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The Status of Primal/Regressive Therapies in Germany

by Reinhold W. Rausch

Translation by Jacqui Marsden

Transcription of a presentation at the IPA Summer Convnetion, 2005


Greating/Introductions

Dear IPA and Primallers

I am grateful for the opportunity to be here with you today, and will tell you about my experiences and impressions of PT in Germany.
Firstly, I would like to express my appreciation and thanks for both the invitation and the scholarship to attend this IPA convention. This same gratitude is shared by the GIPT, the Gesellschaft für Integrative Primär Therapie, that is the ‘Association for Integrative Primal Therapy’, http://www.integrative-primaertherapie.de.

You have kindly made it possible for me to be here this week. All the members of the GIPT are following the developments between the IPA and the GIPT with great interest.

I took part in the Spring meeting of the GIPT in Berlin this year, where I was brought up-to-date with current affairs.

In preparation for this week I met with IPA members Dr Heide Druecke (history of the GIPT), Mrs. Anita Timpe (primal training) as well as with IPA member Mrs. Gaby Luft (networking and book project). I also met with a few other German primal therapists on the phone.

Dr Druecke, who used to be the president of the GIPT, expressed her regret at not having been able to attend last years convention. She is very pleased that the IPA remains interested in an informal exchange and co-operation with the GIPT. She has asked me to send all of you, including Sam Turton, her warm regards.

I intend to report back to the GIPT in Heidelberg in November.

Please tell me if this talk is too much for you. One of my so far not quite unresolved early pain is being “too much”. If this is in fact the case here, I shall thank you for the trigger, but may need to interrupt my talk and do matwork.

Personal Background

I became involved with primal therapy in 1999. By then I had gathered some experience with other groups and body therapies like encounter and bioenergetics. Unfortunately I had not, however, been able to rid myself of my depression, addictions and was blocked with my creative energy. I was fortunate to be living in a city (Heidelberg) which offered PT.

I began visiting Dr Druecke’s primal weekend workshops, where those who were interested in primal work could familiarise themselves with the setting and methods of PT. I also took part in her twice yearly residential group Intensives. These lasted for 3 weeks at a time, and were characterised by an absence of distractions and daily groups who met in padded, darkened rooms.

I continued with the work I had begun there in weekly group meetings for about 6 months. In those days I did a lot of anger work, but was unsure whether I was really primalling or whether I had become stuck in Abreaction. I also had the desire to work with a man and subsequently attended a mini-Intensive and some weekend workshops with a primal therapist called Max Luft.

At that time I had read virtually nothing about PT apart from Janov’s ‘Primal Scream’, which had been widely available in Germany as a paperback since 1972.

I had always been intuitively convinced of PT as a method. At the same time I felt a little suspicious of the quality of my experiences, in the context of what was on offer at the time. I also had misgivings about my own inability to express anything other than my anger and rage.

It was, therefore, a personal breakthrough to discover and absorb the new English literature about PT. Initially this occurred by contacting other primallers by e-mail, something I had not succeeded in doing in my home town of Heidelberg. The result of this encouragement was that I did not give up on myself.

It was here that I found the information and support which confirmed that my own dissatisfaction with 2 different primal therapists was not only due to my own defenses and dissociation.

Initially the language was difficult. I read the PPP, Sam’s website and Art and Pauls’ books, then I translated parts of them, as well as some articles. Eventually I offered to share some of my discoveries with the GIPT. My desire was to disseminate this unknown material to those who might be interested in it.

During the Autumn of 2003 I presented a seminar to the GIPT about the most important English websites, Paul’s book and the PSG e-mail group http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Primal-Support-Group/. The response was one of astonishment and positive interest. Until then the resource of the English-speaking internet, as a meeting point for feeling people, had remained unknown. This proved to be the beginning of a wonderful personal journey which has led to my standing in front of you today!

The GIPT

The GIPT was founded in 1985 by a group of doctors, psychologists and healing practitioners who all shared a primal therapeutic orientation. At present there are about 20 members, after a maximum of about 40 members a decade ago. The GIPT will only accept past clients as members who can prove that they have undertaken serious PT training. So far the association is not open to lay-people or clients. The GIPT- plenum meets twice a year for one and a half days.

The purpose of these meetings is to exchange experiences, discuss books, hold supervision groups, plan publicity work, including internet presence, and attend to internal organisation. Protocols are created and distributed to all members.

