Biodynamic Massage, introduced by Norwegian clinical psychologist and physiotherapist Gerda Boyesen (1922-2005), is a psycho-physiological method used by body psychotherapists. The word "bio" comes from "life" and "dynamic" from "movement." This so-called life-energy flows powerfully not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. The term "biodynamic" describes the inherent, natural process of health and well-being that relies on the harmonious flow of life-energy. When life-energy is disrupted in any way, it can cause pain, mental and emotional disorders, and illness.
Gerda Boysen (hereafter Gerda) was born in Norway on May 18, 1922, and passed away in London on December 29, 2005. Gerda's funeral took place on January 4, 2006, at Mortlake Crematorium in Richmond, London. Her remains were then transferred to her family grave in Denmark.
Gerda was a woman who always tried to avoid giving her children an authoritarian upbringing. She earned a degree in psychology in 1947 to understand the human development process. Through her psychology studies, she met Ola Raknes, Nic Waal, Dr. Havrevoll, and all the psychoanalysts who trained and worked closely with Wilhelm Reich during his exile in Norway (1934-1939). Gerda learned Reichian psychoanalysis from Ola, who was instrumental in spreading Reichian somatic psychoanalysis throughout Europe after Reich's immigration to the United States. After completing her psychology degree and studying Reich psychoanalysis, Gerda began working as a clinical psychologist in a psychiatric hospital. However, she was not satisfied and wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the body's anatomy and physiology, so she also qualified as a physical therapist. She also studied neuromuscular massage, introduced by Aadel Bulow Hansen, and found this technique to be more effective than the physical therapy techniques she had previously mastered. Gerda then began working at the Bulow Hansen Clinic with Trygve Braatoy, a psychiatrist heavily influenced by Reich. There, she discovered that it was possible to influence a person's unconscious emotions through massage. She was also able to clearly see how a client's emotional state altered their physical posture. All of this study and experience shaped Gerda's understanding of the mind-body connection.
Gerda arrived in London in 1968 as a leading Reich-style body psychotherapist. She began developing biodynamic psychotherapy, biodynamic psychology, and biodynamic massage. In the 1970s, she established the Gerda Boyesen Centre in Acton, West London, where people from around the world came to train under her. From her London base, she traveled throughout Europe, training and lecturing therapists. Biodynamic schools are now established and operating in many countries, including Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal, Israel, Switzerland, the United States, Australia, and Venezuela. Gerda's three children, Ebba, Mona Lisa, and Paul Boyesen, are also renowned therapists and run their own schools. In 1992, the Gerda Poysen Centre joined the British Council for Psychotherapy as a training body, and in 1999, Gerda became an honorary member of the European Association for Body Psychotherapy.
Gerda has made biodynamic psychotherapy her life's work, having a transformative impact on many lives, and receiving deep love and gratitude from her clients.
Biodynamic Psychotherapy is a combined bodywork and psychotherapy approach based on the premise that our emotional, mental, and physical processes are always interdependent. Physically, we tend to feel trapped by "difficult" emotions, with muscle tension and restricted breathing. This creates a sense of disconnection and limits our ability to respond positively to life. However, as our minds and bodies begin to open up, we can access previously suppressed emotions. This allows us to reconnect with our authentic, vibrant selves and a deeper awareness of who we are. This is not just an emotional and intellectual experience, but is felt physically as well.
Gerda's discovery of the body's natural way of digesting stress, psycho-peristalsis in the intestines, has made a major contribution to modern-day body psychotherapy.
Gerda discovered the gastrointestinal tract, which she considered to be the biological equivalent of the id canal, a concept theorised by Austrian psychiatrist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) and other psychoanalysts, and which she considered to be a distinguishing factor in psychotherapy. The id canal has historically been an important psychological concept. Reich, a student of Freud, argued that unconscious states must have physical manifestations and that neuroses should be treated through the body. Unfortunately, however, Reich was unable to grasp this fact. As a clinical psychologist, Gerda's research revealed that the gastrointestinal tract has dual biological and psychological functions and is crucially related to maintaining physical, emotional, and mental health. This function is known as psychosomatic peristalsis, which can be observed by placing a stethoscope over the abdomen.
