Therapeutic Shibari
Shibari: the Japanese art of bondage. It might sound like a paradox, but being tied up by somebody who is fully present with you and holds you in the process, can be exquisitely liberating.
The act of surrendering is an art in itself. At the same time, it can deepen your ability to trust. To feel safe within yourself, your body, and with all emotions that may come up.
The style of shibari I practice is deeply healing and I bring in my heart and lots of care for the person who entrusts me to tie them up. That's why this is a therapeutic tool above all.
Shibari is about…
Feeling Safe | Reconnecting to your Body| Stretching yourself
Embracing Discomfort as Part of Life | Voicing your Needs and Boundaries Clearly
Trust & Healing
Activating the Senses
Feeling held
Shibari can be a beautiful way to feel your body again, to allow certain emotions and perhaps to heal, learn self-acceptance or work through certain traumatic events.
This requires deep trust: being immobilized (partially or fully - up to you!) can seem challenging if you like to be in control. But when we create an environment to make you feel as safe as possible, this can be very liberating. There’s nothing else to do, nowhere else to be, but here.
This level of safety is my top priority and I'm humbled every time my clients tell me how safe and held they felt during the session.
The smell of the rope, the sound of them falling on the ground, the music in the background, feeling the ropes and my hands on your skin – sometimes rough, sometimes gentle…
...it creates a heightened awareness of your senses, especially when you choose to be blindfolded so sight won’t interfere. Shibari can be a very sensual experience this way.
Many people feel a deep sense of connection to their body. A level of groundedness they haven’t felt in a long time. Out of your head, into your body: that's what Shibari can do for you.
One of the most beautiful elements of a Shibari session, is that you don’t have to carry yourself for a little while. No need to keep your back straight. You don't have to carry the weight of the world.
You can fully relax into the knowing that you’re being held.
This might ignite feelings of intimacy, closeness, and serenity within you. It can also feel deeply nurturing - allowing you to receive for a moment, without needing to give back.
Often, people find themselves in a deep meditative state – still aware, but not fully awake.
Just imagine… feeling the embrace of the ropes holding you lovingly. You can completely let go of everything. Thoughts, expectations, control. All you need to do is...trust.
More than ropes
In a shibari session, the ropes are the main course. But that doesn't mean it's a mechanic sequence of knots. In fact, it's much more about the experience and the theme you'd like to work with. The ropes are simply the entrance to that experience. It's in the way I hold you, touch you (with consent), guide you.
My super power in shibari is to work beyond the rope itself by bringing in other modalities or guiding you into a process of healing. Shibari is hardly ever just shibari. A session can take up to 2,5-3 hours for a reason...
Know that emotions may arise. You might not even expect this. This is completely normal. Take into account that you may need time to process. Don't schedule anything after the session; just take time for yourself to integrate the experience.
Passion for the ropes, attention for soul
"It's been a few weeks since I received a shibari session from Michelle. Even though it was a short while ago, I still remember very well what I felt. Her passion for the tying, feeling the right tension on the rope, the attention to me as a person – it all brought me into total surrender and relaxation. What a fantastic feeling and experience. Thank you, Michelle. I'm already looking forward to another session." - Bart
Shibari Flavors
Shibari can be...
Meditative
Intimate
Playful
Erotic
Healing
Grounding
Is this for you?
Shibari is for the curious. The pleasure-seekers. The broken-hearted. The whole-hearted.
The ones who yearn to learn more about themselves. Who seek to expand beyond daily routine.
If you're not sure if this is for you, let's just have a 30-minute Zoom chat first.
It's free and without strings attached.
What you may expect from me
Devotion & Presence
My absolute devotion to this session through 100% presence: that’s what you may expect. When I’m with you, I’m with you fully. This is the only way for you to relax into the moment and feel safe.
Respect & Safety
This is your experience, not mine. What you want to experience is our focal point. Together, we find out what works for you and what doesn’t, respecting the ability and limits of your body and your heart.
A wonderful spaceholder
"Michelle is a wonderful space holder. I could see her enthusiasm for the ropes and holding space for others. The session itself was slow and gentle; this was exactly what I needed to trust her more. It helped me to surrender into a meditative space. Michelle was great at being sensual and not sexual. There was a generous time for silent integration at the end of the session, and she was constantly present and caring.
Michelle has a confident way with the ropes and creatively worked around my requests, producing a perfect session of pleasure, relaxation and expansion."
- Jeremy
Some must-knows
A session can easily take up to 3 hours. After all, we also need time to get to know each other - for you to feel safe and for me to know exactly what you'd like to experience.
On the right, you can learn about the process.
Pricing
The investment for a 1:1 Deep Dive session is €395 (vat included for private clients, ex vat for business clients) for approximately 2,5-3 hours.