All the members of the GIPT come from what was previously known as West Germany. As far as I know, there is only one primal/regressive therapist in what was previously known as East Germany, namely a Dr Hans-Joachim Maaz.

The percentage of affiliated primal therapists in Germany is approximately 30-40%, which means that, apart from the 20 odd GIPT affiliated PT’s there are about 30-40 known others who practice independently. Some also work within the Osho communities which still exist in several places in Germany.

Quite apart from whether these therapists are affiliated or not, they integrate PT with other methods like breath and body work. Also systemic methods, transpersonal and shamanism approaches are being offered in conjunction with PT. Some of these therapists have their own homepages which communicate their specific approaches to and applications of PT. For not precisely known reasons, the interest to join themselves together into an organisation remains low.

I approached various of these PT’s as part of my research by initially leaving messages on their answer phones. Some answered my call, some did not. When we spoke, the interest of some of them seemed to wane as they discovered that I was not enquiring about personal therapy. Others were pleased to share some of their 30 years of primal experience.

The 20 year old GIPT is an association of therapists who base their work on Janov. Their aim, however, is to develop the work further by integrating his approach with others, for example:

  • systemic family therapy/family systems
  • pre- and perinatal psychology
  • the psychology of trauma
  • transpersonal psychology and spiritual aspects.

The stated visions of the GIPT include:

  • an exchange of experiences by members
  • training and continuous professional development
  • organisation and implementation of supervision
  • research in the area of integrative PT
  • the production of brochures and publications
  • a database of therapists for referrals

Let me draw your attention now to a highlight in the history of this registered association.

In 1994 the association managed to invite Arthur Janov to Heidelberg for a weekend workshop, which was well received. As a result of this many therapists joined the GIPT, which then experienced a considerable boom.

An important outcome of this workshop was the fact that Janov agreed to arrange a training course for interested and experienced therapists. This course was 4 weeks long, was then offered in LA. 10 German therapists took part in this course, including IPA member Gaby Luft.

It remains unclear why the upsurge of interest was unable to be maintained.
Some answers that I have received in this regard include the following:

  • the general tendency of people to keep their primal experiences to themselves
  • the lack of primally oriented publications in Germany
  • the split which formed in the GIPT after Janov’s visit:

This division might be called the ‘orthodox’ vs. the ‘integrative’ conflict. Unfortunately it could not even be resolved by mat work. On the one hand you had those who subscribed to Janov’s neutral, scientific and partly even confrontational style. On the other were those who, depending on personal preference, wanted to include other approaches in their work. Such as other humanistic methods as well as eastern, shaman and or spiritual techniques.

As a result of this split about half of the GIPT left. This division was perceived to be traumatic to the organisation, and has resulted in the present emphasis on consolidation, avoidance of conflict and on group cohesion.

The impression I have received as a relative newcomer to this group, is that decisions about change are taken slowly. There is a reluctance to embrace new ideas as well as an almost complacent passivity.

It appears as though under the German primal therapists even today traces of the above conflict, orthodox vs integrative, remain. I spoke to an unaffiliated primal therapist about his reluctance to join the GIPT. He claimed that his reserve was due to their openness to transpersonal and spiritual perspectives.

Another aspect to all this is possibly also a generational one. The founders of the GIPT have been working for this organisation for 2 decades and do not want to see an erosion of their values. This includes a dedication to maintaining high standards in both their therapy and training. At the same time, their interest in my visit here proves that the GIPT is in fact open to future developments.

During recent GIPT meetings the following 2 points were emphasised:

  • the upgrading of their internet presence
  • and agreeing on the form and content of their certified primal training

Allow me to inform you about the training that they offer.

Certified GIPT Training

Since 1979 the GIPT have trained about a hundred people as PT’s. Their training included a 3 year group process. The GIPT estimates that approximately half of these graduates have gone on to practice as therapists who have used this primal orientation in their work. Exact records of numbers/data/addresses have not been kept. Some clients did the training to inform their own process and then chose not to work as therapists.

The current training group is led by 4 experienced GIPT members. The course length has been increased to 4 years and includes 76 days in the group.

