Biodynamic Massage

Founded by Gerda Boyesen (1922-2005) - Clinical Psychologist and Physiotherapist, Biodynamic Massage involves intentional touch with the aim of bringing an individual closer to their true self or Primary Personality; helps melt energetic and physical stagnation; and works on the whole person at the same time – mind-body-spirit, thereby helping to meet and integrate different parts of the system (Southwell, 1982).

Biodynamic Massage can be used as a stand-alone therapeutic modality or as part of a more comprehensive course of psychotherapy – Biodynamic Psychotherapy (Boyesen, ?). Biodynamic Massage “encompasses at least fourteen different methods of touch. Almost all the touch methods can be performed at different levels of the body – the level of bones, of the periosteum, the deep and superficial muscles, the fascia, which contains the muscles, the subcutaneous tissues, the skin and also at the different levels of energetic fields that surround the body.” (Steinberg, 2022). 

Some key concepts in Biodynamic Psychology:

Primary Personality – “…our connection with our life energy, our physical and psychological aliveness, our creativity, our sense of purpose, and our sense of the spiritual.  In brief, the primary personality represents our human potential active today and is also in constant development.” (Tanguay, 2017.)

The Emotional Vaso-Motoric Cycle (EVMC) is a core concept in Biodynamic Psychology. The model describes a system of inherent human self-regulation - how an individual reacts and recovers from unique and everyday life events as they are processed through the Mind, Body and Spirit. As Clover Southwell (2003) states: “Emotions are movements in both flesh and soul.” 

Muscular Armouring – A build up of muscular tension leading to postural changes. “Each time the organism is not able to get rid of emotional stress products (adrenaline, lactic acid, etc) [unable to complete the EVMC], there will be a build-up, an obstacle, for moving energy, and for each layer of restored neurotic defence or armouring there will be a fresh layer hampering the full streaming energy from coming through.” (Boyesen, G., 1970). 

We use an electronic stethoscope to listen to the bowel sounds, called Psychoperistalsis – Involuntary gut movements indicating a change in the internal state; movement of trapped energy; the ability of the body to ‘digest’ emotional experiences held within the body and regulate itself. “Psycho-peristalsis theory implies that the alimentary or Id-Canal needs to be discharged of the emotional content.  It can be discharged through expression of these emotions and or through ‘digesting’ them.  This starts a process of purifying the Id-Canal: i.e the unconscious of its emotional overload.  By discharging the Id-Canal, the lower unconscious becomes less overwhelmed by the accumulation of the emotional charge built up over the years.” (Tanguay, 2017.) 

“The higher self needs to feed the Ego which uses the motoric force to create.  There is fatigue when you haven’t found your direction in life and you are not in touch with the positive pleasure principle of your self-actualisation — that means the desire to achieve pleasure in the creation of something that is representative of an aspect of yourself.  If there is a block to this, then you can experience a sense of being lost and confused.” (Southwell, 1982.)

 “…if we think of this blockage [muscular armouring] as chicken mesh with dirt in the holes, layers and layers of chicken mesh, we can see that the ‘streamings’ cannot come through at all, no more than sunbeams can filter through solid material.” (Boyesen, G., 1970). 

References:

• Boyesen, G., (1970). Article: 1.2 The Primary Personality and its Relationship to the Streamings. The ‘New’ Collected Papers of Biodynamic Psychology, Massage & Psychotherapy: 2022 A Collection of Articles gathered in Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Gerda Boyesen’s birth. Edited by Young, C. Body Psychotherapy Publications.
• Boyesen, G., (?). Article: 8.12 Gerda Boyesen Extracts: from Various Sources: Extract from Between Psyche and Soma – Introduction to Biodynamic Psychology. The ‘New’ Collected Papers of Biodynamic Psychology, Massage & Psychotherapy: 2022 A Collection of Articles gathered in Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Gerda Boyesen’s birth. Edited by Young, C. Body Psychotherapy Publications.
• Southwell, C., (1982). Article: 3.3.2 Biodynamic Massage as a Therapeutic Tool – with special reference to the Biodynamic Concept of Equilibrium. The ‘New’ Collected Papers of Biodynamic Psychology, Massage & Psychotherapy: 2022 A Collection of Articles gathered in Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Gerda Boyesen’s birth. Edited by Young, C. Body Psychotherapy Publications. 

• Clover Southwell (2003).

• Steinberg, E., (2022). 8.6a Transformative Moments: Short Stories from the Biodynamic Psychotherapy Room, Part 1. No. 2: Biodynamic Massage. The ‘New’ Collected Papers of Biodynamic Psychology, Massage & Psychotherapy: 2022 A Collection of Articles gathered in Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Gerda Boyesen’s birth. Edited by Young, C. Body Psychotherapy Publications.
• Tanguay, D. (2017). Article: 5.3.1 Biodynamic Typology: Stone, Warrior, Trouble Sunshine, Sunshine, Spiritual Warrior and Beyond. The ‘New’ Collected Papers of Biodynamic Psychology, Massage & Psychotherapy: 2022 A Collection of Articles gathered in Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Gerda Boyesen’s birth. Edited by Young, C. Body Psychotherapy Publications.

Hear what others have to say about the sessions: Testimonials.