Body Psychotherapy

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

Cambridge Body Psychotherapy Centre (CBPC) formerly Cambridge Personal Development trains students to practise individual, in depth Body Psychotherapy. We draw on the main body psychotherapies currently available and bring them together in a comprehensive framework equipping the psychotherapist to work with the sorts of issues that individuals currently bring to the attention of body psychotherapists. Our training in body psychotherapy prepares candidates for accreditation as a body psychotherapist and then registration with the U.K. Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). Cambridge Body Psychotherapy Centre is a full member organisation of UKCP.

THE TRAINING STRUCTURE

The training is run in Cambridge and is clustered around weekends to make it accessible nationally.

CAMBRIDGE BODY PSYCHOTHERAPY

Body psychotherapy explores what it means to be fully alive and what hinders this. Health is more than just being well - i.e., not being ill, and being only averagely tired. Health means reconnecting with the "essential self". When this occurs the individual has a zest for life, feels connected with others and the environment; their skin has a bloom to it, their eyes shine, and they live with more ease.

Body psychotherapy sees a functional unity between mind and body; mind and body are interactive aspects of the whole. Body psychotherapy addresses the connections of this whole both individually and in relationship with others.

Antecedents for modern day body psychotherapy are found in the search for the psycho-physiological basis of neurosis by doctors such as Freud and Ferenzci. However, it is Wilhelm Reich who laid the foundations of body psychotherapy. He found in his clinical work as an analyst working with Freud that attitudes were embodied and revealed themselves in posture, subtle movements, muscle tone and breathing patterns. He came to see that conflicts and stress both past and present become encoded in the structure of the body in the form of muscle tensions, restricted breathing patterns and habitual thinking processes and that discussing problems was not always the way to resolve them. Moreover, in the last thirty years non-dualistic thinking from Eastern philosophy has been incorporated into body psychotherapy, in particular the notion that embodiment is the grounding for spiritual development. This is a major focus in the training.

Within a body psychotherapy session language forms a central part to the process as it is the main form of communication in our society. However, Reich realised that the way someone communicates is more reliable and gives more indication of unconscious processes. So the body psychotherapist encourages a gentle curiosity to the "how" of communications in addition to heeding the content. The body psychotherapist slowly guides awareness to direct experience of oneself and especially to bodily communications. Often simply by bringing awareness to tensions and holding patterns without forcing something to happen or change, there will be a release of restrictions. This release gives a sense of more space inside the body, and within daily life there will be more choice and flexibility. Sometimes the release of tensions or letting the breath move into hitherto restricted areas of the body will be accompanied by memories, images or emotions connected with past events. There may be sadness, anger, shame, humiliation or a long forgotten joyful moment. Often in finding these emotions there is a relief and sense of coming home. The presence of the body psychotherapist sharing the experience of the other's past and present suffering is in itself healing.

Body psychotherapists believe that the body moves naturally towards healing and self regulation, and the task of the body psychotherapist is to foster conditions of safety, acceptance and kindness towards oneself for healing to occur. As the body and its energy moves more freely, the possibility for deeper journeying arises.

PRINCIPLES UNDERPINNING THE TRAINING

The training is rooted in the following principles:

• mind and body are not separate
• there is a fundamental interconnectedness in the world mediated by energy flow;
• the focus of attention is on intrinsic health or the "essential self"; pathology arises out of loss of connection with the essential self;
• clinical practice of body psychotherapy focuses on embodied, present experience;
• this experience is verbalised descriptively;
• body psychotherapy is practised in relationship with the psychotherapist; it is interpersonal, intrapersonal and intersubjective;
• body psychotherapy is a joint exploration, which is done with curiosity; both psychotherapist and client will be changed by the experience; there is no prescribed end goal;
• given a suitable climate, individuals find their own process of healing and self regulation.

Broader descriptive terms for the training are: humanistic; transpersonal; psycho-spiritual; integrative.