50% of this time is dedicated to mat work. According to the detailed curriculum brochure, subjects covered during the rest of the time include for example:

  • process
  • body work
  • resistance and defense
  • transference and counter-transference
  • history-taking and contracts
  • genograms
  • questioning techniques
  • family constellation/systems
  • supervision
  • crisis intervention
  • case-studies
  • realising autonomy

These training- details of were agreed on in a GIPT- plenary meeting. It is necessary to complete a dissertation and an exam in order to receive the GIPT certificate. 7 people are currently taking part in the course which began this year.

The course is designed for people in the social and medical professions who have had no previous experience of primal processes. One of the reasons for the length of the course is the conviction, that safe practice as a PT depends upon having done sufficient work on oneself. Another reason for the length of the course is of coarse its integrative orientation.

The openness to other methods is partly due to the orientation of the present trainers, 2 men and 2 women, whose main emphases are on body work (after M. Brown) and family constellations/systems (after B. Hellinger).

I am sure that you, dear IPA- primallers, are very familiar with the relationship beween primalling and body work. I would, however, like to go into a little more detail about the systemic family constellation work at this point.

Primal and other Methods

When speaking with Mrs Beecken, a PT trainer who integrates PT and family constellations, the following was noted. Occasionally protracted and repeated primals do not seem to resolve certain emotional complexes. Her experience has proven to her that the use of family constellations can be useful to determine whether one might in fact be dealing with an issue that spans over generations.

She gave the example from her practice where a client was repeatedly trying to resolve her feelings in relation to sexual abuse: her fear remained unchanged. It was then discovered, almost by accident, that the client’s mother had been a victim of rape. After using some family constellation ritual work the client was finally able to release these feelings of fear which she had not been able to do with mat work alone.

I find this example interesting for many reasons. Let me enlarge a little. If one currently asks German PT’s about their case loads, one discovers that some of them do not have enough clients.

One reason for this most probably is the increasing demand for systemic family work. The German psycho-market is characterised by hundreds of family systems courses, and these soon become fully booked. In this context it is interesting to note that the inventor of family systems in Germany, a man called Bert Hellinger, was himself an early client of Janov’s.

After his time in LA Hellinger worked in Germany as PT before becoming the internationally celebrated representative of his so-called ‘family systems brief therapy’. He also withdrew from PT and became in a way its opponent. Instead of facing, feeling and expressing the old pain in cathartic reliving and with the possible outcome of reconciliation, his therapeutic work concentrates on reconciliation by means of, e. g., ritual submission gestures.

Perhaps some rather complacent PT’s should perceive this unfortunate polarisation rather as a challenge as a threat. Such a perception could provide the impetus to communicate with those who hold different views and approaches.

These kinds of discussions could prove to be enormously productive as well as keep the channels of communication open. Dialogue would also create a sense of belonging to the wider therapeutic community and give an occasion to inform the general debate about primal.

In fact, this is precisely what Janov’s new book, ‘Grand Delusions’, is achieving right now. This book, recently published on the internet, is in fact provoking valuable dialogue with other schools, in spite of his usual slightly confrontational style.

It would appear as though Jim Pullaro is doing something similar. In preparation for this convention I asked him whether he could see points of contact between the IPA and the GIPT. He drew my attention to recently published trauma research and pointed out the similarities between the core truths of trauma work and PT. He wondered whether these similarities had been recognised by the German PT’s, and whether they might develop this common ground.

The academic psychology of trauma and the GIPT’s approach to PT currently have few points of contact for discussion. Trauma therapy in Germany presently comprises mainly EMDR and/or Peter Levine’s approach. It might also include some of van der Kolk’s earlier work (‘96 – 2000) which has been translated into German. His more recent work, which appears to be more open to regressive approaches, has not been translated yet, and therefore remains relatively unknown under German PT’s.

Yet there is, as far as I can see, more common ground between trauma and primal, than is actively used for discussion and debate, let me mention as one example the screen- technique of assisted and gradual approach of trauma reliving described by U. Sachsse.

It is my impression that the internalised early marginalisation of PT has led to a reluctance to participate in professional and open discourse on the side of the PT’s.

In the meantime the subjects of trauma, PTSD and trauma resolution have become more topical in our newspapers. Recent acts of terror and aggression, as well as accidents, are ensuring that the whole subject of trauma is increasingly moving into public awareness. Various universities now provide so-called trauma ambulances which are specifically geared to working with trauma victims.

According to Petry’s work (see below) the same natural and self-healing function of spontaneous, supported reliving of traumatic events still holds as true as ever. This applies to the healing of acute as well as chronic trauma and neurosis. Surely this similarity provides a concrete opportunity for PT to step out of its shadowy existence!

