Mindful Yoga & Massage Therapy
'If you touch one thing with deep awareness, you touch everything.' Thich Nhat Hanh
Fiona Straathof
Hi, I'm Fiona, I live in beautiful Haarlem with my partner Cindy and our 2 cats, and here I share a little bit about my professional background with you.
I graduated with a Master's in English Language & Literature in 2005 and followed that up with a postgraduate teaching program in 2006. I taught in secondary and higher education from 2004 until 2017.
Yoga has been a big part of my life since the early 2000s. I've studied and practiced different styles like Raja Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Yin Yoga, and Restorative Yoga with some amazing, internationally respected teachers like Judith Lasater. My yoga and meditation practice has been my anchor through much of my adult life. After I left my career in higher education in 2017, I started working as a yoga teacher.
Over time, my focus shifted from teaching yoga to practicing Thai yogamassage. I attended my first Thai massage workshops in 2010, and by 2020, I began studying this wonderful art more seriously. These days, I work full-time as a massage therapist, and my practice has really grown. I also teach yoga and massage classes, workshops, courses, and private sessions.
I have a strong background in Thai massage, having completed multiple foundation courses and participated in a 3-year Thai massage therapy program. I've also taken many advanced courses in Osteothai, Dynamic Thai, and Chi Nei Tsang (abdominal massage) with internationally renowned teachers, and I’m still learning and growing in this beautiful field.
For me, yoga and Thai massage aren’t just things I do—they’re a way of life. I’m passionate about sharing my love for Thai massage, both in my hometown of Haarlem and beyond. Every day, I feel grateful to be doing what I love, to be part of the yoga and Thai massage community, and to connect with others through the art of touch. I like to think of myself as caring, fun, easy-going, and always open to learning new things and meeting new people.
CV
Bachelor & Master English Language & Literature, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2001-2005)
Eerstegraads lerarenopleiding Engels, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2005-2006)
Yoga teacher training:
- Therapeutic Applications of Restorative Yoga Level I&II with Lizzie and Judith H. Lasater (I'm a certified Relax & Renew® trainer) Munich & London (2018-2019)
- Online participation International Yoga Nidra Conference - Yoga International TT (2020) 30 hrs (2020)
- Yin Yoga Teacher Training (200 hrs)+ Advanced Yin Yoga Teacher Training (50 hrs) - DNYS Amsterdam (2017-2018)
- Advanced Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training: Creative Sequencing and Embodying the Elements (100hrs) - Daphne Koken DNYS Amsterdam (2017)
- Iyengar Yoga Teacher Training Iyengar Yoga Zeeburg Amsterdam (2014-2015)
- Raja Yoga Foundation Training (2005-2007) + Raja Yoga Teacher Training 80 hr module studying the Bhavagad Gita at La Borde Blanque France (2017)
Next to the teacher trainings I have followed numerous workshops, masterclasses and weekend trainings.
Massage training
- Chi Nei Tsang I&II and Karsei Nei Tsang Omsala Therapy & Education, Chiang Mai, Thailand (2025)
- Osteothai for the Internal Organs 2 Lulyani school, school of Thai Massage & Osteothai (2024)
- Osteothai for the Internal Organs 1 Lulyani school, school of Thai Massage & Osteothai (2024)
- Connecting the Heart & the Head weekend workshop Osteothai with Flora Bisogno (2024)
- Thai Massage with the Feet weekend workshop with Bojan Babic (2024)
- Lifting the Womb with Pi Jem Thanachon, Chiang Mai, Thailand (2024)
- Thai Massage for the Feet Old Medicine Hospital Thai Massage School, Chiang Mai, Thailand (2024)
- Osteothai for the Lower Back Lulyani school, school of Thai Massage & Osteothai (2023)
- Chi Nei Tsang (Alchemy of the Abdomen) with Kerys Williams from the Sunshine Network in Greece (2023)
- Chi Nei Tsang (Detoxing the Emotions) with renowned Thai teacher Pi Jem Thanachon (2023)
- Osteothai Principles and Overview Lulyani school, school of Thai Massage & Osteothai (2023)
- Osteothai for the Main Joints Lulyani school, school of Thai Massage & Osteothai (2023)
- Therapeutic Thai massage Thai Dee, 2 year programme, The Netherlands. (2022-23)
- Advanced Dynamic Thai massage with Krishnatakis of the Sunshine Network in Portugal (2022)
- Basic Thai massage course with Krishnatakis of the Sunshine Network in Greece, 90 hrs (2022)
- Nuad Thai, traditional Thai massage Thai Dee 1 year programme (2021)
- Introduction course Thai massage Thai Dee (2012)
Courses I have assisted
- Basic Thai massage course with Krishnatakis of the Sunshine Network in Portugal, 90 hrs
(2023)
- 2-day Introduction to Thai Massage course with Bojan Babic at Yogamoves Utrecht (2023)
- 5- day Advanced Dynamic Thai with Flora Bisogno at Sunshine School, Chiang Mai, Thailand (2024)
- 2-day Dynamic & Osteothai with Bojan Babic at Yogamoves Utrecht (2024)
- 5- day Advanced Dynamic Thai with Flora Bisogno in Florence, Italy (2024)
Other courses:
21-day Northern-style Vipassana meditation basic course - International Center Wat Chom Tong, Thailand.
Reiki 1, Reiki 2, Shin-Do (2017-2018) Nederlof centrum Amsterdam
Mediumship, Trance Energy Healing (2020) Spirituele Praktijk Miraja