2023 new about
my name is
tessa custers
I’m a Dutchie living in Greyton, South Africa, with my partner David and our daughter Aya, while also mothering my spirit son Jade. I am passionate about creating a more balanced, honest, and equal world — one where we feel safe to live in deep connection with ourselves, our bodies, the seasons, each other, and Mother Earth.
Authenticity is at the heart of my work. Even when I am not directly working with the body, it remains my main language and guide. Energy and Art are close companions, weaving into everything I share and create.
my story
the short version
If you had met me years ago, you would have seen someone very different: always on the go, busy, happy on the outside — but deeply disconnected from my body. That disconnection eventually led me into burnout, and also into the beginning of my healing journey.
Step by step I discovered the wisdom of the body. Through yoga, therapy, and bodywork I learned that true strength doesn’t come from pushing, but from softening — from listening, receiving, and allowing. This path led me into the heart of the feminine: her cycles, her energies, her deep connection to life itself.
Motherhood brought me even further. The loss of my son Jade, and later the birth of my daughter Aya, showed me the raw truth of life, death, and rebirth — and how our wombs carry these stories across generations. These experiences shaped me more than anything else, teaching me about surrender, trust, and the sacredness of the feminine body.
Today, I walk with women who long to come home to themselves. I hold space for the body, the womb, and the feminine to be felt, honoured, and lived — in all her rawness, beauty, and wisdom.
My work is largely shaped by the following education, trainings, interests and inspiration:
qualifications
Holistic Pelvic Care
a holistic practice of physical and energetic tools to restore balance, and enhance vibrant flow in the pelvic bowl of the female body
Tami Lynn Kent, MSPT, Wild Feminine, 2024-2025
Vita Coaching
a somatic coaching approach on Sex, Love + Relationships
Layla Martin, Tantric Institute of Integrated Sexuality, 2019 (600hrs)
specializations Female Sexuality + Relationship Transformation, 2020 (200hrs)
Yoga Teacher Trainings
Partner Yoga with Dieke Bikker 2018 (150hrs)
Yin Yoga + Anatomy with José de Haan-de Groot, 2013-2017 (200hrs RYT)
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, It’s Yoga, with Sarah Stone-Fransisco, 2010 (200hrs RYT)
Body Work
Meridian massage, 2019
Thai Yoga Massage, 2018
Instititute of applied Haptonomy, the science of affectivity, 2012
Furthermore
Master of Science in Sociology, University of Amsterdam, 2007
Bachelor of Communications, Fontys University Eindhoven, 2003
At last
Let’s call it the School of Life, who presents me deep experiences that are the biggest teacher of all, 1982 – now
interests + inspiration
º I have a deep love for Yin Yoga and it’s intimate and feminine character. It has brought me an deep appreciation for TCM and it’s seasonal approach.
º Being creative is an important outlet for my emotional world: painting, mixed media, writing, photography, crochet and pottery are my main tools.
º Conscious or ecstatic dance has been a game changer for me, it allows my (emotional) body to move in complete freedom.
º Over the past years my passion for life transitions, and in specific those of womanhood, and it’s impact on one’s health has grown and grown. Family constellations and inter-generational trauma have been a great source for a greater understanding of the dynamics at play.
º A big part of my day is spent in the kitchen, since nutritious food is what keeps me going. When I have extra time, I love to experiment with cooking.
º Nature is essential for me to keep my nervous system in check. How I spent time there varies from hiking, swimming, gardening to meditating.
º Oh and I love to sit in the morning sun, or on the couch on a rainy day, with a good cup of tea daydreaming. My current morning favorite is Numi’s Earl Grey.