Psychoanalytic body-oriented psychotherapy as short-term-therapy: Therapy between transference work and correcting emotional experience

Abstract

The present paper deals with “psychoanalytic body-oriented psychotherapy" and its differences to body-oriented approaches of other psychotherapeutic orientations. Contrary to e.g. “energetic” body-psycho-therapies (e.g. Bioenergetics, Reichian body-therapies) psychoanalytic body-psychotherapy starts from a dia-logical body-image. The analysis of transference and countertransference remains in the center of the therapeutic process and activity but, contrary to classical psychoanalysis, nonverbal as well as behavioral and physical reactions and behaviors are integrated as well. For short term interventions the analysis of the transference must be reduced. However, instead of analyzing transference and countertransference specific body-interventions may be set which may trigger quick changes within the therapeutic process and allow positive experiences for the client, mainly in groups. This kind of approach is demonstrated in a five-hour short-term intervention. Introducing another clinical case-vignette important aspects of diagnosis and intervention and the management of the therapeutic process are discussed.

Keywords:
Psychoanalytic body-oriented psychotherapy, body interventions, emotional correcting experience, main issue, transference.