Body Psychotherapy

Explore your thoughts and feelings through somatic work.

What is body psychotherapy?

Body psychotherapy is also known as somatic psychotherapy. It is based on the idea that our bodies might hold on to experiences, which can affect our mental and emotional health. The body and mind are deeply connected. And what happens in one can affect the other.

Body psychotherapy encourages release of physical and emotional tension. It can bring new understanding and experience of yourself. It can also support better emotional regulation. Over time this helps you feel more connected to yourself and life around you.

In our work together, we approach your experiences with curiosity, compassion and presence. We pay attention to what you feel and how you feel it. We may look at patterns in your life and where they began. We use talking, gentle movement, visualisation, mindfulness, and biodynamic massage as supportive tools for change.

Who is body psychotherapy for?

People seek psychotherapy when they experience some form of mental, emotional or physical difficulties. Body psychotherapy can be used to work with a variety of issues. Anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, shock, trauma and many other forms of distress.

Sometimes we don’t have words for what we’ve been through. At the time, it may have been too overwhelming, too early in life, or simply too much for the system to process. Body psychotherapy is unique because it adds a dimension of working non-verbally, with the body. It is a more holistic approach to the person, allowing you to get to know yourself at your pace.

This therapy is for you, if you want to:

  • Process unresolved emotions, trauma, PTSD
  • Address ongoing stress or burnout
  • Treat anxiety and depression
  • Enhance self-awareness and emotional regulation
  • Deepen connection with yourself
  • Regain ability to respond rather than react
  • Explore the connection between your body and mind
  • Increase self-trust
  • Improve your relationships
  • Feel more grounded and embodied
  • Experience more vitality in life

Biodynamic approach

Biodynamic body psychotherapy was developed in the 1960s and 70s by Norwegian psychologist and physiotherapist Gerda Boyesen. It combines psychology and body-based work. The aim is to support the body’s natural ability to heal and regulate itself.

Every emotion and feeling has a physical expression. This can include changes in breathing, heart rate, hormones, and the nervous system. We experience our emotional life through the body as well as the mind. When we are able to fully process our experiences, we live in a relaxed and balanced state. But when emotions and stress are not processed, they can remain stored in the tissues of the body and contribute to emotional or physical difficulties over time.

At its core, this approach recognises that the body and mind are always trying to come back into balance. And therapy supports this natural process. It does not force change. It creates space for change to happen. With time and support, people can begin to feel safe enough to let go. They may slowly reconnect with themselves and release what they no longer need.

Cosy psychotherapy room in Lichfield with two chairs and massage table

What happens in a biodynamic body psychotherapy session?

Biodynamic body psychotherapy is warm, human, with room for curiosity, and genuine connection. The most important thing is a safe and trusting relationship that creates the foundation for deeper therapeutic exploration.

There are many creative ways of working. Every person is unique, so therapy is adapted to meet your individual needs. Some sessions may involve sitting and talking, while also paying attention to sensations in the body. Gentle movement, relaxation, and body awareness exercises can help you connect with yourself. We may also use touch therapy known as biodynamic massage.

There is no right or wrong way to be in therapy. You might talk, sit quietly, move, cry, laugh, draw, sing, or dance. What matters is the freedom to express yourself in a way that feels natural and meaningful to you.

Why do we use touch in biodynamic psychotherapy?

Unique to biodynamic psychotherapy is hands-on touch called biodynamic massage. It is a non-verbal way of supporting therapeutic process.

Through touch we can experience ourselves and our connection to the world. The way we touch and are touched shapes how safe and connected we feel. These experiences send signals to the nervous system and the brain. Through attuned touch we can learn to feel more safe and grounded. Gentle touch can help the body relax. It can also help a person become more aware of what they are feeling inside.

Biodynamic massage supports the body in processing and releasing stress. It also helps with nervous system regulation. It can be especially helpful if you experience physical symptoms such as muscle tension, aches, or fatigue.

Read more about biodynamic massage
Therapist touching client's hand. Biodynamic massage to soothe anxiety

Benefits of biodynamic body psychotherapy:

  • Gradual processing of trauma or difficult experiences
  • Clarity and insight
  • Personal growth and transformation
  • Greater sense of safety in your body and life
  • Reduced anxiety and stress
  • Improved relationships
  • Increased inner stability
  • Better sleep, less tension, improved relaxation
  • Healthier emotional regulation
  • Personal growth and self-awareness
  • More vitality

Book your initial consultation

FAQs

In our first session we will cover the contract and confidentiality. We will also look at your situation and what you are bringing to therapy. It is also a chance for you to ask any questions and feel if working with together feels like a good fit.

In biodynamic psychotherapy we work with both your thoughts and your body’s experience.

We might begin by talking and exploring what brings you to therapy. Alongside this, we gently bring attention to what you are noticing in your body, such as breath, tension, sensations, or impulses. We can also use Biodynamic massage or gentle movements to support you.

Many forms of therapy focus mainly on thoughts, behaviour, or talking through experiences. Biodynamic psychotherapy also values this, but places equal importance on the body and nervous system. It works with how experiences are held physically, not just how they are understood mentally.

Another key difference is the pace and approach. Biodynamic work is typically gentle and non-invasive. Rather than analysing or pushing for change, it supports the body’s own self-regulating processes and movement towards health. This often allows for deeper, more lasting shifts over time.

No, not at all.

Touch or massage is always optional and only included if it feels right for you. We would talk about it together beforehand, and it would only happen with your clear consent.

I offer different pricing for Lichfield and Birmingham, see below.

Lichfield fees
Birmingham fees

Therapy can be both short-term and longer-term, depending on what you’re looking for and what support you need. Usually I work with an open-ended contract, there is no fixed number of sessions. Some people come for a shorter period to work with a specific issue or during a particular time of difficulty. At the same time, psychotherapy is often a longer-term process. Many of the patterns we carry, especially those linked to stress, anxiety, or earlier life experiences, developed over time, and can take time to gently unfold and shift.

That depends on your needs. Most people come weekly or once every two weeks.