Bioenergetic Self-Care for Therapists

Between Openness and Boundary Setting

Authors

  • Vita Heinrich-Clauer

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30820/0743-4804-2015-25-41

Abstract

In this paper I will present neurobiological findings on the somatic effects of resonance phenomena, empirical results on the respective occupational risks of therapists, and bioenergetic concepts and techniques regarding the subject of self-care. While I was thrilled to have described the phenomena of somatic resonance in the late 1990s and it’s potential for work with embodied countertransference in the therapeutic process, the discovery of mirror neurons a short time later validated these exciting phenomena on the neurobiological level. Since then I have also immersed myself on the flip side of empathy. We as resonating therapists are in danger of losing our own living vibration, possibly even becoming sick. Bioenergetic exercises can, with a correspondingly modified non-clinical focus, be very helpful for the self-care of therapists. The illustrations (cartoons) hopefully bring some humor to the presentation of this important and hitherto neglected topic.

Author Biography

Vita Heinrich-Clauer

Dr. Vita Heinrich-Clauer, Dipl. Psych., CBT, IIBA Faculty, psychotherapist, supervisor, author. Member of the IIBA since 1985, Board of Trustees IIBA from 2002 to 2008. Editor of the reader, Handbook Bioenergetic Analysis.
041-072 36078

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How to Cite

Heinrich-Clauer, V. (2015). Bioenergetic Self-Care for Therapists: Between Openness and Boundary Setting. Bioenergetic Analysis, 25(1), 41–72. https://doi.org/10.30820/0743-4804-2015-25-41

Issue

Vol. 25 No. 1 (2015)

Section

Articles

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This license allows private use and unmodified distribution, but prohibits editing and commercial use (further information can be found at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). The terms of the Creative Commons licence only apply to the original material. The reuse of material from other sources (marked with a reference) such as charts, illustrations, photos and text extracts may require further permission for use from the respective copyrights holder.