LSBP |
London School
of Biodynamic Psychotherapy |
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Biodynamic Psychotherapy is a unique branch of body psychotherapy developed by Gerda Boyesen, a Norwegian psychologist, Reichian psychotherapist and physiotherapist. Based on a biological theory of psychology, it is concerned with the organic link between the body and the psyche. While a significant part of the therapy is verbal exchange between therapist and client it differs from most other branches of psychotherapy in its interest in, and work with, bodily phenomena and non-verbal sources of information and communication. Orthodox verbal psychotherapy is combined with a range of specially devised massage techniques, breathwork, body awareness exercises, regression and emotional expression work to help to resolve the client's physical as well as psychological problems. The term "biodynamic" refers to the concept of life energy flowing naturally and spontaneously. Life energy (known as chi in Chinese medicine and bioplasma energy in contemporary research) is the force that moves us and brings us to life on all levels: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. "Mind" and "body" are not seen in hierarchical relationship but as inter-functioning aspects of the whole person. The theories, philosophy and methods of Biodynamic Psychotherapy were developed and refined over many years, Originally trained as a clinical psychologist, Gerda Boyesen worked in several psychiatric hospitals in Norway. She trained and worked in private practice as a Reichian psychotherapist then took the highly unorthodox step of also training as a physiotherapist and working in Norway's leading physiotherapy clinic, where advanced neuro-muscular massage techniques were achieving remarkable results with patients from psychiatric hospitals. With this unusual background Gerda Boyesen combined her clinical knowledge and analytic training, observing in detail the relationship between psychological and bodily processes in her psychotherapy patients. In particular she became aware of the intestinal sounds during psychotherapy sessions, particularly at moments of insight or emotional release. Intrigued by this connection she began to use a stethoscope placed on the abdomen to listen to her own intestinal sounds and those of her patients. Finding that she could initiate these sounds by massaging different parts of the body she discovered that the quality of her touch influenced the strength and quality of the sounds. This visceral feedback told her where the patient's nervous tensions were located, giving her the means to reduce fear, depression and psychosomatic symptoms. After sessions patients typically felt light and at peace with themselves. Such treatments could also bring up emotional and psychological material according to the way she worked. Gerda Boyesen had discovered something unique and revolutionary - that the intestines have two functions: the digestion of food and the digestion of nervous tension. This latter function she called "psycho-peristalsis". Despite achieving remarkable results with her patients Gerda Boyesen had difficulty in getting her radical theories and methods accepted. In 1968 she left Norway and moved to London where she found greater acceptance. She set up the Gerda Boyesen Centre for Biodynamic Psychology and Psychotherapy where, for 25 years, she has trained hundreds of therapists in her theories and methods. She also established training in France, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, USA, Brazil, Venezuela and Australia. In 1999, in her late seventies, Gerda Boyesen decided to focus on her writing, coaching and research work. She asked colleagues to set up a new school to carry on her work - The London School of Biodynamic Psychotherapy - where she acts as adviser and continues to do some training. Biodynamic Psychotherapists train for four or five years. They learn that the human organism's urge to express itself is not just a psychological concept but a biological reality, a real moving of the life energy and fluid inside the body. In society, groups, our individual families, the spontaneous expression of certain feelings is often not welcomed. There are prohibitions, disapproval and punishments so the individual learns from an early age to repress or restrict their instinctual responses. Conflict and confusion in the mind and emotions are accompanied by tension in the muscles which hold back the expression, remnants of which will remain after the original urge has subsided and been forgotten. These physical and psychological responses to what is happening to us all the time are movements of the life energy. When we deny or repress them we are denying or repressing our life energy, who we are, on a physical and psychological level and the result can often be seen as distortions in posture, in muscle tone and psychosomatic symptoms as well as in psychological disturbances. Biodynamic Psychotherapists are therefore trained to work with the whole person using language, imagery, non-verbal expression and touch, to work with sensitivity and at the client's pace, to create a safe environment in which the client feels able to deal with their concerns. Usually the session will be one hour each week. There is no predetermined agenda and the therapist selects, from a wide repertoire of methods, the most appropriate to the client's need at a particular moment. Whether that need is to deal with current emotions, to get in touch with long buried feelings, to express those feelings physically, emotionally or verbally, or to reflect on them, to gain insights and to integrate and make sense of feelings and experiences, the therapist works with what is uppermost for the client at that particular moment. Psychotherapeutic massage plays an important role - massage of the muscles which have held back an urge to strike someone may release the old feelings of anger to be reassessed. Massage may also be used to cleanse the tissues of the remnants of stress hormones in the tissues, to relax or to harmonise the client after a period of emotional expression. The aim of the therapy is to help the client to come to terms with past traumas and upsets - while history cannot be changed, the client's feelings about the situation and themselves resulting from these situations and the bodily effects can all be altered significantly. Clients are encouraged to develop awareness of what is happening in the body so that they are aware of the effect a situation is having on them. They can choose whether to express what they are feeling or to suppress it and perhaps give it expression at a more appropriate time. The aim is also to help the client move towards a position of health in both body and psyche so they are better able to deal with their everyday lives, to achieve greater autonomy, self assurance, empowerment, freedom and self realisation. . Biodynamic Psychotherapy can help clients suffering psychological distress, psychosomatic symptoms or simply wishing to enhance the communication and life skills, improve relationships and achieve greater balance, joy and contentment in their lives. |
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If you would like to work with a Biodynamic psychotherapist please contact us using the e-mail address below |
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