CLIENT EXPERIENCE OF “CORE ENERGETICS” BODY PSYCHOTHERAPY A qualitative phenomenological study A EXPERIÊNCIA SUBJETIVA EM PSICOTERAPIA CORPORAL “CORE ENERGETICS” Um estudo fenomenológico qualitativo DIANA DINU 22466 Orientador de Dissertação: Prof. Doutor António José César de Almeida Gonzalez Coordenador de Seminário de Dissertação: Prof. Doutor António José César de Almeida Gonzalez Tese submetida como requisito parcial para a obtenção do grau de: MESTRE EM PSICOLOGIA Especialidade em Psicologia Clínica 2019 Dissertação de Mestrado realizada sob a orientação de Prof. Doutor António José César de Almeida Gonzalez, apresentada no ISPA- Instituto Universitário para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Psicologia Clínica. ii “Mens Sana in Corpore Sano” iii Acknowledgments I would like to express my deep gratitude and appreciation to Prof. Doutor António José César de Almeida Gonzalez for his valuable and constructive suggestions and moral support during the planning and development of this research work. His patient guidance, enthusiastic encouragement and disposition to give his time so generously has been very much appreciated. I would like to offer my special thanks to Anna Timmermans for her valuable and loving support during this process and especially for creating the connection with the participants who accepted to take part in this research. I am particularly grateful and I wish to acknowledge the systematic support provided by Gees Boseker. My grateful thanks are also extended to Aimee Falchuk and Lisa Loustaunau for generously sharing their work with me. I would like to thank the Institute of Core Energetics in the Netherlands, the Core Science Foundation for their assistance with the collection of my data and express my great appreciation to all participants to this study. I am particularly grateful for the assistance given by Peter Taylor has been of a great support in production of this paper. Lastly, I wish to extend my appreciation and gratitude to my parents, Core Energetic colleagues, Dispar theatre group and my close friends who accompanied me giving their support and encouragement throughout my study. iv Resumo O presente estudo tem como objetivo compreender e descrever uma experiência subjetiva de quatro clientes que optaram por psicoterapia Core Energetics, um modelo de psicoterapia corporal fundamentado na teoria da psicanálise baseada no trabalho do psicanalista Wilhelm Reich, seguidor de Sigmund Freud. O estudo pretende compreender a experiência do cliente durante o seu processo psicoterapêutico através de Core energetics, que usa o corpo como instrumento da análise de caráter individual, abordada em quatro etapas específicas, descritas no decorrer deste trabalho. O método aplicado enquadra-se na investigação qualitativa de natureza fenomenológica, no modelo fenomenológico de Giorgi adaptado à psicologia. A aplicação da metodologia segue o objetivo de alcançar uma estrutura final dos constituintes essenciais e invariáveis desta experiência subjetiva. A amostra é composta por participantes da experiência da Core Energetics no contexto da psicoterapia individual e em grupo. Os resultados vão ao encontro de vários temas semelhantes que emergiram em estudos prévios, relacionados à experiência do experiência de “usar o corpo em terapia e ter total liberdade de auto-expressão em um ambiente terapêutico e relacional confiável” que utiliza o “autoconfrontação para reforçar a responsabilidade pessoal”, mudando “a perspectiva da vitimização”. Outros temas emergentes acrescentaram novos “insights” relacionados à “mudança efetiva nos padrões disfuncionais cognitivos, emocionais e comportamentais”, levantar questões adicionais para estudos futuros sobre as possíveis implicações benéficas da experiência da Core Energetics. Palavras-chave: Core Energetics, pesquisa qualitativa fenomenológica em psicologia, psicoterapia corporal. v Abstract This study aims to understand and describe a subjective experience of four clients who chose to follow Core Energetics body psychotherapy, a model of body psychotherapy based on the theory of work-based psychoanalysis of psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich, follower of Sigmund Freud. The study aims to understand the client's experience during their psychotherapeutic process through Core energetics, which uses the body as an instrument of individual character analysis, approached in four specific steps, described throughout this work. The applied method fits into the qualitative research of phenomenological nature, in Giorgi's phenomenological model adapted to psychology. The application of the methodology follows the objective of reaching a final structure of the essential and invariable constituents of this subjective experience. The sample consists of participants from Core Energetics' experience in the context of individual and group psychotherapy. The findings are in line with several similar themes that have emerged from previous studies related to the “experience of using the body in therapy” and having complete “freedom of self-expression in a reliable therapeutic and relational environment” that utilizes “self- confrontation to reinforce personal responsibility”, changing the “perspective of victimization”. Other emerging themes have added new insights related to the "effective change in cognitive, emotional and behavioral dysfunctional patterns," raising additional questions for future studies on the possible beneficial implications of the Core Energetics experience. Keyword: Core Energetics, phenomenological research in psychology, body psychotherapy vi Contents Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................... iv Resumo ............................................................................................................................. v Abstract ............................................................................................................................ vi List of tables .................................................................................................................. viii List of figures ................................................................................................................ viii List of Annexes ................................................................................................................ ix Introduction .................................................................................................................... 10 Methodology ................................................................................................................... 12 Subjects & Sampling .................................................................................................. 13 Method & Instruments ................................................................................................ 14 Results ............................................................................................................................ 15 Discussion and Conclusions ........................................................................................... 26 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 30 ANNEXES ..................................................................................................................... 35 vii List of tables Table 1– Main categories of the Core Energetics experience .................................................... 16 Table 2 – 1.1 Subcategory of experience of therapy .................................................................. 17 Table 3 – 1.2 Subcategory of experience of therapy .................................................................. 18 Table 4 – 1.3 Subcategory of experience of therapy .................................................................. 19 Table 5 – 1.4 Subcategory of experience of therapy .................................................................. 19 Table 6 – 2.1/2.2 Subcategory of the changes experienced during the therapy ......................... 20 Table 7 – 2.3 Subcategory of the changes experienced during the therapy ............................... 21 Table 8 – 2.4 Subcategory of the changes experienced during the therapy ............................... 22 Table 9 – 3.1/3.2 Subcategory of the most impactful, important, life changing constituents .... 23 Table 10 – 3.3 Subcategory of the most impactful, important, life changing constituents ........ 23 Table 11 – 3.4 Subcategory of the most impactful, important, life changing constituents ....... 24 Table 12 - Delineating the units of the psychological meaning P1 .......................................... 113 Table 13 - Delineating the units of the psychological meaning P2 .......................................... 125 Table 14 - Delineating the units of the psychological meaning P3 .......................................... 136 Table 15 - Delineating the units of the psychological meaning P4 .......................................... 149 Table 16 - Empirical variations of the Essential constituents .................................................. 181 List of figures Figure 1 – The Structure of the Psychological Meanings .......................................................... 25 Figure 2 - Historical chart of Ego development, Lowen A., (1974)........................................... 37 Figure 3 - CE Map of personality by John Pierrakos ................................................................