What exactly is Bioenergetics?

Bioenergetics is an approach to psychotherapy - a way to help heal emotional wounds and make way for more joy and satisfaction in life.

How did it emerge?

It was developed by Alexander Lowen, MD, in the 1950s. Since then, Bioenergetics has grown into a theoretical foundation for treatment, such as Cognitive Therapy, Gestalt therapy or Psychoanalysis.  Lowen and others have written many helpful books on the subject of Bioenergetics.

What makes it different from regular talk therapy?

Bioenergetics incorporates talk therapy into the work, because talking and listening to people in an important part of a therapeutic relationship. Where it diverges is moving the therapy focus into the body. For example, I might have a client begin a session by talking about feeling sadness over a recent incident with someone in her life. We would first explore the dynamics of the situation through talking; then, we would begin to dialogue about how she is experiencing this sadness in her body. From there, we would work to help her release the sadness. This could be done by having her stretch the area in which she was feeling the sadness, or by my palpating the muscles in that area. Through this she would be encouraged to express her sadness with sounds or words. This may bring up other sadness from different times, or a whole other emotional repertoire may emerge.

What could someone hope to gain from doing it over regular therapy?

One of my frustrations in providing talk therapy for many years, is that I was left with a feeling that something was missing. It seemed as if more often than not, the words did not connect with the underlying emotion, and as the saying goes, "if we don't feel it, we can't heal it." The body seemed a logical nexus. Oh, certainly, Bioenergetics isn't the answer in all cases. It is not for everyone. And sometimes it is more valuable to just talk about an issue. But it provides the potential for a more integrated approach to helping someone move through their pain, past or present, and into a more fluid, less contracted experience in their lives and bodies.

I understand that you can get information about someone by just looking at their body. How do you do that?

As part of our training, we learn how to glean information about a person's emotional history and potential aspects of their personality by studying their body. It's just a matter of observing a body in a standing position, and sometimes an exercise called the bow is used to facilitate this process. Though this isn't a science, and each body holds a very unique experience, we link what is seen in the body to a framework of five basic body types. Each of us has some aspect of each, but often there is a primary and secondary body type that dominates a person's way of holding themselves physically and emotionally. This gives the therapist a starting point, as well as some guesses as to what might be happening in a person's body and how this may be manifesting in their life. Obviously, all assumptions are checked out with each person, which serves to provide a forum for discussion about how they might work together.

You've seen my body in yoga class over the years, what would you say is my body type, or what information would you get about me by looking at my body?

Well, you fit into the general category of a primary body type consistent with what we call The Communicator. (The original labels for these types are quite pejorative, so I go with the more health-friendly terms borrowed by Ron Robbins). In the body, Communicators often have thin, sometimes almost childlike bodies irrespective of chronological age. There is also often a noticeable collapse in the sternum giving the impression of hunched-over look to some degree (this is not pronounced in your body).  The eyes are usually soft and gentle, and convey a pleading or pleasing look. You also often see the knees held in a locked position, keeping the body in a state of emergency. This can result in chronically cold feet and hands.  The personality of the Communicator is often charming, and gregarious.  They fear being alone and can tend to hold onto things (jobs, relationships) longer than may be healthy for them.  Their mantra is "I don't know what I want." This often belies an undercurrent of restlessness and shifting mood. You will often see some form of early deprivation by a maternal figure - some form of unavailabilty by the mother for whatever reason.

Your secondary body type would probably fit into The Inspirer character.  You don't have all the dominant physical traits, but one that is consistent is with the head. Inspirers often have heads slightly larger in proportion to their overall body mass. The face also tends to get flushed with emotion. These are people with a lot of will, drive and imagination. They have a need for independence and control and often had some level of rejection or disapproval by the same sex parent.

What was is that interested you personally in Bioenergetics?

I have always been interested in the mind-body connection. My mother taught yoga, as you know, for over 25 years, and so I had an awareness of the body's role in physical and emotional health. After doing talk therapy for several years, I had a keen sense that I was missing something - that I wasn't helping people on a deep enough level. So I set out on a journey of sorts to find a way to integrate the mind and body in my practice. I first got certified as a yoga instructor and used yoga in my practice for a while. But it just didn't seem to fit. I also got certified in Hypnotherapy and EMDR (see www.emdr.com for more info), but as effective as these techniques were, I was looking for a more fundamental approach to working with people. A Bioenergetic Therapist friend introduced me to Alexander Lowen by lending me some of his books. After reading for 15 minutes, I knew I was hooked. It was just what I had been looking for. I signed up for the training program immediately.

I have heard you talk about Bioenergetics being a way of healing the emotions through a system of exercise. Can you explain what kind of exercise is involved?

The exercise is about increasing awareness of the body through feeling, movement, self-expression and breathing. Ideally, it is a combination of all these aspects that helps  heal the chronic tension in our bodies that house emotional wounds. Some of the specific exercises involve using what's called a breathing stool to open up the breathing, or lying on a mat and using the legs to kick or  the arms to hit. This is also supplemented by encouraging the emotional expression connected with the movement, and at times palpating the muscles that are particularly contracted. Exercises and touch are used on a very individualized basis for the purpose of addressing a particular issues someone may be dealing with. It is ultimately about connecting a physical movement with the feeling it generates and expressing the words or sounds that go with that feeling.

There are a lot of "mind-body techniques" available today. What makes Bioenergetics different and what does it take to become a Bioenergetic Therapist?

There are many wonderful and effective mind-body techniques out there today. It's exciting to see all the new ways we are able to help ourselves and others overcome obstacles to optimal emotional health in life.  Bioenergetics is different because it has been around for almost 50 years. During this time it has been researched, refined, written about and developed into a comprehensive approach to psychotherapeutic treatment. In addition, becoming a Bioenergetic Psychotherapist is not something you can achieve in a weekend workshop. It requires a master's degree, a state license as a Mental Health Professional, and involves four years of consistent training, 100 hours of personal Bioenergetic Psychotherapy and 50 hours of supervision.

How long are the sessions and how much do they cost?

The length of sessions can vary, but generally they are 50 minutes. Fees vary too, anywhere from $55 to $125. I charge $60 per session.

If you would like more information about Lynn Burgess, click on Yoga on the Home Page.