I would like to share my experience with this type of therapy as there is not much information about it so it might help someone now or later.
Body Psychotherapy was not something I would plan to go for but it just worked out that way.
I started with eclectic psychotherapy and did that for one year. But it did not work too well. I was as much disconnected as always from my emotions and experiences plus trusting my T seemed impossible.
While I was looking for ways to help myself with the process I started to go to group bionergetic exercises to release body tension, stress and connect with emotions which this type of exercise is suppose to help with.
It works much better then I would ever expect and I am really surprised by the power it has. The exercise is lead by a psychotherapist who has analytic approach and also works with the body. I had very intense reaction during one specific exercise and it was very scary but she was so nice about it and was there with me and made me feel much better. After it she got me a blanket and covered me with it while I was still shaking. It was such a caring and comforting gesture it made me feel all fuzzy inside for a long time.
My ex - therapist never did anything of this kind and I found myself in a place when I needed it. So I switched and it works well so far.
I keep going to the group exercise and I see her for individual sessions once a week as well. We just talked so far (3 months in) as she needed to get to know me and learn my history a bit and I needed to trust her a bit. Today we did the body work for the first time.
She has two areas in her office. One half is just normal space with chairs and coffee table for her and clients to sit and talk and then there is area with a matt and blankets on the floor, boxing bag, exercise ball... so like a little gym.
I was able to feel ok lying on the floor today and even let her touch me. I can never imagine that with my ex-therapist. I am sure that the fact she is also my group exercise instructor makes it much easier for me to do these even during therapy session.
She asked me to do some specific exercise and talk about how I feel while doing it. Then I lied down and she pressed on some points on my body (over clothes) and asked me how I feel and what is going on for me.
During this I had some traumatic picture memories come to me. My T thinks this might be the way to get to the trauma stuff as I am so shut off I canīt seem to be able to connect to it with just talking.
She then put her hands on my stomach and back and hold it there for a bit. I felt a lot of warmth from it and after she seemed little distressed. She kind of shook her hands and said that she can feel a lot of pain stored in my body even thought I canīt feel it myself... which I found little weird.
So yeah I assume we will continue as she asked me if that would be ok. We will just need to have more conversations about touch as I have issues around this topic she doesnīt know about. Like my fear of coming across as gross or disgusting to her.
So I can continue posting about it a little if anybody would be interested.
Wish you all the best