Abstract
This article explores the factors affecting how practitioners of biodynamic psychotherapy, body psychotherapy and biodynamic massage understand and interpret peristaltic gut sounds – what psychotherapist Gerda Boyesen referred to as ‘psycho-peristalsis’. I present a thematic analysis of 15 semi-structured interviews, identifying 3 themes: ‘Practitioner background’, ‘Understanding peristalsis’ and ‘Peristalsis in practice’. Practitioners drew upon diverse past experiences, yet reached similar perceptions of mind-body connectivity. Practitioners made use of scientific and psychotherapeutic theory when understanding peristalsis, but found experiential learning and intuition more significant. Finally, practitioners used peristalsis clinically for self-use, building client narratives, practical guidance, evoking images to guide treatment and representing physical and emotional processing. This article shows how the biodynamic bodymind ontology shapes clinical reasoning and the epistemology of peristalsis, advancing understanding and clinical practice to the benefit of clients and therapists.
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