About me
I’ve always had this mad hunger for life.
Ask my friends to describe me and they will say courageous, adventurous, wise, and with a huge, loving heart. They may say I’m a little crazy too, with an urge to give people a little nudge, and do what it takes to support them to get where they want to be – even if that needs some gentle provocation or bold confrontation (always respectfully and consensually of course).
It wasn’t always like that. I grew up in a small village as an extremely shy and insecure person. I spent my lunch breaks in high school walking around, feeling too shy to join others. I didn’t dare looking anyone straight in the eye.
Men scared me. Sex was something I kept myself far away from. I hated my looks so much I hadn’t been to a swimming pool in five years. So how did I end up on a TEDx stage speaking about intimacy?
“You have a rare gift of bringing many different people together and seeing the most beautiful in them.” – Irina
They say what makes the difference between people who can make a change and those who don’t, is having someone who believes in them. I was lucky enough to have a few of those in my life.
When I was 18, I felt determined to make a change. I moved to another city, started my studies Forest and Nature Conservation, and combined that with traveling around the world in service of a world-wide organisation of forestry students. At age 21 I became President of this organization called IFSA.
Towards the end of my study I met my first boyfriend, got pregnant four months after meeting him, moved to the other side of the country with him and my horse, and gave birth to three daughters (born in 2008, 2010 and 2011) within four years.
I started my business in 2011 as a certified Quantum Touch therapist. In 2013 I started my blog, participated in my first tantra workshops (as organizer and assistant), and put my first steps into the world of conscious kink. In the following years I followed, organized, and assisted numerous workshops in the field of tantra, kink, shamanism, healing, and all kinds of bodywork. I took several practitioner trainings (a.o. Like a Pro with Betty Martin and professional dearmoring with Susanna Roursgaard, you can find a full overview at the end of this page) and closely worked with the best teachers I could find. With trial and error as well as with support of business coaches I learned to set up a successful professional business in intimacy.
“With their work, Wilrieke really makes a difference in this field of offers around embodied intimacy. They take you on a journey, step by step. It made me experience feelings and emotions in a way that I always longed for, but had never found in a workshop setting before.” – Mirjam
We are never done learning. Each year I invest in my journey. I take trainings, am part of a mastermind group, ask for intervision and supervision, keep up with science as well as the business side of things.
Besides my solo work, I co-create with some of the best intimacy teachers in the world. There are few things that nourish me as much as witnessing and guiding a room full of people into exploration!
I love sharing about my path. Since 2013 I have been in all kinds of alternative relationship styles and researching my own sexuality and gender, and shared openly about it on my blog, podcasts and the mainstream media. The website Red Flags in Workshops is the result of my activism for safer interpersonal workshops.
I use they/them pronouns (but won’t get mad when you use she/her – just don’t call me Mrs!). I identify as queer (in all the ways), non-binary/gender non-conforming, non-monogamous, kinky, pansexual, panromantic, neuro-atypical, working class, survivor, white, Dutch/Veluws.
“Wilrieke is a unique facilitator who knows how to create safety. They help to create an inclusive, vulnerable and empowered new world by teaching people how to feel into their bodies, communicate their boundaries and act on their longings and needs. Magic guaranteed! Wilrieke’s workshops come highly recommended if you want to grow as a person, with all that you are.” – Joanna
Follow me too on the Socials!
Part of:
Member of Stichting Seksueel Welzijn (the foundation for sexual wellbeing)
Sex & Intimacy expert for Cycle
Member of Stichting TantraWijzer
Media:
Over the years I have made many appearances in the media on topics like non-monogamy, the importance of cuddling and touch, and intimacy activism. Here is an overview of most media appearances.
