What to expect from a couple massage workshop?
One of the things at With Ease started out as a fun idea from one of my best friends.She told me years ago: “Wow, Ies, you should teach this to couples! I would love to learn about this and practice massage with my partner!”
Since that dinner conversation with her, many years have passed, and much has changed.I have now guided about 50–60 evenings with couples, teaching them massage techniques they can use at home to deepen their connection and bring each other relaxation after a busy day.
What can you expect if you're coming in for a couple massage workshop at With Ease?
I wanted to write this article to give you a little glimpse of what you can expect, in case you're curious whether this workshop might be a good fit for you and your partner.
If you’d like to learn more about what you'll practice during the workshop, you can check out this article here. 🔗
Setting the Space
Creating a safe and authentic space is one of the most important things to me.
We start the day or evening sitting down together after you arrive.
While having some tea—or sometimes a homemade iced tea, which I personally prefer—we talk about your intentions for the workshop.
Why did you feel it would be fun, helpful, or even essential to come in and learn about the art of massage?
It’s important for me to check in:
✨ How are you entering this workshop together?
✨ Are there things you're nervous about?
✨ Do you have any specific expectations or hopes for our time together?
We talk and get to know each other a little.
Then, I explain the structure of the evening and go over some important massage principles we want to keep in mind.
Moving Into the Massage
Once we’ve settled in, we move to the massage space, where one of you will lie down on the table first.
We practice the full massage sequence on the table, but all techniques can also be done on a bed or mattress at home.
You’ll have a moment to prepare, and I step out of the room until one of you is comfortably lying under the blanket.
Before we begin, we frame how we’ll communicate during the workshop.
The goal of the evening is for you to have both an educational experience and a wellness experience.
I’ll share some simple tools to make giving feedback easy and quick, so the person receiving the massage doesn’t have to overthink or get stuck in their mind while trying to explain their experience.
Which areas of the body will we learn to massage?
One of you will first learn the full massage sequence (both back and front).
We start with:
👣 Feet
🦵 Legs
🍑 Buttocks
💆♂️ Back & shoulders
Then, the person receiving the massage will turn around, and we continue with:
🦴 Neck
❤️ Chest
🌿 Belly
🦵 Legs & feet again
If we have extra time, we’ll go over facial massage as well. Otherwise, you can explore this in the online training you receive at home.
Of course, all of these areas are optional.
If you’re not comfortable receiving touch in a certain area, we simply skip that part and focus on another area instead.
You can also revisit certain areas at home with the online training, which covers the full massage sequence.
My priority is that both of you feel completely safe and relaxed throughout the entire workshop. ✨
Taking a break
Once one of you has received the full massage sequence, we take a break.
I prepare nutritional vegetarian appetizers, so you can recharge.
Afterward, we switch, and the other person practices the full sequence.
Language options
I can teach in Dutch or English, or switch between the two—whatever feels most comfortable for you.
Wrapping Up
At the end of the workshop, I share extra tips on how to turn massage into a beautiful, ongoing practice in your life together.
You’ll also receive:
📹 Full online massage video training
📖 Ebook
🌿 Organic massage oil to take home
In case you're curious, read more about the in-person or online couple massage classes [here].
