Why Bodymind Integration?

Our institute has been offering body-mind based therapy programs since 1994. Bodymind Integration originated with Jack W. Painter, Ph.D. in the late 1960. The work is scientifically validated: See the answers to 15 questions about the philosophy, methodology, professionality and research around bodymind Integration.

Why a body-based approach to personal growth and therapy?

Recent research on emotion, memory and brain-function, as well as the current understanding of the consequences of physical and sexual traumatization, demonstrates that psychological disturbances manifest themselves in actual life both as mental representations and as bodily experiences, sensations and motor behavior.

This underlines the growing interest of clients, coaches, teachers and (psycho)therapists in those treatment modalities which take the body information into account in a professionally organized and methodical way (Damasio 1999, van der Kolk 1996).

Many psychological problems can be understood as the consequence of deficits in the satisfaction of basic developmental needs in early childhood.

The need for nurture, support, protection, limits and a sense of a place in the world, have to be fulfilled concretely and symbolically at the right time and in the right kinship-relationships — all experienced in well-fitting interactions. When these interactive events do not happen, the child cannot sufficiently mature into its adult true self, as it has suffered damaging consequences on three levels: biological, psychological and existential.

Psychotherapy should strive to assist people in the integration of body, mind and spirit

The practice of Bodymind Integration helps people to broaden their consciousness, to trust their body as a reliable source of information, to express emotions in a safe way… and further, to have more positive life anticipations resulting from a coherent mind, empathic relationships, and an integrated brain. All this requires the need for an articulated body-based approach.

For the brain, integration means that separated areas with their unique functions, in the skull and throughout the body, become linked to each other through synaptic connections. These integrated linkages enable more intricate functions to emerge—such as insight, empathy, intuition, coordination, emotional balance, grace and morality.

In an individual’s mind, integration involves the linkage of separate aspects of mental processes to each other, such as thought with feeling, bodily sensation with logic.

In an individual’s body, first release of the tensions that often like vaulted arches connect the different psychosomatic symptoms and locked up wounds with each other, next integration which involves the linkage of all previously mostly unconscious parts of the body in the major dimensions : top-bottom, left-right, front-back, inside-outside begins to coordinate and unify the whole of the self in the body. The release and integration in the soma creates more space for “the alive” and the roll call of the living.

In a relationship, integration entails each person’s being respected for his or her autonomy and differentiated self while at the same time being linked to others in empathic communication.

A result of integration is kindness, resilience, and health.

Bodymind Integration helps people re-discovering and becoming who they really are

Bodymind Integration represents the coming together of psycho-dynamic, cognitive-behavioral and system-oriented principles, along with client-centered attitudes, in one integrated philosophy. This unified method is supported by the latest information on both the psychological and physical evolution of human beings.

Body/mind information and experiences are utilized applying well-defined principles and techniques which are offered to clients in a way that empowers them to stay in charge of their own therapeutic process. It facilitates the clients’ need for fulfillment of long standing deficits in psychological development.

In Bodymind Integration sessions, the practitioner essentially provides a space free of judgment or ‘cure’, and respectfully allows “what is” to be explored and experienced more completely. The innate wisdom of the client is thus encouraged and brought to the foreground. The focus of attention is on intrinsic health or the “essential self”.

Bodymind connections are made between memories, thoughts, tensions in the body, sensations, emotions.

Clients “dive” in themselves in order to gradually better understand their own mind-body connections, deepens the interaction between experienced sensations, images and thoughts, spoken words, shared and expressed emotions. The client integrates new sensory-motor, kinesthetic and auditory-visual memories which are stored alongside older imprints. The availability of alternative synthetic memories will generate more realistic perspectives on self and others and prosper more optimistic expectations and behavior, leading to more pleasure, satisfaction, meaning and connectedness in current life.