Get under the skin of a woman we like.
You may not know her yet – but Anne Breinberg has already made her mark in the world of massage. She used to work in banking, surrounded by figures, deadlines and Excel spreadsheets.
Today, she works with something completely different: the human body.
Since changing careers, she has, amongst other things, won gold and silver at the World Massage Championships and now runs her own clinic, Breinberg, in Næstved, where she offers massage, reflexology, acupuncture and doula services.We came across Anne when her award-winning self-massage technique was featured in *The New Yorker*. It came about following an injury, when she had to think innovatively just to be able to take part in a competition at all. The result? A different approach to bodywork.
In this interview, Anne talks about her journey from the bank to the massage table, about working with the body as a tool – and about why the most unconventional ideas sometimes turn out to be the best.
Get to know Anne Breinberg.
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“I was heavily pregnant with my little girl when one day a leaflet dropped through my letterbox. It said you could train to become a massage therapist for 10,500 kroner. So I thought, ‘I’ll just do that whilst I’m on maternity leave.’ So that was actually why I chose to go down that path.”
What started as a maternity leave project quickly turned out to be something completely different. For Anne, massage became not just a profession – but a way of being in the world. In a treatment room, the pace automatically slows down. That’s one of the reasons Anne loves her work.
“It gives me time for calm and mindfulness. When I’m working with a client, a special space is created. In a way, I’m treating myself just as much as I’m treating the client.”
It’s a point many practitioners recognise: touch works both ways.
When you work with the body, you’re also working with your own awareness, your breathing and your presence.
“It was actually quite a special situation. I’d had two hip operations within five months. When the World Championships took place, it was only 17 days after my last operation. So I couldn’t massage other people. I couldn’t stand on my own two feet.
I was using crutches and a walking frame. So, just to think a tiny bit innovatively, and to be allowed to take part, I chose to do a self-massage, where I really thought outside the box. Where I could use the rollator and crutches to keep my balance whilst doing various mobilisation exercises and stretches.”
“It was actually quite a special situation. I’d had two hip operations within five months. When the World Championships took place, it was only 17 days after my last operation. So I couldn’t massage other people. I couldn’t stand on my own two feet.
I was using crutches and a walking frame. So, just to think a tiny bit innovatively, and to be allowed to take part, I chose to do a self-massage, where I really thought outside the box. Where I could use the rollator and crutches to keep my balance whilst doing various mobilisation exercises and stretches.”
“I take a deep breath. And I really enjoy practising yoga. It’s wonderfully relaxing.
I think it’s really beneficial mentally.”
“It really is yoga, after all. It gives you access to everything, and I integrate it into my treatments as well.”
“Ja, kosmetisk ansigtsakupunktur. Det er jeg godt klar over, at den almindelige dansker ikke lige kan lave selv, men det er fantastisk. Det er beroligende og afslappende.”
“Yes, I do. And no, you definitely shouldn’t go home and try this yourself,” Anne replies, laughing.
“Well, I really do like lavender. It’s wonderfully calming. But obviously, if I need a bit more energy sometimes, I’m very fond of lemongrass.”
“Well, I really do like lavender. It’s wonderfully calming. But obviously, if I need a bit more energy sometimes, I’m very fond of lemongrass.”
“Inner beauty, natural beauty. I think there should be a bit more focus on that. I think there’s been far too much focus on Botox and all sorts of other things, when it could be achieved in a slightly more natural way. I’d like to see that take priority.”
“All I need to do is dare to believe in myself and my very, very crazy ideas. I’ve got a rather twisted mind. But if I just choose to believe in it myself, then others will probably come to believe in it in time.”
She pauses briefly.
“But it takes time.”
Even if you don’t use aromatherapeutic skincare or products for the home, nature still ensures that aromatherapy is all around us. Trees and plants release invisible plant compounds, phytoncides, which research links to lower stress levels and increased activity in the body’s natural defence cells. This is a beautiful account of forest bathing, nature’s aromatherapy and the scientific evidence behind it.
