What is Biodynamics?
Biodynamics is a term used in two distinct but philosophically related bodywork traditions, both rooted in the principle that the body possesses an inherent capacity for self-regulation and healing. The term derives from bio (life) and dynamic (movement or force), reflecting a core belief in the natural flow of life energy through living systems.
In contemporary bodywork circles, biodynamics most commonly refers to Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST), a gentle, non-invasive form of bodywork that works with subtle rhythms in the craniosacral system. Less commonly, it refers to Biodynamic Psychology and Psychotherapy, a body-oriented psychotherapy developed by Norwegian psychologist Gerda Boyesen that integrates massage, emotional release, and verbal psychotherapy.
Both traditions share foundational assumptions: that trauma and stress become embedded in body tissues, that the digestive and nervous systems play central roles in emotional processing, and that therapeutic touch combined with deep presence can activate the body’s own healing mechanisms.
Origins & Lineage
Biodynamic Psychology was founded by Gerda Boyesen (1922-2005), a Norwegian clinical psychologist and physiotherapist. In 1947 she read a book by Wilhelm Reich and shortly thereafter began therapy with Ola Raknes, a vegetotherapist trained by Reich. She studied psychology at Oslo University in 1947 and was certified as a clinical psychologist in 1951, then went on to study physiotherapy. Her training with Aadel Bülow-Hansen in neuromuscular massage techniques became foundational to her later work.
Biodynamic Psychology was developed in the 1950s, and in 1969 Boyesen moved to London and opened a practice and later an international teaching and training institute. She was the first woman to create her own body psychotherapy method and the first to establish an independent school for body psychotherapy in Europe.
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy has different roots. The therapy has its roots in the discoveries made by osteopath Dr. William Garner Sutherland in the late 1800s, who developed an approach to osteopathy known as ‘the Cranial Concept’. In the early 1980s, Franklyn Sills introduced a novel approach to craniosacral therapy, termed biodynamic craniosacral therapy. Although its roots go back to the late 1800s, the current form was developed in the 1980s.
How It’s Practiced
In Biodynamic Psychology, the practitioner incorporates a range of methods including biodynamic massage and bodywork, vegetotherapy, ‘deep-draining’ and work with the bio-field in order to systematically unravel muscle tension and restore full breath. A distinctive feature is the use of psychoperistalsis—Boyesen discovered that the gut has an additional function, not only to digest food, but also stress, life experiences, emotional and psychological events, which she named ‘psycho-peristalsis’. She was often called ‘the lady with the stethoscope’ as she used the stethoscope to get a clearer impression of the bowel noises of her clients.
Sessions combine verbal psychotherapy with specialized massage techniques. Methods include harmonisation, basic touch, emergency treatment, pulsatory touch, periost massage, energy distribution, emptying, deep-draining and work on the aura and bio-field.
In Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, the practice is an interactive process of embodied connection, with the main tool being non-doing, relational touch, informed by meditative awareness. Biodynamic touch is light and reverential, with never any pressure, manipulation or force. The therapist typically looks for and encourages the forces of health to set the priorities of the session and to bring about natural adjustments from within the body’s own resources.
Clients lie fully clothed on a massage table. Therapists practicing the biodynamic style might contact anywhere on the body, not just the head and sacrum. Biodynamic craniosacral therapists do not make any adjustments; they simply make hand contacts and observe what happens in the body.
Biodynamics Today
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy has become the more widely known modality in contemporary bodywork communities. Practitioner trainings are now available in many countries across the world and in 2006 the International Affiliation of Biodynamic Trainings (IABT) was created to define standards and the term Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST) was coined.
Biodynamic Psychology continues to be taught primarily through specialized institutes. Training is offered at institutions like the Institute of Biodynamic Medicine, where practitioners have trained hundreds of students over 40 years in the UK, Ireland, mainland Europe and the USA.
Both modalities are used for stress reduction, trauma recovery, chronic pain, anxiety, and psychosomatic conditions. BCST is increasingly incorporated into integrative healthcare settings, while Biodynamic Psychology remains primarily in private practice and psychotherapy contexts.
Common Misconceptions
Biodynamics is not energy healing in the mystical sense. While both traditions work with subtle body sensations and use terms like “life force,” contemporary biodynamics is trauma-aware bodywork informed by neuroscience and pain research, avoiding complex esoteric anatomy.
The two biodynamic traditions are not the same. Gerda Boyesen’s Biodynamic Psychology (1950s-60s) and Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (1980s) developed independently, though both use the term “biodynamic” to describe the body’s self-regulating capacities. When scheduling sessions, clarify which modality is being offered.
It is not the same as biodynamic agriculture. Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamic farming method, also called biodynamics, is an entirely separate tradition with no connection to these bodywork practices.
Touch is not manipulative. Traditional craniosacral therapists try to influence the body to realign itself, while biodynamic craniosacral therapists try to create an environment in which the body finds its own way to health. The practitioner does not “fix” or adjust; they facilitate the body’s own reorganization.
How to Begin
For Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, seek practitioners certified through recognized training programs affiliated with the International Affiliation of Biodynamic Trainings or similar bodies. Expect sessions of 45-90 minutes, often in series. The work is gentle enough for all ages and conditions, though contraindications include recent concussion, aneurysm, or acute brain swelling.
For Biodynamic Psychology, look for practitioners trained at institutions connected to Gerda Boyesen’s lineage, such as the Institute of Biodynamic Medicine or European schools. Sessions typically combine verbal therapy with bodywork and may last 60-90 minutes.
Both modalities emphasize the therapeutic relationship and require time to unfold. Initial consultations assess whether the approach suits your needs. Those seeking primarily physical relief may prefer BCST; those wanting integrated psychotherapy and bodywork may gravitate toward Biodynamic Psychology.