A massage-based therapy that addresses both body and mind
Biodynamic Massage was first practised by Norwegian psychologist, psychotherapist and physiotherapist Gerda Boyesen in the 1960s. She discovered that when treating her patients, she heard corresponding gut sounds when patients experienced emotions.
This groundbreaking observation led to the development of a therapeutic approach that works with the body's own intelligence — listening to its signals rather than imposing change from the outside.
It is not unusual for us to repress our emotions for all sorts of reasons. We do this as an unconscious protective strategy from early childhood and throughout our lives. Perhaps we were told from an early age not to show emotion, to be seen and not heard.
The physical effect of repressing emotion or feelings can be felt in many ways in our bodies — through a sense that your breath is barely there, tensions felt in your muscles, or perhaps as a deep sense in your bones that isn't relieved through physical therapies. There may be a sense of sadness, anger or foreboding.
There may be an emotional trigger or memory which is preventing you from living your life in the way that you want to, which can be very gently brought to consciousness to try to understand and make sense of.
You may find that we work with one specific area of your body in a session, which may be brought to our attention through tracking your autonomic nervous system with a stethoscope, placed very gently and with your permission, just below your belly button or alternatively on your lower back.
There are no oils used in this therapeutic massage. My aim is to be in contact with you gently and in a non-invasive way, delivered with curiosity for what is happening for you now, so that you may find a sense of calm and a better understanding of yourself going forward.
This form of therapeutic massage may be helpful with digestive problems like IBS, insomnia, mild forms of anxiety and depression, as well as fatigue and a sense of overwhelm.
You may be feeling that you are not in touch with your emotions and struggle to identify them. Biodynamic massage can offer a gentle way to begin reconnecting with what your body is holding.
It's also for those times when something simply doesn't feel right — even in the absence of a clear diagnosis.
For more information about Biodynamic Massage, visit the Association of Biodynamic Massage Therapists (ABMT), the professional body with which I am registered.
Visit ABMT