Biosynthetic Psychotherapy - About the method
Biosynthetic Psychotherapy is a holistic approach to somatic body-oriented psychotherapy based on the Biosynthesis concept developed by David Boadella. Biosynthetic Psychotherapy combines body psychotherapy with state-of-the-art findings in psychosomatics, neuroscience and epigenetics, and the latest findings in cognitive sciences and brain research. Biosynthetic Psychotherapy aims to capture the complexity and the needs of the modern psychotherapy process and to integrate state-of-the-art knowledge in all fields related to psychotherapy practice. The Czech Institute for Biosynthetic psychotherapy (CIBP) has been training and educating psychotherapists in Biosynthetic Psychotherapy since 2007.
The method of biosynthesis
Biosynthetic Psychotherapy is based on the method of Biosynthesis – the first somatic body-oriented psychotherapy method to receive scientific recognition from the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP), in 1998. The method is based on therapeutic work involving the integration and mutual reflection of three essential aspects of the human existence, namely somatic (body) existence, psychological (emotional) experience and mental (cognitive) processes.
Stress disrupts the balance between the three life processes and causes a lack or an excess of energy in various parts of the organism. The problem may manifest itself through physical symptoms even after the external cause has been eliminated. Once the psychological difficulties have been overcome, it is advisable to analyze the problems intellectually along with tending to the corporal manifestations, such as muscular tension, vegetative function difficulties or problems with the internal distribution of energy and vitality.
What is biosynthetic psychotherapy?
Biosynthetic Psychotherapy enriches the Biosynthesis method by including expertise in the areas of:
- Embryology, neuroscience, epigenetics;
- The Psychodynamic view of personality, Attachment and Object Relations theory;
- Spirituality and ethics of therapeutic work with attention to existential topics;
- Trauma informed therapy – individual and transgenerational.
Biosynthetic Psychotherapy addresses a wide range of topics that cover the complexity of the human existence from birth to death. Therapeutic intervention is grounded in the processual approach, which analyses the client’s awareness of internal signals and movement patterns and further develops them through specific techniques. Therapy revolves around the needs of the client, their distinctive individual qualities and their unique inner resources.
Somatic foundations of biosynthesis
Body psychotherapy stems from the concept of character armoring brought forward as a concept by Wilhelm Reich. The armoring is described as a system of chronic, unconsciously maintained muscular contractions obstructing circulation inside the body. It is interesting and also instructive for contemporary psychotherapy that the tension zones discovered by Wilhelm Reich largely coincide with the meridian network identified by Eastern medicine. In his therapeutical practice, Wilhelm Reich concentrated on his clients’ breathing patterns and had them enter stress positions in order to release the muscular contractions and the associated tension. The aim of the process was to dissolve the blocks to reestablish pulsation, the natural internal flow of a relaxed body.
Wilhelm Reich’s research made novel approaches possible – especially the bioenergetic analyses introduced by Alexander Lowen and John Pierrakos. From a practical perspective, Reich’s therapy used voluntary movements, body positions and sensorimotor training to release the energy blocks.
The downside of this approach is that the release of energy alone does not resolve the cause of the block and, improvement is thus only temporary. One of the efforts to eliminate this issue saw the emergence of a new integrated approach – Biosynthesis. The Biosynthesis concept was significantly affected by the discoveries of Francis Mott and Frank Lake, early explorers of the prenatal and perinatal experience, and by Stanley Keleman, one of the leaders of the body psychotherapy movement, that focused on the interaction between the body and emotions. In his ground-breaking book on Emotional Anatomy, Stanley Keleman discusses the main principles of his approach, which is to integrate emotions, thoughts and movement patterns, and the development of techniques that connect internal signals with external manifestations, concentrating on internal resources rather than pathology.
The therapeutic process
In addition to verbal analysis, Biosynthetic Psychotherapy uses movement, touch, breathwork and imagination as the basis of the therapeutic process. The objective is not only to release the blocks but also to re-align basic life processes, re-center emotions, optimize muscular activation and coordination, and find balance in the client’s body and life.
Contemporary body therapy, including Biosynthetic Psychotherapy, is more process-oriented, which means that it is based on immediate physical and mental processes, on which the therapeutic strategy is then built. The client is in control of the process, and therapy sessions are driven by the client’s perceptions and experiences in the present moment. This aims to create an equilibrium between the conscious and the subconscious, based on the client’s individual tendencies and internal resources.
The strategy of Biosynthetic Psychotherapy and counselling is based on the Life Fields concept.
The human personality is formed through the interaction and integration of seven basic Life Fields. The individual fields correspond to different areas of human experience and expression and they can be in a state of openness of closure. Closed states result in character issues, physical inhibitions such as muscular hypertension, sensorimotor issues, inhibition of pulsation and vitality, and mental restrictions. When in an open state, the fields allow qualities of psychological contact with oneself and others, vitality, cordiality and adequate emotionality. The Life Fields concept is divided into seven basic working areas of psychotherapy and includes a broad spectrum of working methods.
The primary objective of Biosynthetic Psychotherapy is to reach the core of the self and its associated qualities, wherein lies the source of inner strength and fulfilment, opening the way to physical, mental and spiritual healing.