Publications on primal

The general German publications of PT, whether in original form, or in printed translations from English, have remained virtually zero for the last 10 years. One original publication from 2002 is Klaus Bieback’s “Mitten im Schlamassel” a primal travel diary. Another important publication about deep regressive work is from 1995, “Von der Wahrheit die frei macht“, by Wolfgang H. Hollweg.

Some translations into German have appeared, for example various articles, Art Janov’s “Biology of Love” and “Why you get sick...” and Paul’s book “Help Me...”. Unfortunately these have only been published on the internet, so there are no printed books that can be found on bookshelves. The GIPT therapists regard this as a real deficit, and this predicament also seriously reduces the demand for PT.

This does not demean the importance of internet-based publications of German primal literature. On the contrary: without the engagement of people like John Speyrer, Sieglinde Alexander, Ferdinand Wagner (private Janov translations) and Olf Dorlach (www.utopie1.de) almost no German texts about PT would be publicly available.

It is there also possible to download all of Janov’s books – this has been allowed by his German publishers. One may also be lucky enough to obtain some of his older books by the antiquarian route, or by finding old library copies.

This is obviously a real gap, particularly when other similar therapies which are being offered in this vacuum do not even mention Janov’s name or acknowledge the original tenets of PT.

Spontaneous Supported Reliving, according to S. Petry

PT rests on the natural and healing potential of reliving trauma. Many people have discovered this quite independently of Janov. However, no one else has researched this method as meticulously as Janov, or made it as well-known.

My brief view of the primal scene in Germany would be incomplete without mentioning Siegfried Petry. His book “Stop making such a fuss”, published in 1992, includes a case study of a client reliving sadism and sexual abuse. In his second book, “Experiential Memory and Posttraumatic Disturbances”, published in 1996, Petry describes his experience and theories such as / regarding:

  • the difference between experiential (trauma) memory and cognitive memory
  • the characteristics of experiential memory, including pre- and perinatal, as well as somatic, memory
  • the prevalence of this in the animal kingdom – see Pavlov and Skinner
  • the concept of eradicating ‘scripts’ through reliving
  • the use of his method to resolve various kinds of trauma

After I read the above book, which received not much attention when published, I realized that the therapeutic work described rested on the same natural potential as in primalling, that is, self- healing through complete reliving. He describes specific qualities of what he calls experiential memory in contrast to cognitive memory and remains convinced of the self-healing properties of reliving traumatic memories.

Petry was a High School professor in Mathematics and Physics before he developed his method of supported reliving via educational groups and Gestalt. He is particularly open to the involvement of lay people, whom he encourages to engage with the process as attentive, silent witnesses. Contrary to the professionally educated therapists, like those in the GIPT, Petry himself is not trained therapeutically. He believes that the natural process of reliving trauma can be well supported by a silent, attentive sitter who makes very few cognitive interventions.

Petry offers training groups which specifically utilise his methods, and which are open to both lay people and professionals. They consist of 12 one- and a half-day sessions during which one familiarises oneself with his methods. 3 such training groups of 12 participants, led by him, currently exist, and I am taking part in one of them.

After this training workshops, and also undertaking further work on oneself in self- organised peer groups, one is equipped to utilise his methods in one’s own practice, or to work as a ‘reliving supporter’. Petry emphasizes that a prerequisite for working as a future therapist is to sufficiently have resolved one’s own trauma.

The work is done lying down, in an undefended position, with closed eyes, but the rooms are not darkened or padded. The reliving, according to Petry’s and my own experiences, begins quite spontaneously under these conditions. As the natural sequence unfolds, other techniques (such as building congruencies, intensification and holotropic breath work) are seldom used. This is a safe if not slow process and everybody is considered to be capable of working in this manner.

As in other PT methods, a relationship between the therapist and the client is not particularly encouraged. As far as I know, the important concept of 'housekeeping' is unknown among most PT’s in Germany as in Petry’s work. This sign of absence of willingness to engage in relationship alienates me.

An aspect of this spontaneous, supported reliving is the repetition of a traumatic experience in one and the same session. In the case of well boundaried, not too severe and not too early memories of, for example, accidents, fires, or violent incidents one can demonstrate how 5-7 reliving cycles can empty them of their initially increasing, and then decreasing emotional content. As Petry’s concept of trauma is a wide one, his work certainly equates with PT.

