Change in the moving bodymind: Quantitative results from a pilot study on the use of the BodyMind approach (BMA) to psychotherapeutic group work with patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUSs)

Abstract

Background: This article reports quantitative results from a pilot study in primary care (PC) undertaken from 2004–2007. The intervention programme, derived from movement psychotherapy, was termed ‘Learning groups: the BodyMind approach (BMA),’ and emphasised a verbal and non‐verbal integrated model, awareness of the inter‐relationship between body and mind and a self‐managing framework. Aim: To evaluate systematically the outcomes of a 12‐week group BMA intervention programme with patients suffering from anxiety/depression with at least one chronic (over two years) medically unexplained symptom (MUS), another term for a psychosomatic condition or somatoform disorder. Method: A mixed method was applied to a single‐case design. Outcome measures completed at baseline, mid‐, post‐ intervention and three‐month follow‐up were the Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile (MYMOP) and the Counselling Outcome Routine Evaluation (CORE). Results: Increased activity levels and well‐being; more effective coping/functioning strategies; reduction in anxiety/depression, GP‐consultation and medication usage, and symptom distress. All changes were maintained at three‐month follow‐up.

The BodyMind Approach™, medically unexplained symptoms and personal construct psychology

“…It derives from Dance Movement Psychotherapy as an approach integrating verbal, non-verbal and cognitive approaches, which particularly focus on treating MUS. Its effectiveness is examined in a pilot study (Payne & Stott 2010) and in the Department of Health's Quality, Improvement, Prevention and Productivity project (Payne 2014), although it is acknowledged that further research is needed. TBMAe Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy 159 could effectively decrease MUS and the number of times and duration the patient visits their GP.…”

“…The term MUS refers to a bodily symptom, which cannot be explained medically but results in significant psychological distress (Payne & Stott, 2010). MUS was previously described as a Psychosomatic Condition or 'Somatoform Disorder' and has been renamed as Somatic Symptom Disorder in DSM-V (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).…”

“…TBMAe is proposed by Payne (2009aPayne ( , 2009bPayne ( , 2009c and Payne and Stott (2010). It derives from Dance Movement Psychotherapy as an approach integrating verbal, non-verbal and cognitive approaches, which particularly focus on treating MUS.…”

“…MUS was previously described as a Psychosomatic Condition or 'Somatoform Disorder' and has been renamed as Somatic Symptom Disorder in DSM-V (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). People have to be diagnosed as suffering from MUS when the symptoms are consistent for over 6 months and are significantly distressing people's everyday life along with disproportionate 'thoughts, feelings and behaviours' (Payne & Stott, 2010).…”

Dancing, moving and writing in clinical supervision? Employing embodied practices in psychotherapy supervision

“…As a result of learning processes which are in principle comparable to the acquiring of motor skills, people later shape and enact their relationships according to the patterns they have extracted from their primary experiences (Fuchs, 2004, p. 4 (Meekums, 1999(Meekums, , 2000 , "stress/psychosomatic disorders" (Payne, 1992, p. 6) or medically unexplained symptoms (Payne 2009a(Payne , 2009b(Payne , 2009c(Payne and 2009d).…”