Gerda Boyesen
Encyclopedia
Gerda Boyesen is the founder of Biodynamic Psychology, a branch of Body Psychotherapy
.
which made a strong impression on her. Shortly thereafter she began therapy with Ola Raknes
, a vegetotherapist
who had been trained by Reich. Later she studied psychology in Oslo
and received training as physiotherapist which led to work with Aadel Bülow-Hansen
. Through her own therapy Boyesen got to know the connection between repressed emotions and muscle tensions. In her book Über den Körper die Seele heilen she established and partly described in a very personal manner how she developed her own therapeutic method linking the beginnings of Wilhelm Reich
, Carl Gustav Jung and Sigmund Freud
, through her own studies, her own therapeutic experience as well as her own practice.
Gerda Boyesen is the founder of "Biodynamic Psychology and Psychotherapy". In 1969 she left for London
and opened a practice and later an international teaching and training institute. In addition to client-oriented work other focus areas were included, most notably she was the first woman in Europe to establish her own psychotherapeutic training institute.
Gerda Boyesen lived and worked in different, mostly European, countries, however, her work influenced body psychotherapy worldwide. Her books were translated into other languages. She trained psychotherapists over several decades and throughout her life she continued to develop her ideas and methods. She was the mother of three children (Mona Lisa, Ebba and Paul) who all got involved with Biodynamics and psychotherapy and partly carried on the work of their mother or continued in their own directions.
techniques could bring to completion the expression of unwanted feelings, or "incomplete cycles," and this release of emotional charge would entail similar noises from the intestines as during digestion
of food. Boyesen called these noises
psychoperistalsis. This process of "digesting" psychological problems is often accompanied by new insights. For this reason she was often called "the lady with the stethoscope" in body psychotherapeutic circles as she used the stethoscope
to get a clearer impression of the bowel noises of her clients. She could allegedly differentiate a multiplicity of peristaltic
noises, diagnostically arrange and make inferences on the subconscious
processes of the clients. To Boyesen it was a good sign when the client's "psychoperistalsis" was in a particular way at the end of a session. That meant it was resolving somewhat and would be able to organize anew without the old restrictive pattern.
Apart from the emphasis on gentle unloading through massage she also worked with Wilhelm Reich's vegetotherapy
as well as the theories of Jung and Freud, and she continued to develop these into her own method. In this manner the client is to be encouraged to discover his or her own mental experience (introspective
ability), to follow and to express his or her bodily-psychological impulses. Unconscious conflicts would in this way be brought to the surface and to conscious attention and could then be further processed with psychotherapy and finally resolved
.
A further element is the Deep Draining, a special kind of massage
aimed at affecting "deeper layers," which is supposed to contribute to attitude changes, physically as well as psychologically. Neurotic patterns
would thus be traced, loosened and finally resolved.
Beside Jay Stattmann (Unitive body psychotherapy), Alexander Lowen
(Bioenergetics
), David Boadella
(Biosynthesis), and Ron Kurz (Hakomi
), Gerda Boyesen is one of the founders of modern body psychotherapy. Gerda Boyesen was honorary member of the European Association for Body Psychotherapy
EABP (http://www.eabp.org) as well as honorary president of the German Gesellschaft für Biodynamische Psychologie (Society for Biodynamics psychology), the professional association for biodynamics therapists in Germany. Biodynamic Psychology is recognised as a method by the European Association for Psychotherapy EAP
. The education of Biodynamics body psychotherapists through the European School for Biodynamics and Erogenetics (ESBPE - http://www.biodynamik.de) in Lübeck and through the Ecole Biodynamique in France (http://www.psychologie-biodynamique.com) is recognized by the EABP as a psychotherapist education.
Body Psychotherapy
Body psychotherapy, also referred to as body-oriented psychotherapy and somatic psychology, is a significant branch of psychotherapy, with origins in the work of Pierre Janet, Sigmund Freud and particularly Wilhelm Reich....
.
Life
Gerda Boyesen was born in 1922 in Bergen. Her first marriage was with Carl Boyesen. In 1947 she read a book by Wilhelm ReichWilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich was an Austrian-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, known as one of the most radical figures in the history of psychiatry...
which made a strong impression on her. Shortly thereafter she began therapy with Ola Raknes
Ola Raknes
Ola Raknes was a Norwegian psychologist, philologist and non-fiction writer. Born in Bergen, Norway, he was internationally known as a psychoanalyst in the Reichian tradition...
, a vegetotherapist
Vegetotherapy
Vegetotherapy is a form of Reichian psychotherapy that involves the physical manifestations of emotions. The basic and founding text of vegetotherapy is Wilhelm Reich's Psychischer Kontakt und vegetative Stroemung , later included in the enlarged edition of Reich's Character Analysis .- Practice...
who had been trained by Reich. Later she studied psychology in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and received training as physiotherapist which led to work with Aadel Bülow-Hansen
Aadel Bülow-Hansen
Aadel Bülow-Hansen was a Norwegian physiotherapist. She was known around the world for developing Norwegian psychomotoric physiotherapy with psychiatrist Trygve Braatøy, from 1947-1953....
