Psychodynamic Foundations of Bioenergetic Analysis (2 Volume Set)

Psychodynamic Foundations of Bioenergetic Analysis, volumes one and two, explores bioenergetic analysis, developed by Alexander Lowen on the foundation of psychoanalytic drive theory, draws on Wilhelm Reich's groundbreaking discovery of the functional unity of physical and mental defense processes.

Volume one, Weaving Insight with Intensity through Body-Psychotherapy examines how the intensity of body-psychotherapeutic processes can be integrated into a coherent therapeutic framework with the help of psychodynamic insights. Key topics such as self-regulation, self-actualization and character analysis are re-examined from historical, theoretical and practical perspectives and incorporated into innovative approaches for both individual and group body-psychotherapy. Additionally, the challenges of working with specific client groups are described in practical terms, using the examples of children, adolescents and clients with complex post-traumatic stress disorders. Volume two, Responses from Body-Psychotherapy to the Uncertainty of Our Times, explores how Alexander Lowen's concept of a grounded self can be cultivated despite the increasing uncertainty caused by rapid political and social changes. The book offers answers to postmodern questions arising from the spread of Bioenergetic Analysis in non-Western societies, changes in the disease spectrum, new insights into the development of gender identities and the revolutionary spread of artificial intelligence. The authors show how the postmodern development toward individual self-construction, which has emerged through the increasing virtualization of life or new sociocultural constructions of femininity, can engage in a productive dialogue with the idea of a grounded self.

This two-volume set is intended for body-psychotherapists and psychodynamically-oriented students or psychotherapists who want to integrate the body more fully into their work. Readers interested in holistic healing approaches will find a comprehensive overview of the diverse European perspectives on Bioenergetic Analysis, supported by case studies, figures, study cards and multiple-choice questions.