What Is Integrative Body Psychotherapy? 5 Benefits Of This Innovative Treatment

You may have a general idea of what “therapy” means to you, but the world of psychotherapy is vast, dynamic, and always growing. There are numerous forms of psychotherapy, including integrative body psychotherapy (IBP): a non-invasive therapeutic approach that treats the whole person by considering their mind, body, emotions, and spirit. 

A psychotherapist with training in IBP aims to integrate these elements and help their patients establish a strong sense of self, well-being, and constancy. Clients who pursue IBP may spend months and even years working with their therapist. Yet with time and dedication to the principles of IBP, these individuals can replace old, dysfunctional behavior patterns with healthier habits.

If you’re wondering whether IBP is right for you, read on. We’ll explore the definitions, history, and approach of IBP, plus five benefits of this treatment for patients of all backgrounds. 

What Is Integrative Body Psychotherapy (IBP)?

The United States Association for Body Psychotherapy (USABP) describes IBP as a “somatic” or physical psychotherapy, but IBP is equally oriented toward a client’s psychological, emotional, and spiritual concerns. Within the framework of IBP, a therapist views the body, mind, and spirit as integrated parts of a whole person.

As a form of somatic psychology, IBP recognizes a fundamental connection between the mind and body. IBP practitioners employ physical and mental treatments to release tension and holistically improve a person’s health.

In some literature, IBP is used interchangeably with body psychotherapy (BPT), which addresses a person’s psychological and bodily needs with equal consideration. While BPT and IBP can be used to describe the same treatment, IBP tends to place a greater emphasis on the integration of spiritual needs into therapy sessions. 

What Happens During An IBP Session? 

Like other forms of therapy, an IBP session typically begins with an initial consultation to assess the client’s history and goals. From there, the IBP therapist may use a variety of techniques and shift between talk therapy and “bodywork”, depending on the client’s needs. 

Bodywork techniques can take several forms but are often categorized as either “hard” or “soft”. “Hard” techniques include direct pressure on rigid muscles or connective tissue, facilitating the outward expression of a client’s emotions. “Soft” techniques incorporate light touch, sometimes without hand movement, that encourage a client to develop an inner awareness of their bodily feeling or “energy flow”.

While IBP is unique in its incorporation of physical techniques, not all sessions will include touch. IBP therapists are trained to ensure their clients feel safe, comfortable, and consent to all techniques used in the sessions. 

A Brief History Of IBP

IBP was developed by clinical psychologist Jack Lee Rosenberg in the late 1970s. Rosenberg created the model after working with various leading therapists of his time, including Jack Downing, founder of the Gestalt Institute of San Francisco, and Victoria Hamilton, an object relations therapist who assisted John Bowlby, the creator of attachment theory. 

When describing the history of IBP, psychologists often note the influence of other philosophies on Rosenberg’s conception of IBP. Rosenberg was also a yoga practitioner and studied Eastern philosophies that shaped his conception of the mind-body connection: a core tenet of IBP. 

Today, IBP practitioners refer to this history and develop personalized treatment plans that suit their clients’ unique needs, backgrounds, and goals. 

What Are The Benefits Of IBP?

Compared to other forms of therapy, IBP offers several unique benefits and opportunities for both therapist and clients. According to the official IBP website, this therapeutic model addresses three dimensions of human nature:

• The physical-energetic

• The psychological-emotional

• And the existential-spiritual.

IBP can lead to meaningful outcomes in all dimensions of a person’s life. If you resonate with any of the following five benefits, consider reaching out to a professional therapist for more information about IBP. 

1. Improved Physical Intimacy.

According to Rosenberg, there are several states of being human that cannot be experienced through the mind alone. These states include sexuality and sexual satisfaction, which can be addressed with the physical techniques used in IBP. 

Within the IBP framework, thoughts exist in the mind, while feelings and senses can only be known in the body. IBP never incorporates sexual touch but can enlighten clients to the feelings, senses, and emotions held in their bodies, indirectly benefiting their experience of physical intimacy. 

By viewing their bodies as emotional vessels, individuals can recognize and overcome any emotional challenges in their sex lives, while becoming more comfortable with physical touch.