. Through her own therapy Boyesen got to know the connection between repressed emotions and muscle tensions. In her book Über den Körper die Seele heilen she established and partly described in a very personal manner how she developed her own therapeutic method linking the beginnings of Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich was an Austrian-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, known as one of the most radical figures in the history of psychiatry...
, Carl Gustav Jung and Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
, through her own studies, her own therapeutic experience as well as her own practice.
Gerda Boyesen is the founder of "Biodynamic Psychology and Psychotherapy". In 1969 she left for London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and opened a practice and later an international teaching and training institute. In addition to client-oriented work other focus areas were included, most notably she was the first woman in Europe to establish her own psychotherapeutic training institute.
Gerda Boyesen lived and worked in different, mostly European, countries, however, her work influenced body psychotherapy worldwide. Her books were translated into other languages. She trained psychotherapists over several decades and throughout her life she continued to develop her ideas and methods. She was the mother of three children (Mona Lisa, Ebba and Paul) who all got involved with Biodynamics and psychotherapy and partly carried on the work of their mother or continued in their own directions.
Work
Gerda Boyesen developed, among other things, the theory that the dismantling of psychological stress is also connected with the digestive system. She came to the conclusion that certain massageMassage
Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle"...
techniques could bring to completion the expression of unwanted feelings, or "incomplete cycles," and this release of emotional charge would entail similar noises from the intestines as during digestion
Digestion
Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into smaller components that are more easily absorbed into a blood stream, for instance. Digestion is a form of catabolism: a breakdown of large food molecules to smaller ones....
of food. Boyesen called these noises
Borborygmus
Borborygmus also known as stomach growling, rumbling, gurgling, grumbling or wambling, is the rumbling sound produced by the contraction of muscles in the stomach and intestines of animals, including humans...
psychoperistalsis. This process of "digesting" psychological problems is often accompanied by new insights. For this reason she was often called "the lady with the stethoscope" in body psychotherapeutic circles as she used the stethoscope
Stethoscope
The stethoscope is an acoustic medical device for auscultation, or listening to the internal sounds of an animal body. It is often used to listen to lung and heart sounds. It is also used to listen to intestines and blood flow in arteries and veins...
to get a clearer impression of the bowel noises of her clients. She could allegedly differentiate a multiplicity of peristaltic
Peristalsis
Peristalsis is a radially symmetrical contraction and relaxation of muscles which propagates in a wave down the muscular tube, in an anterograde fashion. In humans, peristalsis is found in the contraction of smooth muscles to propel contents through the digestive tract. Earthworms use a similar...
noises, diagnostically arrange and make inferences on the subconscious
Subconscious
The term subconscious is used in many different contexts and has no single or precise definition. This greatly limits its significance as a definition-bearing concept, and in consequence the word tends to be avoided in academic and scientific settings....
processes of the clients. To Boyesen it was a good sign when the client's "psychoperistalsis" was in a particular way at the end of a session. That meant it was resolving somewhat and would be able to organize anew without the old restrictive pattern.
Apart from the emphasis on gentle unloading through massage she also worked with Wilhelm Reich's vegetotherapy
Vegetotherapy
Vegetotherapy is a form of Reichian psychotherapy that involves the physical manifestations of emotions. The basic and founding text of vegetotherapy is Wilhelm Reich's Psychischer Kontakt und vegetative Stroemung , later included in the enlarged edition of Reich's Character Analysis .- Practice...
as well as the theories of Jung and Freud, and she continued to develop these into her own method. In this manner the client is to be encouraged to discover his or her own mental experience (introspective
Introspection
Introspection is the self-observation and reporting of conscious inner thoughts, desires and sensations. It is a conscious and purposive process relying on thinking, reasoning, and examining one's own thoughts, feelings, and, in more spiritual cases, one's soul...
ability), to follow and to express his or her bodily-psychological impulses. Unconscious conflicts would in this way be brought to the surface and to conscious attention and could then be further processed with psychotherapy and finally resolved
Catharsis
Catharsis or katharsis is a Greek word meaning "cleansing" or "purging". It is derived from the verb καθαίρειν, kathairein, "to purify, purge," and it is related to the adjective καθαρός, katharos, "pure or clean."-Dramatic uses:...
.
A further element is the Deep Draining, a special kind of massage
Massage
Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle"...
aimed at affecting "deeper layers," which is supposed to contribute to attitude changes, physically as well as psychologically. Neurotic patterns
Neurosis
Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving distress but neither delusions nor hallucinations, whereby behavior is not outside socially acceptable norms. It is also known as psychoneurosis or neurotic disorder, and thus those suffering from it are said to be neurotic...
would thus be traced, loosened and finally resolved.
