non-sexual setting where you are invited to express your desires and notice and indicate your own boundaries. And especially to enjoy!
In 2015 I came in contact with plant medicines, a journey that has greatly accelerated my awareness process. I assist at healing retreats where I have assisted many people in profound processes of personal self-examination. I'm also attending the Biodanza teacher training at the Biodanza School Amsterdam. Here I experience how valuable it is to surround myself with (like-minded) people. For me, this creates a deep sense of solidarity and belonging
In addition to mixed gender cuddle workshops, I also offer cuddle workshops especially for men, and you can book individual cuddling sessions with me.
