Research In Bioenergetic Analysis

This listing is our initial effort at compiling all of the research that has been completed related to outcome studies of the practice of Bioenergetic Analysis.  While research has been conducted for many, many years, it has never been indexed or made accessible.  We have arranged the research abstracts by topic.  For more information please contact the author directly. 

Bioenergetic Analysis

Childhood Psychotherapy: A Bioenergetic Approach
Ed. Christa D.Ventling;
Karger Publications; Basel, Switzerland 2001.
Language: English

The consequences of trauma in early childhood are often severe, extending into adulthood where neurotic or even psychotic personality disorders can result. Separation from a parent at birth or thereafter and sexual and/or physical abuse in young children are the traumata most often seen. But the emotional unavailability of the person the child relates to or over-stimulation of a baby can be equally disastrous. Treatment of children at an early age therefore becomes a prime issue in order to prevent more serious damage later on.

Presented here for the first time is an application of bioenergetic interventions modified to suit young children. The collection of contributions by experienced body-oriented psychotherapists, all in private practice, deal with pregnancy, birth and young childhood and provide insight into preventive as well as healing aspects.

Contributors: William E. White (Preface); C.D. Ventling; V. Schroeter; J. Kühntopp; and V. Heinrich, T. Wills, A.V. Halsen, S.V. Robert-Ouvray, R. Mahr.

Titel: Zur Wirksamkeit bioenergetischer Psychotherapien und Stabilität des Therapieresultats: Eine retrospektive Untersuchung.

(Efficacy of Bioenergetic Therapies and Stability of the Therapeutic Result: A Retrospective Investigation.)

Language: German ( with an English Abstract)

Authors: Christa D.Ventling and Urs Gerhard

Published in : Psychotherapeut 45:230-236 (2000)

Abstract:

This report is a retrospective investigation of the efficacy of bioenergetic therapies given to adults in a private practice setting and also a study of the stability of the therapeutic result achieved. In the spring of 1997 a total of 16 bioenergetic therapists (6 of them medical doctors and 10 psychologists), all CBTs of the Swiss Society of Bioenergetic Therapists (SGBAT), provided upon request a number of data on 319 patients who had terminated their therapies after a minimum of 20 sessions 6 months to 6 years earlier. The data included among others age, sex, hours of therapy, main character structure according to Lowen and ICD-10 diagnosis. A self-evaluating questionnaire was then constructed, to be answered anonymously, and sent to these 319 patients in late summer 1997; 290 of them could be reached and 149 (49%) answered and returned the questionnaire. It contained questions related to the psychic and physical condition, to interpersonal and psychosomatic problems, and to the effect of body work on physical consciousness, cognitive insights and changes of the quality of life. The same questions had to be answered retrospectively for three time points: e.g. for the beginning of the therapy, for the end of the therapy and for the present time, e.g. the time of inquiry. Thus a comparative evaluation of the answers of the first two time points allowed conclusions as to the efficacy of the therapy, while a comparison of the last two time points provided insight into the stability of the therapeutic result. Regarding the efficacy of bioenergetic therapies, the statistical analysis of the returned questionnaires showed significant positive changes in all areas questioned. Bioenergetic body work was judged important and indispensable by about half of the patients. Regarding the stability of the therapeutic result, 107 patients indicated a stable or even improved therapeutic result at the time of questioning (which was 6 months to 6 years after having terminated the therapy). Of the 35 patients who since termination of the bioenergetic therapy had chosen to undergo further therapy, 16 of them elected again a body-orientated psychotherapy, of which 8 chose again a bioenergetic therapy but with a therapist of the opposite sex than the original therapist. Contact: Christa D.Ventling Holbeinstr.65 CH-4051 Basel Switzerland; Fax: 41 61 722 00 61; e-mail: c.vent@bluewin.ch 

Bioenergetic Analysis as developed by Alexander Lowen can be briefly characterized as a psychotherapeutical method comprising psychoanalytic, body-related energetical, and social systemic aspects.  A post treatment study involving 309 finished outpatient therapies shows that bioenergetic analytical therapy may be applied to a wide range of mental and psychosomatic disorders.  In respect of the effects of the treatment clients gave high change ratings in a standardized change questionnaire (compared with other therapy studies using the same questionnaire.)   The therapists evaluate the results as most positive for some neurotic and for psychosomatic disorders; but also in the case of other mental disorders remarkable improvements are found.  Bioenergetic analysis is however not a short-term therapy.