Recent cell biology research by Dr. Michael Gershon of Columbia University in New York has confirmed the importance of the gut, leading him to propose that the gastrointestinal tract is a second brain. Dr. Gershon has also stated that because the gastrointestinal tract is essentially equipped with neurotransmitters, the organic connection between the gut and the brain confirms a 40-year-old theory that has been fundamental to biodynamic psychology. Dr. Gershon's research confirms the connection between scientific gut fundamentals and Gerda's psychological theory of peristalsis.
Restoration through psycho-peristaltic healing, the body's healing mechanism, is the instinctive flow of life force toward health, bringing about homeostasis and self-regulation. This healing process digests the by-products of nervous and emotional stress and is the origin of physical and mental healing.
Healthy people are able to express their emotions, resolve difficult emotional relationships, and achieve peace and security. However, loss of self-control and the innate ability to heal oneself can lead to neurosis and illness.
Biodynamic practitioners are trained to reverse or minimise this loss. They use not only language but also other psychotherapeutic modalities such as bodywork, vegetotherapy, orgonomy, deep draining, biodynamic massage, and energy work on the aura and biofeed.
Biodynamic massage can be applied to the bones, muscles, skin, and aura. Each treatment has a different purpose and focuses on the client's needs. For example, it can affect the body's fluids, blood, lymph, secretions, and water, which cause swelling and distension; it can also affect the internal organs which store deep emotions; the field of energy that emanates from and surrounds the body (the biofield); muscles, breath, and joints.
During a biodynamic massage, a stethoscope (nowadays, electronic stethoscopes are often used) is placed on the abdomen to listen to the body's language. The client can also hear this body language, but some clients may find these sounds uncomfortable, so the therapist may use headphones. The sounds heard through the stethoscope represent psychological peristalsis, which responds to the therapist's various massage techniques. From these various sounds, the therapist can identify areas in the body where past emotions have been suppressed or blocked, leading to physical release and psychological integration, allowing energy to flow freely within the body. The optimal condition for a biodynamic massage is for a skilled therapist to establish and promote psychological peristalsis. The therapist helps you clear unfinished emotional cycles, emotions left in the body by past traumas, and releases trapped energy. This not only leads to emotional understanding and empathy, but also physical release.
Basic training in biodynamic massage is a three-year course and is part of body psychotherapy training. It differs from other massage methods in that it involves dialogue during the massage, making it a framework. The therapist's key is to build a trusting relationship with the client and create a safe space for the client.
After completing a three-year biodynamic massage course, I can safely say that I've seen a change in my own massage technique. I've gained a deeper understanding of not only the physical but also the psychological aspects. First, I begin by carefully observing my clients' bodies, learning about their muscle tone, skin (tissue) condition, body temperature, and breathing patterns to understand the state of their internal energy. Using an electronic stethoscope, I've become more sensitive to my clients' emotions, which is fascinating.
In treatments that incorporate psychotherapy techniques, the therapist often becomes the enemy, so how to support the client emotionally is an important challenge for me going forward. I would like to continue to grow both as a therapist and personally.
Yumiko Inoue
After graduating from Otsuma Women's University in March 1998 with an associated degree in English Literature, she worked for major companies in Tokyo and London. In the summer of 1997, she moved to the UK and obtained qualifications in Aromatherapy from the Tisserand Institute and Reflexology from the Bailey School. She also obtained qualifications in advanced Aromatherapy, Indian Champissage, Reiki, Lymphatic Drainage, and Hydrotherapy. She also studied Body Psychotherapy at the Chiron Center. She gained experience at Otemachi Subaru, at a hospice, and as a teaching assistant. Currently, while a mother of one, she practices therapy in London at Balance the Clinic in Chelsea and Welbeck-Pure on Harley Street.