Body Orientated Psychotherapy
At Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy we believe that the mind and body are intricately linked. That what is felt in one is felt and, in the case of the body, expressed in the other.
Our experience is that too many practitioners focus purely on the mind of the client and ignore the body. Yet, research increasingly shows the mind and body as one emotional system. Sadly, this lack of understanding it is often borne out of many counsellors and psychotherapists being traditionally focused only on the mind. Also perhaps from some not being connected to their own body. However, our minds and bodies work together on a daily basis. Therefore the body is also involved in experiencing and processing emotions.
In fact the interaction of what is essentially one emotional system is encoded in our language. Think about popular expressions such as:
“She is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders”
“He is a real pain in the neck”
“I have butterflies in my stomach”
“She is digging her heals in”
“He is dragging his feet”
What is Body Psychotherapy?
Research is now proving that trauma – the root cause of most psychological and emotional problems – is rooted in the body as well as the mind. Working with one without addressing the other simply leads nowhere at best and can be re-traumatising at worst.
It is now also becoming accepted that the only way we can regulate of our emotions – and avoid overwhelm – is through sensing them in our body and learning to breathe through them.
Body psychotherapy is a way of gently working that is non-invasive, aiming to bring sensations in the body into the consciousness of the client. Bringing mind and body together in harmony to better understand and work through our experiences.
In the modern world we are conditioned to spend most of our time in our heads and even when engaging with activities such as going to the gym or doing some manual work, we disengage from our bodies through watching the screens at the gym or listening to music as we work.
Body psychotherapy does not involve touch. It is an attuned way of working with an awareness of how our bodies respond to stress and trauma. Thus giving us holistic tools and techniques to regulate our emotions through our bodies.
What can we do?
Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy offers a more holistic process of counselling and psychotherapy. Body therapists can support you in starting to get curious about what your body is telling you. Through noticing your sensations and feelings in the moment you will learn to engage with your body to manage your emotional state long-term.
Body Psychotherapy and related approaches is offered by Mark Vahrmeyer, Gerry Gilmartin and Susanna Petitpierre.
If you are unsure of the type of therapy you need, you can search for a therapist here.
