What Is Pesso Boyden Therapy? A Look at Its Role in Psychotherapy
Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor (PBSP) is a body-based therapeutic approach developed by dancer and therapist Albert Pesso and his wife Diane Boyden-Pesso in the 1960s. While rooted in psychotherapeutic goals and language, it has a unique structure that raises the question: Should it be classified as psychotherapy?
Understanding Pesso Boyden
PBSP is an experiential method that combines movement, emotional expression, and symbolic role-play to address unmet developmental needs. It focuses on creating new, imagined experiences—called “structures”—where the client is supported by role-played “ideal figures” (e.g. ideal parents or protectors).
Key Features
- Structures: Guided sessions where clients revisit emotionally significant memories, often from childhood.
- Ideal Figures: Role-players act out nurturing or protective roles the client may have lacked.
- Body Awareness: The client’s bodily sensations guide the process and are key to unlocking emotional content.
- Developmental Needs Framework: PBSP focuses on five essential needs: Place, Nurture, Support, Protection, and Limits.
Is PBSP Psychotherapy?
PBSP shares many characteristics with established psychotherapy models, including therapeutic alliance, emotional insight, and a goal of lasting change. However, it’s not universally classified as a standalone school of therapy.
Arguments for Classifying PBSP as Psychotherapy
- Therapeutic Intent: PBSP is designed to heal psychological and relational wounds.
- Professional Practice: It is often used by licensed psychotherapists or mental health professionals.
- Research Support: Emerging studies suggest PBSP is effective in treating trauma and attachment issues.
Cautions and Distinctions
- Theatrical Format: The use of role-play and scripted responses can seem less clinical to traditional practitioners.
- Training Variability: Not all PBSP facilitators are qualified psychotherapists.
- Limited Research Base: Compared to CBT or psychodynamic therapy, PBSP has less empirical validation.
A Useful Middle Ground: Psychotherapeutic Modality
Rather than viewing PBSP as a standalone therapy, many professionals describe it as a psychotherapeutic modality—a powerful method that can be integrated within broader clinical practice. It is particularly beneficial for clients with relational trauma, attachment disruptions, or embodied emotional processing needs.
Conclusion
PBSP provides a deeply embodied, imaginative, and relational approach to healing. Whether it is viewed as a therapy in itself or a therapeutic method within larger frameworks, its impact is significant for those seeking to repair early developmental wounds.
References
- Rieken, B., & van Dijk, M. (2021). Exploring the effects of the Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor Therapy on adults with relational trauma: A qualitative study. Journal of Humanistic Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00221678211010848
- Pesso, A., & Boyden-Pesso, D. (2003). Moving Psychotherapy: Theory and Application of the Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor. Brookline Books.