68% of the female therapists, members of the Institute for Bioenergetic Analysis in 1977, answered a mail questionnaire concerning the effects of Bioenergetic therapy on themselves and their clients.  Although 87% disagreed with one or more of the theories of Bioenergetic Analysis (and were therefore not "true believers"), between 70-89% reported increased capacity for self assertion, greater energy, improved breathing, increased capacity to experience pleasure, improved physical health and self esteem, improvement in sexual functioning and capacity to love and unification of sexual and tender feelings in relationships, diminished chronic muscle tension and greater ability to cope with depression.
 

Contact: Dr. Alice Kahn Ladas, 241 Central Park West, New York, NY 19002. Email: Aladas@aol.com.  Phone: (212)873-1067 or (505)471-6791; Fax (212)873-1068.

Body psychotherapy shows that psychotherapy altogether is involved with the human organism and its processes.  We only know about psychic phenomenas by its expression of the human body either by talking or by the body itself.   Even comunication with the soul is only possible by processing of the body.

Psychotherapeutic processes are always energetic processes for moder physics says that there is nothing in our universe but energy.  Besides you can show that the human processes of life are energetic processes of regulation.  So, mental and psychic phenomenas would be energetic processes too.

I show the very serious researches of Reich in biological and physical issues to find out structure and shape of the energy which controls biological and psychic processes of life and human beings.  You can read about the history of how Reich discovered 'orgon energy'.  Do these concepts have any importance in our discussions of today?

This is my first effort to describe the concept of Bioenergetic Analysis with ideas and concepts of modern physics, biology and physiology.  This seems being necessary for Bioenergetic Analysis uses terms of these sciences to describe bodily processes and shows how to modify them.  But how they are used is not corresponding to their scientific definition.  It is not described what is really going on in the body itself.  I focused on the term of 'energy'.  I try to show how this point of view is able to develop further the bioenergetic concept.  With some ideas of energy from subatomatic level perhaps you can explain with physical and bodily categories the meaing of 'relationship', 'intuition', 'nonverbal communication'.   Processes of transference and countertransference will get a 'physical' body.   The unity of body, soul and mind will find a new base by the term of 'energy'.   The energetic processes on the subatomatic level shows structures similar to those of the mental and psychic ones.

We are seeking to compile a data base of research abstracts concerning or relating to Bioenergetic Analysis. Therefore, we are asking you to let us know of any research you are familiar with, and we will compile it and list it on the IIBA Web Site. At this time, we cannot publish all research on our site.

To submit a research abstract for publication on the IIBA Web Site we will need:

3) The Complete Citation - specifics of where the research is published, including the name of the publication, volume number, issue/number/season, date, and page numbers.
For example: "Empirical Research in Bioenergetic Analysis: The State of the Art," Bioenergetic Analysis: The Clinical Journal of the International Institute for Bioenergetic Analysis. Volume 1, Number 2, Spring 1985, pp. 196-207.

4) A 100 word abstract of the article. All abstracts need to be in submitted in English. We are happy to list the abstract in the language of the manuscript as well. If the article is not in English, please indicate if it is also available in English.

5) A brief statement addressing where the author can be contacted for further information. Please include the author's:
Name
Complete address, including postal codes and country
E-Mail address, telephone, fax numbers

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2) A printed copy of the information on the disk, including the file name.

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