Core Energetics

Core Energetics is a trademarked therapeutic programme developed by John C Pierrakos and Alexander Lowen, and promoted as "a bridge between psychology and spirituality."

Core Energetics claims to be a holistic healing method that combines bodywork, psychotherapy, and spiritual processes, to improve a person's state of consciousness--using an extended concept of consciousness encompassing the body, emotions, mind, and spirit.

The history of Core Energetics
Dr Pierrakos was a student of Wilhelm Reich, who was a student of Freud. Reich came to the United States from Austria and Pierrakos came from Greece to study medicine in NY, where they met. Together with Alexander Lowen, Peirrakos co-founded BioEnergetics, which focuses on the physical in order to heal psychological wounds. As he continued to work with clients, however, Pierrakos found that people seemed to be seeking something more. As a result, Pierrakos researched what he called "the nature of energy", "human energy fields", Eastern spiritual traditions, and a spiritual discipline called The Pathwork in order to create Core Energetics. He founded The Institute for Core Energetics in 1980.

Core Energetics Theory
Core Energetics states that health and true wellbeing are "dynamic states" and our birthright, and that health can be attained by realizing our creative potential. Core Energetics posits five "levels" comprising "human existence in the human entity": the physical body, the emotions, mind and thought, will, and spirit. Its therapeutic approach works with all five. It also holds that people have innate capacities for loving and healing. Adherents believe that like all living things, human beings seek expansion of consciousness, and they believe that this is an "outpouring of the Life Force". The life force is said to be an "impetus" people must experience in their bodies, the vehicle for their emotions, thought, and spirit.

Core Energetics contends that people block their Life Force mainly because of their response to wounds they acquired in childhood. It further posits that at their center people have a pulsating core (other than the heart) that is love: when people touch this pulsating core they love themselves and their fellow creatures. Core Energetics claims to help people to "unblock" their life forces.

It posits that a person may have a "false self", or "mask" with which they identify that has helped them to cope with life, which they must recognize; that a person must express their woundedness by feeling and expressing all of their emotions, and that this transforms those to love; that "bodily defenses" keep people in "negative patterns", and that these must be dealt with physically; and that our task in life is to find beauty and meaning that expresses itself through our actions..

People are claimed to have several "layers": one is the wounded child, shadow, or lower self of human nature. People block their Life Force when they are not allowed to express their emotional pain, thus the energy becomes stagnant and becomes defensive physical armoring. Next people put on their defensive mask designed to protect themselves from further hurt. This mask or false self dampens down the vibrancy and buoyancy of the life center. The program uses an "evolutionary" therapy to unblock defenses, move the stuck energy to create healthy flow, and transform the negative, distorted emotions back to the core self (the pulsating core).

The system specifically claims to treat depression, anxiety, panic attacks, unresolved anger, post traumatic stress, sexual dysfunction and repairing troubled marital and familial relationships, making personal and professional changes, and expanding spiritual awareness.

Core Energetics professional training
Core Energetics runs several international training programs. In the United States there are three, in Atlanta, Georgia, New York State, and California. There are also training programs in Australia, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Brazil, Mexico and Canada. The Institute of Core Energetics East in New York has new trainings available and offers introductory open weekends in a retreat style format. For More Information