How is Core Energetics different from other therapies?
Core Energetics, a Neo-Reichian approach and an offshoot of Bioenergetic Therapy, is a body, mind and spirit centered psychotherapy. It is based on the premise that a person’s emotional history – past and present – is stored not only in memory, but also in the body. These “body memories” are often the result of trauma and they in turn cause energy blockages in the physical self. These energy “knots” are hard to access using only traditional “talk” therapy. Using Core Energetic techniques, deep-seated emotional blocks in the physical body are released. The movement or energy and the awareness of consciousness are actively incorporated into sessions to accelerate a person’s healing process.
How is Core Energetics different from other bodywork methods (Bioenergetics, Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais Method, etc.)?
Core Energetics was created by the co-founder of Bioenergetics when Dr. John Pierrakos joined body psychotherapy techniques with the philosophy of The Pathwork which is a body of practical spiritual wisdom that lays out a step-by-step journey into personal transformation and wholeness (www.thepathwork.org). The psychological basis of Core Energetics focuses on a person’s Higher Self, Lower Self and Masks. Core Energetics asks a person to identify, unmask and penetrate their Masks, develop the courage to expose their Lower Selves and to truly believe in their own Higher Selves.
How did Core Energetics originate?
John Pierrakos and Alexander Lowen originated Bioenergetics Therapy after studying with Wilhelm Reich. In 1974, Dr. Pierrakos disbanded from Bioenergetics and created Core Energetics, joining the spiritual and psychological teachings of The Pathwork with somatic body oriented bioenergetic techniques to create an evolutionary personal transformation program.
How Does Core Energetics help people who battle with anxiety?
Anxiety is usually generated by our thoughts but is experienced in our bodies. Core Energetic Techniques work to down regulate the body out of “survival mode” or high alert reactions by grounding and breathing. Clients can learn and utilize these techniques in every aspect of their lives.
How does Core Energetics help people who suffer from depression?
Depression can be genetic and chronic. It can also be brought on by life’s circumstances. When a person is suffering from a Major Depressive episode, psychiatric medical attention is necessary. But with chronic and circumstantial depression, psychotherapy is often recommended even before using medication. In Core Energetics, we believe that depression is lodged in the body and fed by a person’s historical negative beliefs. Core Energetic movement and expressive release work along with direct consciousness raising breaks through hopelessness and re-charges their depressed nervous system returning them to their own vibrant life force.
How does Core Energetics approach people who have Trauma history?
Trauma is an extreme emotional and physical reaction to a life circumstance. Most human beings freeze traumatic reactions in their bodies in order to live through the trauma. Although this compensatory behavior is necessary during the traumatic experience, the left over emotions (shock, fear, anger, sadness etc) are held in the body and can dramatically block a person’s life flow. Core Energetics offers many techniques and methods to help a person get to the bottom of their trauma and liberate themselves from their misery.
How will a Core Energetics workshop help me?
People can experience Core Energetics through individual therapy, couples work, group process and workshops and intensives. When people participate in a Core Energetic group setting, the accumulation of the group’s energy generates an emotional and spiritual container that enables a person to find their courage and move through their “issues” in an accelerated fashion.
Why do you call Core Energetics an Evolutionary Somatic therapy?
Core Energetics is a self-transformational program that addresses a person’s body, mind, emotions, will and spirit. A person’s energy is assessed in regards to how their life force flows and what blocks that flow. Core Energetic techniques include a great variety of breath work and ways to ground. Emotional expressive work is joined with continuous focus on a person’s consciousness. One is guided to find and accept the connections to one’s present suffering and their past experiences and beliefs. In Core Energetics, a person is urged to bring to consciousness their own resistance to self-responsibility. All of this is combined with direct intentions to connect and be supported by Spirit – respecting whatever that means to the individual.
Does Core Energetics help psychosomatic illnesses?
Let us use the example of anger and back pain. There has been much research done regarding how the identification and release of embedded anger consequently releases the back tension (John E. Sarno – The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain). Emotions that have not been processed can often lodge themselves in a person’s body (eg. pain in the neck). Core Energetics has many techniques that not only bring our emotional distortions to consciousness but actually help a person physically begin to release the emotions that are making one sick.
How does CE help with dealing with relationships?
Since the only person we can really change is ourselves, Core Energetics helps a person become more honest with themselves using emotionally expressive techniques. Most people have difficulty with relationships because they are unconsciously imposing their own distortions and expectations on to the people they interact with. In Core Energetics, we ask one to expose and admit to themselves how their will, reason or emotions rules their interactions with others. An off shoot of Core Energetics called the Exceptional marriage approach (www.exceptionalmarriage.com) uses embodied Core Energetic techniques to help couples when they struggle in relationship.
How does Core Energetics work with sexual issues?
Core Energetics sees the human as a whole. The sexual life of a person (whether it is active and /or whether it is directed towards ones creativity) – has the right to express itself with energy and fulfillment as does all the parts of a person’s life. Core Energetics clients have discovered that once they begin to release past emotional misbeliefs such as “I cannot feel pleasure” and feel and understand emotionally and physically WHAT their resistance to pleasure is – there is often an openness to all of life including their sexual life. On the other hand, the withholding of sexual and creative energy from another or ones self is also caught in the wounding of the past and work with ones numbness or anger and protection around sexual issues is addressed. Many Core Energetics techniques enable a person give expression and energy to their repressed sexual selves.