Credentials:
Education
2024 Tantra for Couples – Bliss Your Body
2024 Writer’s Course Schrijfgragen with Bowie Redman
2022 Urban Tantra Practitioner Training – Barbara Carrellas
2022 Creating Safer Spaces – Shelby Leigh (online)
2022 Neuroscience of Attachment, Arizona Trauma Institute (online)
2021 Consent Advocate Training – Ariana Coveney, Consent Academy (online)
2021 Certified Trauma and the Sensory System Training, Arizona Trauma Institute (online)
2021 Certified Trauma Informed Specialist, Arizona Trauma Institute (online)
2020 – 2021 Year Training Herbal Medicine, Sage L. Maurer / Gaia School of Healing
2019 Pelvic Heart Integration, Tanya Rozenthal
2019 Ritual Priestess Training, Winter Jade Icely
2019 Kink Practitioner Training, Seani Love / School of Erotic Mysteries
2018 Ritual Play weekend training, Marina Kronkvist
2018 Like A Pro, Wheel of Consent Practitioner Training, Betty Martin / School of Consent
2018 Month Long Tantra Teacher Training, Tribal Tantra
2017 Full Body Dearmoring Practitioner Training, Susanne Roursgaard
2011 Healing for Animals Practitioner Training, Margrit Coates
2010 Certified Quantum Touch Practitioner, Quantum Touch ®
2009 – 2011 Intuitive Development Training I, II, and III, Anna van Leeuwen
2005 – 2008 M.Sc. Forest and Nature Conservation, Wageningen University & Research Center
2002 – 2005 B.Sc. Forest and Nature Conservation, Wageningen University & Research Center
Besides these, I have followed numerous workshops in the realms of (neo-)tantra, kink, (intergenerational) trauma, attachment theory, intimacy, sexuality, dance, herbalism, and spiritual practices. I have studied in person with a.o. (besides already mentioned teachers) Barbara Carellas, Steve Pavlina, Jamie Catto, Reid Mihalko, Francesca Gentille, Krishna Prem, Laurie Handlers, Om Rupani, Seani Love, Eugene Hedlund, and Shashi Solluna. I have also learned from the materials from a.o. Dossie Easton, Janet W. Hardy, Bessel Vanderkolk, Deb Dana, Stephen Porges, Mark Wolynn, Jan Geurtz, Resmaa Menakem, Raven Kaldera, Judith Schuyff, Robyn Wall Kimmerer, Jessica Fern, Sonya Renee Taylor, and Meg-John Barker. All these teachers have impacted my life and my work.
Past Professional Experience
2023 – 2024 Writing Queer Tantra
2023 Jury member Smut Slam Amsterdam, speaker for Zinnig Noord
2022 Signed book contract with Twin Flame publishers for Queer Tantra – Gender free practices for a wide range of bodies and minds. Expected in 2024.
2022 New project: http://www.redflagsinworkshops.com
2022 – 2024 Guest lectures for Utrecht University (consent, parenting, sexuality), Fontys Hogeschool (consent, nervous system, professional ethics), Hogeschool Utrecht (consent, boundaries/desires)
2019 Speaker for TEDx
2015 – 2017 Freelance Subsidy Consultant, Van Poppel Advies
2013 – 2016 Member of the Advisory Board of the State Forestry Service (Staatsbosbeheer)
2011 – 2014 Founder & CEO KruidenThuis (subscriptions to herbs)
2009 – 2010 Environmental Consultant
2005 – 2006 Professional Liaison Officer IFSA
2004 – 2005 President International Forestry Students Association (IFSA)
Exploring Deeper was founded in 2011 (previous names were Wilrieke.nl and The Yellow Side of Life). Cuddle Workshops International / Knuffelworkshops Nederland & België was founded in 2014.
I have co-facilitated with and organized for many facilitators. Co-creations I am very proud of include working with Betty Martin, Reid Mihalko, Seani Love, Francesca Gentille, Monique Darling, Marti Simek, Ruby May, Rupert James Alison, Robyn Dalzen, and Eyal Matsliah. Other co-creations include working with Jamie Catto, James Stevensen, Krishna Prem, Laurie Handlers, Om Rupani, Eugene Hedlund, Buster Radvik, and Rachel Richards.
I have been teaching at many festivals including The Intimate Revolution (Berlin, Germany), Sexsibility (Angsbacka, Sweden), Sexolution (Vienna, Austria), Sexuality Gathering (Osho Leela, UK), Tantra Festival Holland, Tantra Festival Amsterdam, Togetherness (UK), One World Tantra Festival (online), Evolutionary Festival (online), several Every Day Tantra festivals (online). I am one of the teachers at the Extraordinary Facilitator Training by Monique Darling.
Besides so many amazing trainings and co-creations, I have also had experiences with trainings that have caused harm.
I have followed several trainings with The New Tantra in 2015 and 2016. Here is a public statement I wrote about my time with TNT.
I have organized for, and co-facilitated with Newman Alexander / London Faerie 2016-2017. Here is a public statement I wrote about my time with them.
I have organized for Nadav Or / Magic of Love in 2015.
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