Douwe and Josephine met through their shared passion for cold exposure. They have been working and living together since 2017 and have a son. Together they accompanied thousands of people at national and international events.
Douwe van den Berg discovered his love for cold water in 2010 in China when only cold water was available during his months-long Kungfu training. He loved the challenge and the invigorating feeling after cold exposure. Soon, he began taking people along wherever he found cold water, from the beaches of the Netherlands to the Arctic regions of Finland. By now, he has guided thousands of people from many different countries.
Through his love for cold water, Douwe also came into contact with the „Iceman“ Wim Hof in 2012 and became one of the first Wim Hof Method instructors in 2015. Douwe worked closely with Wim Hof on many adventures and also trained hundreds of instructors in the Wim Hof Method. He left the WHM in 2026, to focus on his own projects.
Out of the desire to share his own creative ideas, quality and safety standards and a broader approach to cold exposure, he founded in 2024 the Intentional Cold Exposure (ICE) Academy together with Josephine.
Douwe’s approach to cold exposure is full of playful exploration & mindful challenges, while at the same time placing an emphasis at creating a physical and emotional safe place to learn and explore.
Dr. Josephine Worseck
In 2016, Josephine assisted with a study on the Wim Hof Method, and Wim Hof himself encouraged her to take her first ice bath. Although she is no longer an officially recertified Wim Hof Method instructor, it was with Wim Hof that her love for the cold began.
The transformative power of cold deeply impressed her and led her to leave academia in 2017 to devote herself fully to the practical application and teaching of cold exposure.
Josephine, a PhD molecular biologist, naturopath, and yoga teacher, is one of the first experts to convey the health effects of cold exposure in both a scientifically grounded and practical way.
With her book “Die Heilkraft der Kälte” (The Healing Power of Cold), she brings science and practice together and shows how cold can be used specifically to strengthen the immune system, reduce stress, and increase performance. She is regularly featured in the media—including SPIEGEL, ZDF, and ARTE—and inspires a wide audience with her clear, down-to-earth manner.
Whether in retreats, workshops, or books, Josephine combines solid scientific knowledge with intuitive understanding, depth with ease, and practical guidance with inspiration.