Beside Jay Stattmann (Unitive body psychotherapy), Alexander Lowen
Alexander Lowen
Dr. Alexander Lowen was an American psychotherapist. A student of Wilhelm Reich in the 1940s and early 1950s in New York, he developed Bioenergetic Analysis, a form of mind-body psychotherapy, with his then-colleague, John Pierrakos...
(Bioenergetics
Bioenergetic analysis
Bioenergetic Analysis is a form of body psychotherapy , based upon the work of Wilhelm Reich, but adding a number of innovations...
), David Boadella
David Boadella
David Boadella is a British psychotherapist and founder of a modality of body psychotherapy called biosynthesis, and the author of numerous books including poetry....
(Biosynthesis), and Ron Kurz (Hakomi
Hakomi
Hakomi therapy is a form of body-centered, somatic psychotherapy developed by Ron Kurtz in the 1970s and furthered by a group led by Kurtz in the 80s.- Approach and method:...
), Gerda Boyesen is one of the founders of modern body psychotherapy. Gerda Boyesen was honorary member of the European Association for Body Psychotherapy
Body Psychotherapy
Body psychotherapy, also referred to as body-oriented psychotherapy and somatic psychology, is a significant branch of psychotherapy, with origins in the work of Pierre Janet, Sigmund Freud and particularly Wilhelm Reich....
EABP (http://www.eabp.org) as well as honorary president of the German Gesellschaft für Biodynamische Psychologie (Society for Biodynamics psychology), the professional association for biodynamics therapists in Germany. Biodynamic Psychology is recognised as a method by the European Association for Psychotherapy EAP
EAP
- Organizations :*EA Patras, a Greek sports club* The business school, which, after merging with ESCP, became ESCP Europe*European Workers Party *European Association for Psychotherapy...
. The education of Biodynamics body psychotherapists through the European School for Biodynamics and Erogenetics (ESBPE - http://www.biodynamik.de) in Lübeck and through the Ecole Biodynamique in France (http://www.psychologie-biodynamique.com) is recognized by the EABP as a psychotherapist education.
Criticism
Like most body psychotherapeutic schools, Biodynamics isn't recognized by the health insurance companies in the United States as a scientifically based therapeutic intervention, however, in Switzerland, Biodynamics is covered by health care insurance. The German compulsory health insurance scheme (AOK) states: "The idea of "emotional residue" which is delivered via the bowels is scientifically baseless. Also there are no scientific studies to attest to the efficacy of the therapy. (...) It is surely so that anxiety and stress have effects on the vegetative nervous system of the intestines and would express itself as changes in digestive activity. However, the idea that intestinal noises is an expression of the psychological situation of the patient cannot be established."Publications
- Boyesen, Gerda; Boyesen, Mona Lisa, "Biodynamische Theorie und Praxis", in: Hilarion G. Petzold [Ed.], Die neuen Körpertherapien, 1st ed. Paderborn: Jungfermannsche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1977, pp. 140-157
- Boyesen, Gerda; Boyesen, Mona Lisa, Biodynamik des Lebens: Die Gerda-Boyesen-Methode - Grundlage der biodynamischen Psychologie, Essen: Synthesis, 1987, 183 p.
- Boyesen, Gerda, Über den Körper die Seele heilen: Biodynamische Psychologie und Psychotherapie, Munich: Kösel, 1994 (7th ed.) ISBN 3-466-34167-1
- Boyesen, Gerda; Leudesdorff, Claudia; Santner, Christoph, Von der Lust am Heilen: Quintessenz meines Lebens, Munich: Kösel, 1995, ISBN 3-466-34323-2
- Boyesen, Gerda, Entre psyché et soma, Payot, 1996 ISBN 2-228-89064-2
- Boyesen, Gerda; Bergholz, Peter, Dein Bauch ist klüger als du, Hamburg, Miko-Edition, 2003 ISBN 3-935436-13-0
External links
- The Gerda Boyesen International Institute
- Europäische Schule für Biodynamische Psychologie - Lübeck - Germany accredited by EABP
- Ecole Biodynamique - Paris, Lyon, Montpellier - France accredited by EABP
- The London School of Biodynamic Psychotherapy (Gerda Boyesen Method) Ltd a non-profit Training School offering introductory workshops and UKCP recognised (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) Diploma Course (4 yrs part-time) and Therapist referral in the UK
- Chiron Centre for Body Psychotherapy - London
- Association Professionnelle de Psychologie Biodynamique - France
- U.S. Association for Body Psychotherapy (USABP)
- European Association for Body Psychotherapy (EABP)
- Biodynamic Psychology Europe (Boyesen Family Homepage)