CLINICIANS STUDIED

The main focus is on the theory and clinical application of body psychotherapy. This includes the work of the Boyesens and Southwell (Biodynamic Psychology), Kurtz (Hakomi therapy), Sills (Core Process Psychotherapy), Boadella (Biosynthesis), Reich (Character Analysis, Vegetotherapy), Lowen (Bioenergetics), Pierrakos (Core Energetics), Rosenberg (Integrative Body Psychotherapy), and Rothschild (Somatic Trauma Therapy). The training is held within a psycho-spiritual framework and authors are studied who are working from this perspective e.g. Welwood, Wegela. Body psychotherapy is also set within the broader context of psychotherapy and key authors within psycho-analytic psychotherapy, Jungian psychology, humanistic and existential psychotherapy are also studied. Experiential learning, including reflexive practice is central throughout the training, and supported by required reading and essays.

THE TRAINING OVERVIEW

The first four years of training prepare the student to apply for the Certificate in Pre-clinical skills. Then advanced level/post-certificate students begin to work with clients, are intensively supervised, and continue with post certificate training. This prepares the student to apply for the Diploma in Body Psychotherapy. This preparation takes a minimum of 2 further years. Altogether the training takes a minimum of six years. It is possible to pace training to the student's own circumstances and so fewer modules may be taken than the year requirements. Throughout the training there are three aspects to it, which are present in all of the courses. These are the teaching of Skills and Techniques, which are used to provide structures within which psychotherapy process occurs; exploring and deepening Being or Presence, which is the ground of the therapeutic relationship in body psychotherapy; and finally skills and presence are put into a Conceptual and Contextual framework.

CERTIFICATE LEVEL TRAINING

The modules are:

FIRST YEAR
Body Psychotherapy
Foundation Biodynamic Massage
Holistic Anatomy and Physiology

SECOND YEAR

Body Psychotherapy
Body Psychotherapy Using Biodynamic Massage
Psychotherapy Theory and Clinical Application

THIRD YEAR

Body Psychotherapy
Body Psychotherapy Using Biodynamic Massage
Psychotherapy Theory and Clinical Application

FOURTH YEAR

Body Psychotherapy Psychotherapy Theory and Clinical Application

THE FIRST YEAR

The first year develops body awareness and embodiment. Self regulation and healing is fostered through coming into relationship with the "essential self" and gaining a sense of restrictions which hinder self regulation. The use of skilful touch and the recognition of somatic resonance is explored and how to use these in the psychotherapeutic relationship. Practice sessions are done mostly in pairs followed by reflexive exploration on self as client and self as therapist. Successful completion of the Foundation Biodynamic Massage and Holistic Anatomy and Physiology modules leads to the Certificate in Foundation Biodynamic Massage and entitles the holder to join the Association of Holistic Biodynamic Massage Therapists. This association is a member of the British Massage Therapy Council. First year modules require two to five days per month, (usually at weekends) depending on numbers of modules taken.

THE SECOND YEAR

The second year deepens training from the first year and skills are learned to anchor contact with the essential self more securely and to take this relationship with oneself into relationship with another. A variety of physical awareness practices are taught for students to use to further embodied presence and to foster self care in daily life. The study of biodynamic massage in the service of psychotherapy is continued. To this is added the study of vegetotherapy, a form of "free association" of the body. Different levels of therapeutic presence are also explored. The theory and clinical application of different psychotherapies and political, social, cultural and spiritual issues surrounding the practice of psychotherapy are discussed. Practice sessions are done in threes and fours, followed by reflexive inquiry with the focus more on self as psychotherapist. These modules involve 10 weekends per year and some additional weekend days and Friday evenings spread over 10 months.

THE THIRD YEAR

The third year moves from a relative focus more on intrapersonal relating to one of more interpersonal relating. The psychotherapeutic relationship is explored in terms of resonance and reaction (somatic transference and somatic countertransference). Existential thinking on relationship is also studied. Regressive and imaginal work is explored, and psychotherapeutic themes such as working with sexual issues, aggression and negativity, and birth process are examined. The study of vegetotherapy is continued and deepened. Skills are also taught drawn from recent developments in gestalt psychotherapy and used as vehicles for exploration. Psychotherapy theory and the clinical application of different psychotherapies is continued, but with emphasis on the different schools of Body Psychotherapy. The time commitment is as for second year: 10 weekends per year and some additional weekend days and Friday evenings spread over 10 months.

