Body-oriented Therapy

Body-oriented therapy is based on the concept that the body and mind are one, and should not be treated independently of one another. Body-oriented therapy is a collective term for many different therapeutic techniques in which the body is the central focus. These techniques can be very helpful for: fear and/or anxiety complaints, hyperventilation, negative body image, sexuality, being uncomfortable with your body or the body of others and fear of intimacy. If you have interest in body-oriented therapy, make sure that you choose a therapist who is a professional in this field and is registered as such (for example with the LWP of the Dutch Institute for Psychology (NIP)

Who chooses body-oriented therapy? Those who:

• notice that talking by itself does not solve their problems
• have a strong tendency to approach everything mentally
• wish to have more contact with their feelings
• have difficulty expressing their problems in words
• express their psychological problems physically, through unclear complaints and pains

What can you work on with body-oriented therapy?

• learning physical ways to relax yourself
• body awareness
• learning how to ground and center yourself
• relaxing your breathing
• learning to use your body to come into contact with your feelings
• being able to consciously feel the pent-up tensions and emotions within your body
• learning to express your emotions
• learning to understand your body, your posture, and the expressions and messages of your body.

What kind of people can the body-oriented approach help?

• People who have gained insight with traditional talking based therapy, but have not been completely relieved of their complaints.
• People who are unable to completely feel and/or express their own emotions or needs (for example with depression, burn out, fatigue, and eating disorders)
• People that are suffering from early disturbances in forming attachments or bonds
• People that have had traumatic experiences and have developed complaints due to these events (for example: on account of an accident, war situation, sexual abuse or mistreatment, PTSS, or bereavement)
• People who have complaints that are primarily expressed physically, such as hyperventilation, pre-menstrual complaints, or RSI.
• People who struggle with sensing, setting, or accepting boundaries or people with so-called autonomy problems.

Principles of Body-Oriented Therapy

• Body and mind form an indivisible unit.
• Just like the mind, the body has an archive function: it stores experiences via a “body memory” and can be approached through body awareness and perception.
• Muscle tension, posture, and movement patterns are related to how someone feels and how one deals with situations. They frequently have a psychological meaning.
• Awareness of bodily sensations and their emotional significance contribute to strengthening the ego, the sense of identity, and autonomy.

You can always obtain more information about active body-oriented therapists in your area. Ask for the section: “Lichaamsgericht Werkende Psychologen.” NIP : 020-4106222 / info@psynip.nl