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“A while back I was sent an article, based on scientific studies, that flipped my world of skincare upside down. Recent scientific studies have discovered why healthy skin is an essential part of longevity.”
INTERVIEW
SKIN DEEP with Anne Breinberg
Get to know a woman we like.
RESUMé
You may not know her yet – but Anne Breinberg has already made her mark in the world of massage. She previously worked in banking, surrounded by numbers, deadlines and spreadsheets.
Today, she works with something entirely different: the human body.
Since changing careers, she has won both gold and silver at the World Championships in Massage and now runs her own clinic, Breinberg, in Næstved, where she offers massage, reflexology, acupuncture and birth support (doula services).
We discovered Anne when her award-winning self-massage technique was featured in The New Yorker. It emerged after an injury that forced her to think creatively just to participate in a competition – resulting in a completely different approach to bodywork.
In this interview, Anne shares her journey from banking to the treatment table, what it means to work with the body as a tool, and why the most unconventional ideas sometimes turn out to be the best ones.
Get under the skin of Anne Breinberg.
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How did your journey into massage begin?
“I was heavily pregnant with my little girl when one day, a flyer came through the door. It said you could train as a massage therapist for DKK 10,500. I thought, I’ll just do that while I’m on maternity leave. So that was actually why I went down that path.”
What started as a maternity-leave project quickly became something entirely different. For Anne, massage didn’t just become a profession – it became a way of being in the world. In a treatment room, the pace naturally slows down. That’s one of the reasons Anne loves her work.
“It gives me time for calm and presence. When I work with a client, a very special space appears. In a way, I’m almost treating myself while I’m treating others.”
It’s a point many therapists recognise: touch works both ways. When you work with the body, you also work with your own awareness, breathing and presence.
Could you tell us a bit about your award-winning self-massage technique?
“It was actually quite a special situation. I’d had hip surgery twice 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 legs.
I was walking with crutches and using a walker. So to think just a little bit innovatively – and to be allowed to participate – I chose to do a self-massage where I really thought outside the box. I used the walker and my crutches to keep my balance while doing different mobilisation exercises and stretches.”
Could you tell us a bit about your award-winning self-massage technique?
“It was actually quite a special situation. I’d had hip surgery twice 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 legs.
I was walking with crutches and using a walker. So to think just a little bit innovatively – and to be allowed to participate – I chose to do a self-massage where I really thought outside the box. I used the walker and my crutches to keep my balance while doing different mobilisation exercises and stretches.”
When the body needs to find calm
What do you do when you really need to recharge – both physically and mentally?
“I take deep breaths. And I really enjoy practising yoga. It’s wonderfully relaxing.
Mentally, it gives me so much.”
What is one habit you’ve adopted that has changed your life?
“It really is yoga. It’s access to everything, and I also integrate it into my treatments.”
Do you have a skincare or beauty hack you never skip?
“Yes – cosmetic facial acupuncture. I realise that the average Dane can’t exactly do that themselves, but it’s fantastic. It’s calming and deeply relaxing.”
Do you do it yourself?
“Yes, I do. And no – you should NOT go home and try it yourself,” Anne replies with a laugh.
What is your favourite aromatherapeutic scent – and why?
“Well, I really love lavender. It’s wonderfully calming. But if I sometimes need a bit more energy, I’m very fond of lemongrass.”
What is your favourite aromatherapeutic scent – and why?
“Well, I really love lavender. It’s wonderfully calming. But if I sometimes need a bit more energy, I’m very fond of lemongrass.”
Natural beauty
What do you wish more people would talk openly about?
“Inner beauty, natural beauty. I think there should be much more focus on that. There’s far too much focus on Botox and everything else, when many things could be achieved in a more natural way. I wish that would take first place.”
What is the latest thing you’ve learned about yourself?
“Probably that I need to dare to believe in myself and my very, very crazy ideas. I have quite a twisted mind. But if I choose to believe in it myself, others will eventually start believing in it too.”
She pauses briefly.
“But it takes time.”