2. Greater Trust. 

IBP can also help people develop a deeper sense of trust in themselves, their bodies, and in their relationships with other people. 

Trust plays a key role in physical intimacy, but can also reference trust in yourself and the strength of your interpersonal relationships. Several psychological studies highlight trust as a vital component of positive workplace outcomes, and trust is also linked to self-esteem, loneliness, and social connectedness. 

More research is needed to illustrate how IBP helps clients learn to trust themselves and others. However, some psychologists theorize that when clients feel more connected to their bodies, they enhance their self-awareness and “self-efficacy”, or their perceived ability to perform or achieve in a certain setting.

3. Stronger Sense Of Self.

As an integrative treatment, IBP aims to integrate all aspects of the human experience into a unified sense of self. 

Your “self” includes your thoughts, feelings, senses, and emotions. By developing a stronger sense of self, you become more aware of your identity, uniqueness, and direction in life. 

Some might describe their sense of self as an awareness of their inner voice. Through IBP, patients learn to notice and trust their internal voices, which can empower them to pursue healthy relationships, goals, and new life experiences.

4. Emotional Clarity. 

Some therapists with training in IBP view their therapeutic practice as a “way of living”: one that encourages an ongoing state of authenticity, calmness, and emotional clarity. 

You may hear the phrase “emotional clarity” in discussions of mental health or personal goals. But what does this concept actually mean, and how can IBP help clients gain a clearer understanding of their emotions? 

Generally speaking, emotional clarity refers to your ability to identify, distinguish, and describe specific emotions. Because IBP frames the human body as a vessel for emotions, this therapy can help people become more “in tune” with their bodies – and, in turn, their emotions and feelings. 

Depending on the therapist and client, the work of achieving emotional clarity can take various forms. However, this work may include breath exercises and specific bodily movements, with the goal of connecting clients to their bodies and emotions. 

Ideally, when individuals recognize this connection, they’re able to remain present and navigate the world with a clearer understanding of their emotional states and needs. 

5. Better Relationships. 

Anyone can try and benefit from IBP, but this therapy may be especially powerful for people in intimate relationships. 

IBP can help intimate partners address the overall status of their relationship bond, their individual patterns within the relationship, and concerns related to sexuality, betrayals, and shared losses including miscarriages and other painful events.

When used as a form of somatic couples therapy, IBP encourages couples to reflect on their attachment styles and how these styles may influence their intimate lives. IBP therapists may use mindfulness techniques, somatic (bodily) exercises, and touch-based interventions to help couples study their unconscious patterns and support their joint healing. 

Connect With A Therapist And Learn More About IBP 

You may have ample experience with talk therapy and want to explore a newer, more integrative approach, or perhaps you’re considering therapy for the first time. Regardless of where you find yourself, IBP can be an excellent option for people of all life stages and therapeutic backgrounds. 

While some people prefer in-person therapy sessions, more clients are using online therapy to work toward their mental health goals. Using a digital platform like MyTherapist, you can match to a directory of licensed therapists and choose who is best for you – not whoever is best for your commute. From there, you can schedule sessions via phone, video, or chat, depending on your preference and availability. Each therapist has at least three years of professional experience, and some have expertise in somatic therapy, IBP, and other unique approaches to talk therapy.

Several studies provide evidence for the effectiveness of Internet-based and “blended” therapeutic approaches, which combine digital and face-to-face formats. In a 2018 study of blended psychotherapy for depression, therapists advocated for the use of blended therapies in the routine care of depression, combining face-to-face sessions with internet-based interventions. Using a blended approach, therapists may find it easier to personalize clients’ treatments and assign “homework” or online modules to complement their therapy sessions. 

In this study, the online modules included techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy, but other online therapists may incorporate breathing exercises and related strategies used in IBP.

Takeaway

Integrative body psychotherapy (IBP) is a unique and promising branch of therapeutic treatment. Anyone can benefit from this innovative therapy, which frames the concept of “being human” as a four-pronged experience: encompassing the mind, body, emotions, and spirit.

If you’re interested in learning more about IBP and similar treatments, a licensed therapist can lead you in the right direction. Therapists understand the complexity of human experience, and they’re equipped to guide you with a reliable balance of expertise, compassion, and empathy.