THE FOURTH YEAR

The fourth year consolidates the learning of previous years and prepares the student for work with clients. A large part of the training year is spent with students working in small groups, giving sessions and receiving live supervision. A form of contemplative self and peer supervision is formally introduced and becomes honed to reflect on psychotherapeutic process. There is opportunity to revisit some of the topics from previous years and within seminars the clinical application of Body Psychotherapy is discussed using in particular the theory of Character Strategy (Reich, Lowen, Brennan, Kurtz).

APPLICATION AND SELECTION

Applicants should complete an application form and return it to the training director. Suitable applicants will be invited for an interview and informed shortly after this of the outcome. If accepted the applicant will be asked to confirm acceptance of the place by paying a deposit for the relevant courses. Subsequent payments are made at monthly intervals on course commencement. A student manual is available at this stage with fuller details about the syllabus and structure of the training.

COSTS AND TRAINING DATES

FIRST YEAR COURSES

FOUNDATION BIODYNAMIC MASSAGE

2009: September 12/13; October 10/11; November 7/8; December 12/13;

2010: January 9/10; February 13/14; March 13/14; April 10/11; May 8/9

TIME: 10.00 a.m. - 5.30 p.m.

COST: £1305.00 payable as a deposit of £145.00 and 8 monthly payments of £145.00.

HOLISTIC ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

2009: September 26; October 31; November 28/29; December - reading month;

2010: January 30; February 27; March 27; April 24

TIME: 10.00 a.m. - 5.30 p.m.

COST: £630.00 payable as a deposit of £70.00 and 8 monthly payments of £70.00.

FIRST YEAR BODY PSYCHOTHERAPY

2009: September 19/20; October 24/25; November 14/15; December 19/20;

2010: January 16/17; February 20/21; March 20/21; April 17/18; May 1/2; June 19/20.

TIME: 10.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m.

COST: £1539.00 payable as a deposit of £171.00 and 8 monthly payments of £171.00. Dates and fees for subsequent years follow a similar pattern.

TOTAL COSTS FOR TRAINING TO DIPLOMA LEVEL 2008-2009

Training fees increase with inflation annually. We reserve the right to increase fees due to unforeseen additional costs.

It is possible to complete the training over a longer period of time, depending on personal finances.

Individual Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy costs for the training vary according to the part of the country in which you live. You are required to have 40 sessions per year. A rough guide would be to budget £42.00 per session. £1680.00 per annum. Over the six years this would be £10,080.00. Many students also choose to continue psychotherapy after this.

Certificate of Completion of modules for the first four years

First Year

Holistic Anatomy and Physiology £612.00
Foundation Biodynamic Massage £1233.00
First Year Body Psychotherapy £1494.00

Second Year

Second Year Body Psychotherapy £ 1494.00
Second Year Biodynamic Massage £792.00

Third Year

Third Year Body Psychotherapy £1494.00
Third Year Biodynamic Massage £792.00
Psychotherapy theory and Clinical Application £621.00

Fourth Year

Fourth Year Body Psychotherapy £1692.00
Psychotherapy theory and Clinical Application £621.00 Application for Certificate of Completion for the first Four years - £150.00

Fifth Year

Contemplative Supervision Group- £837.00
Other courses approx - £300- £400

Sixth Year

Contemplative Supervision Group- £837.00
Other courses approx - £300- £400

General Training Costs

Annual Registration Fee - £60.00 (£360.00)

This is payable each year until the student has completed all training requirements. It is also payable, if taking time out from training.

Stethoscope - approx £90.00 depending on model selected.

Tutorials for thesis and case study preparation - approx 6-10£40.00 - £240.00 - £400.00
Reading of Diploma Level Thesis - £150.00
Reading of Two Case Studies - £150.00 each
Application for the Diploma in Body Psychotherapy and Accreditation Process - £200.00

Supervision

This is required for Biodynamic Massage therapy - usually started in the second/third year.

Later on this will be for Body Psychotherapy Supervision

Weekly - approx £42.00
Annually - approx £1680.00
Total for approx 4 years - £6720.00

There are also likely to be additonal costs; setting up a consultation room, buying the necessary furnishings, room rental costs etc.

TOTAL INCLUSIVE TRAINING COSTS - £31,769.00 (Costed at the higher cost estimate)