Association News

You are invited to read your review of the USABP's 2016 conference on Sexuality, Spirituality and the Body, as published in the International Body Psychotherapy Journal

In 2014, the EABP Science & Research Committee (SRC) established a set of simple ‘Guidelines' for BP/SP Case Studies. We are now engaged in collecting a number of possible contributions for a soon-to-be published book on “Body Psychotherapy Case Studies” (at end 2017 / early 2018). This is part of the SRC remit to help to try and establish a reasonably good ‘scientific’ basis for Body Psychotherapy; and to increase awareness of different types of valid research - case studies being one of these; and to increase awareness of different ways of working in the field of Body Psychotherapy / Somatic Psychology; and we are intending to use some of the ‘project’ money in our SRC budget for this purpose. We would like to invite you to help us in this project. We hope that a reasonable percentage of you will respond.

We recently read a fascinating article in The National Geographic,January 1, 2019 highlighting what they called a "pioneering music project". A research team at the University Hospital in Geneva, Switzerland, working with premature babies, adapted special headphones and three specific songs for the babies to hear.

Can you truly present a picture of a person, on a page, when the dimensionality of the being moves beyond the here and now, expands beyond the human container of skin and bones into the expanse of all cellular energy, where dualities shape the singular organism? No, not really, but one can share snapshots of a woman who has contributed much to the field of body psychotherapy, who has had an impact on many therapists’ lives and on countless clients’ lives. From dancer to sitter, from mother to teacher, from self to other, Judyth O. Weaver brings her essence into this life in wondrous ways.

SPT Magazine offers our congratulations to Hiroki Yamaji, the 2018 winner of the Alice Ladas Research Award. His study was titled: An Efficacy Study of Somatic Psychoeducation at a Japanese University. Hiroki addressed the question of whether an 8-week somatic psychoeducation course for college students could result in students developing somatic awareness and trust in the organism, and enhance integral functioning that included general mindfulness, stress resilience, interpersonal empathy, responsibility for self-care, and generic skills.

The United States Association for Body Psychotherapy announced their Fall Somatic Psychology Conference at Kripalu Institute. Open to mental-health professionals, yoga teachers, bodyworkers, and everyone who wants to experience the psychology of their bodies. Participants will learn about Hakomi, Embodied Couples Therapy, Rubenfeld Synergy and Focusing in this week long symposium.

APPPAH is proud to announce a collaboration with In Utero filmmakers, Kathleen and Stephen Gyllenhaal, and Kindred Media and Community to create a powerful and practical In Utero Film Discussion and Resource Guide. (It's a large file so be patient!)

It is with great pleasure I wish to introduce myself to you, as the new incoming President of the United States Association for Body Psychotherapy (USABP). The association has continued to serve our profession for over two decades by providing a hub for all somatic psychology. As the new board transitions this year into the administration we hope to continue to champion our mission to help advance the art, science, and practice of body psychotherapy and somatic psychology.

What is it in us that makes it possible for us to heal based on our faith in a positive outcome? Join LifeSherpa, a nonprofit whose mission is to explore mindfulness as engagement with everyday life, as participants share their experiences. Many of the people who participate in LifeSherpa/s explorations are body-oriented psychotherapists.

ome years back, when Dr. Porges was talking with the director of the National Institutes of Health, he boldly told the director that “We know too much to allow medicine to be practice the way it is.” Porges elaborated that “We know too much about the body to allow treatment to continue as is - without an appreciation of bodily states and how shifts in neurophysiological states influence the effectiveness of medical treatments. Current knowledge of the body needs to be infused into both clinical practice and how we live our lives." “I guess that statement defines me as a pioneer,” he said.