The reliving must be as complete and intense as possible. It is important to be aware of the exact point at which repressed feelings will change and find expression. In order to avoid defensive and comforting behaviours he discourages speaking as well as physical movements, occasionally by gentle restraint.

It is interesting to note that my attempts to point out, discuss and compare the obvious similarities to Janov’s methods are not met with much interest. The prejudices of many other therapists, based on the assumption that PT is no more than an acting-out and abreacting, instead of reliving, seem difficult to shift. I have met many PT’s who seem reluctant to compare notes or welcome discussion.

Another significant shortcoming of his method is the fact, that anger work is actively discredited. The argument for this is, that anger often is used to avoid the feelings of pain and despair which sometimes hide behind the anger. I personally experienced this as not trusting my process and its own pace but as an attempt to push me, however gently by “suggestion” or even forceful by holding my physically, when I was about to hit the mat. From my previous primal experiences I know how much it helped me to come closer to my power and to my true self when I finally began to get the anger out which has been stuffed within and inside me.

Summary and Future Prospects

When I summarise my impressions about PT as one of the many therapies that are offered in Germany it is as though I see a colourful meadow with many different flowers in front of me. Those who are really looking for it may find the rare and tough herb of PT. It is a plant that unfortunately has learned to exist without much contact with its fellows. The fact that some may regard it as a poisonous plant does not seem to bother it much. The typical answer to this is a smug reproach of ignorance.

It does not seem to be particularly interested in taking part in laborious dialogues with the outside world. It knows about its inner strength and lives out of this same strength.
Competition, success and proof of competence are regarded as an abhorrence, an acting out, that doesn’t prove anything.

This is how it happened that the child who was born with a loud, unwanted scream has now become quieter. What a shame – it would have had a lot to say. Could it not provide real alternatives if it would been heard? Could that exchange not serve to provide nourishment even for itself?

If it is true that systems stay alive and develop by communication and exchange with their environment, what has happened to PT in Germany today?

It is my impression that barriers have been put up that have prevented the development of much potential. It is my desire to remove these barriers and I invite all of those who share my vision to contribute to the communication and exchange of PT, and to re-double their efforts in doing so.

Possible Starting Points for Future Communication

Primal clients – Primal Clients

In order to currently be able to exchange my primal experiences with other primallers, or to find a primal buddy in my area, I need to do so via the detour of the PSG and in English, which is not my mother tongue. And even then I may not find a German buddy.

And yet belonging to a group and exchanging experiences within such a group surely remains one of the central aspects of healing. 30 thousand PSG mails in 5 years that address the whole subject of primal clearly express the need for such communication in a language of their very own. Without the PSG I would have given up at certain points in my process.

To date there are no German facilities for sharing primal experiences. The formation of network of primal experienced people in Germany still awaits its realisation.

Primal therapists – Primal Therapists

The communication between therapists takes place mainly within the frame of the 6-monthly GIPT meetings. As approximately twice as many PT’s are not found within the GIPT or any other primal- related organisation, this sharing is still not very pronounced. However, communication here may be a little more structured than that of the above-named clients among themselves.

Currently virtually no publishing of smaller articles, finds, comments, book reviews, interesting links etc. is taking place. This is probably partly due to the fact that an equivalent internet platform like the PPP does not exist. The GIPT homepage is currently not designed for this task, and technical and editorial resources are absent.

Primal Therapy – Other Therapies (and related specialist subjects)

PT should not shy away from engaging in discussions with other psychological disciplines, as Janov has so convincingly demonstrated with his most recent publication. It is especially within the dialogue with other approaches that PT can demonstrate it’s natural and unique approach. In this way new synergies may be discovered, as shown by my earlier example between PT and family constellations.

At the same time the research of other disciplines like neurology and psycho-traumatology are beginning to dove-tail with PT. It should be relatively easy to tie in their findings with PT. Again, this provides a good opening for debate, which in turn provides an opportunity to both sustain and develop the inner dynamics of PT. One might consider informing paediatricians about the efficacy of primalling for children who remain particularly open to this natural ability to heal through reliving trauma.

IPA – GIPT

Once again, I thank the IPA for the invitation to speak here today, which has facilitated the networking and communication between our two groups. - I would now like to open the floor to discussions about the ways in which we might take important steps towards further co-operation between the IPA and the GIPT.