Dear Readers
The editorial for this issue is being written as hurricanes, floods and an earthquake are reminding us all that we are not invincible. We have also experienced a major fire in social housing and a series of terrorist activities in the UK. These events challenge us to look at what kind of world we want to live in. Body Psychotherapy (BP) and Dance Movement Psychotherapy (DMP) have their own contribution to make. Our articles this time reflect some of the themes and diversity of topics relevant to our readers.
Our first article is written by Marianne Eberhard-Kaechele from Germany. It is entitled ‘A political perspective of DMP on interdisciplinary pathways: Are we finding or losing our way?’ and she challenges us to look at the political implications of interdisciplinary integration within DMP. Her themes are common to forms of psychotherapy, which want to be in the mainstream psychotherapy debate of any country and seek funding. The route to getting into the debate is often to look at psychotherapy from the perspective of the major psychotherapy in the power hierarchy. Whilst this can enrich a lesser known psychotherapy, something of the uniqueness of it can be compromised. Eberhard-Kaechele suggests a framework to consider multi-disciplinary, inter-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary and personal interdisciplinary integration with their pros and cons. She observes that DMP has a lack of theory and coherence generated from within the profession making it somewhat vulnerable to new and vital influences necessaryfor development. She regards the process of looking at new thinking in other disciplines as an expansive movement. Following this there is a tendency towards coming together and specificity. She calls for DMP to counteract the potential diffusion and/or appropriation of DMP in these processes by regular documentation of the profession and its new influences. She highlights the risks of linking DMP to a particular different modality of psychotherapy and what can happen if this other psychotherapy falls out of fashion in terms of perceived superiority by those funding DMP.
Our next two articles look at medical issues, namely migraine and tension headaches and chronic fatigue. Firstly, from Turkey, physiotherapists, Meral Sertel, Tülay Tarsuslu Şímşek and Eylem Tütün Yümin contribute an article entitled ‘The effects of body awareness therapy on pain and body image in patients with migraine and tension-type headache’. Their study had 28 participants in three groups who engaged in six weeks of Body Awareness Therapy (BAT). Sessions lasted for 60 minutes three times each week. BAT involved the participants taking different positions – lying down, sitting, standing and walking – and moving, breathing, voicing and massage. Their awareness was directed to what was experienced inside and outside. Therapeutic balls, foam rollers and wedges were also used to obtain increased perception of specific parts of the body. The study found that BAT decreased the pain experienced by the participants and increased body image. More studies are required in this area both because headaches are very common, and also because body awareness is a core aspect of DMP and BP with enormous potential.
Next we have one of this journal’s co-editors, Tom Warnecke, an experienced body psychotherapist from the UK, with an article of his personal reflections on chronic fatigue entitled ‘Chronic fatigue phenomena – somatic and relational perspectives’. He notes it aims to take stock and review phenomenological and empirical insights gained in psychotherapy and supervision practice in relationship to the available literature on chronic fatigue. He outlines, from experience, the characteristics and phenomena of this condition and the predisposing and precipitating factors. He explains how the autonomic nervous system and the sensory-motor system are involved and refers to correlational and concomitant presenting somatic experiences. In recovering from chronic fatigue essential coping strategies from the literature are identified which are in keeping with psychotherapeutic endeavours.
The conference report is from Nancy Eichhorn with Wade H. Cockburn from the U.S.A which discusses The United States Body Psychotherapy Association’s conference, which took place 20–23 July 2016 on the theme of ‘Sexuality, spirituality and the body: The art and science of somatic psychotherapy’.
Finally, there are three book reviews: the first is a review of ‘The art and science of dance/movement therapy: Life is dance, 2nd edition’ by Sally Arrey. The second review is on the well-known book ‘Intelligence in the Flesh: Why your mind needs your body much more than it thinks’ by Kelly Mullan, and lastly, there is a review of ‘Insides and outsides. Interdisciplinary perspectives on animate nature’ by Katalin Vermes.
Readers are reminded that the next European Association for Body Psychotherapy (EABP) conference will be in Berlin in September 2018. The chosen theme is ‘Body Psychotherapy and Challenges of Today, Alienation – Vitality – Flow’. This seems spot on, outward looking and attempting to get to the roots of common issues of our time. We look forward to seeing you there.
The forthcoming European Association for Dance Movement Therapy is holding its biannual conference in Athens, Greece on 5–7 October 2018, all are welcome.
Director, Cambridge Body Psychotherapy Centre
[email protected]
Helen Payne
Professor of Psychotherapy, University of Hertfordshire, UK
[email protected]