Body psychotherapy

Body psychotherapy has developed from psychotherapy and involves the body in the therapeutic process. With conventional methods (more on this here), the body is a kind of instrument with which psychological processes and contents can be discovered, understood and changed, since these are reflected in body expression (illness, posture, facial expressions, gestures, etc.). Usually there is no or very little touching, more practice, speaking and interpreting, with consideration and inclusion of the physical expression.

This conventional approach to body psychotherapy could possibly have a certain advantage over “normal” psychotherapies, since the body is deliberately hardly involved in the therapeutic process. Often, however, psychotherapists have the better training; in addition, there are also certain dangers of border crossing, abuse, retraumatisation, etc. when involving the body.

In my opinion, both forms of therapy are incomplete to the extent that, as in a one-way street, they regard the psyche as the causer and the body as the reacting part of the human being. Physical asthma, heart neurosis, irritable bowel syndrome etc. are always the consequence or expression of a mental disorder, neurosis or similar. If these are solved, the physical symptoms supposedly disappear as well. This is not true, however, because the tissue in which the experiences are stored as well as in the “pure mind” does not change as quickly.

In this way, patients with physical complaints, which the doctor could not clarify, are placed in the psycho-corner and sent to the psychosomatic clinic or psychotherapist if they are not labelled as hypochondriacs (by the way, also an official diagnosis “F 45.2” in the ICD-10). The diagnosis “somatoform disorder” (F 45), “conversion disorder” or the assessment that the patient is “somatising” is now carried around by the patient.

This certainly does not help, especially as it is absolutely contrary to the experience of many patients who are convinced that despite negative medical findings they have something “on their body” and not “on their waffle”. And often, although perhaps not always, rightly so.

Because many so-called psychosomatic, somatoform, somatized and even several hypochondriac disorders are not (purely) psychologically caused, but the result of actual tension in muscles and connective tissue. Helga Pohl explains how this works very well on her website and particularly impressively in her excellent article “Alles psychosomatisch?

For this reason one can treat not only the alleged psychosomatic illnesses, but also the psychic complaints existing beside (not behind!) the physical treatment, provided one treats the correct structures. The treatment of the neck can thus not only eliminate the headaches, but also the “black thoughts”; the treatment of the diaphragm can not only improve the irritable stomach, but also relieve nervousness, etc.

In this respect, body psychotherapy in my practice is very consistently oriented towards the body. Accompanying psychotherapeutic conversations help to recognise and change habits in everyday life and in attitudes, to perceive the changes and finally to stabilise them.

This form of body psychotherapy is particularly suitable for

Psychosomatic diseases (nervous convulsions, dizziness, tinnitus, irritable stomach and intestines, cardiac neurosis, cardiac arrhythmias, asthma, allergies, chronic recurrent bronchitis, headache, neck pain, back pain, prostatitis, sleep disorders and much more)
Depression, listlessness and burnout
Fears and phobias
Paruresis and irritable bladder
eating disorders
sexual disorders (erectile dysfunction, frigidity, pain, etc.)

I will only treat personality disorders, bipolar disorders and schizophrenia in consultation with an inpatient or outpatient psychotherapist. Patients should point out this possibility of cooperation to their therapists or therapists should contact me directly. Of course, this also applies to all other psychological and psychosomatic illnesses.

Please also inquire about other illnesses or disorders that are not listed here.