TEPSYNTHESIS – SERBIAN TRAINING SCHOOL OF BODY PSYCHOTHERAPY

SCHOOL HISTORY

Dr. Sci Ljiljana Klisić founded TePsyntesis in 1976 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. TePsynthesis has evolved from thirty years of research by Dr. Klisić into drives development and the relationship between life force and consciousness. School has trained more than 200 professionals.

Basic theory and concepts

TePsynthesis is a scientifically-based body-psychotherapy approach which combines systematic work with the body and the mind-psyche (and in some cases spirit) to help reduce psychological and psychosomatic suffering and to help people achieve integration on the somatic, emotional and spiritual level as well as Power and Bliss development.

TePsynthesis is an Integrative Body-Psychotherapy, that combines and synthesizes:

Radix (Charles Kelley)
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Transpersonal Psychotherapy

This combination builds in to a holistic and Humanistic Psychology approach that works very well, combining several Radix (body-psychotherapy) techniques with some of the human development and transferential (& counter-transferential) aspects of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and the therapeutic relationship within a wider Transpersonal Psychotherapy framework of personal growth and spiritual development.

1. The most influential source of the TePsynthesis is Radix work, founded by Charles Kelly who was a student of Wilhelm Reich. Radix is a Body Psychotherapy studies and improves interactions between the client/patient’s body and mind. It has a DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL, a theory of personality, and character typology which relates to the origins of any disturbances, as well as using a rich variety of diagnostic and therapeutic echniques within the context of the therapeutic relationship. There have been several research projects on outcomes and character types.

Radix sits within the field of Humanistic Psychotherapy and has several distinct characteristics.

Charles Kelley, a student of Reich’s in the early 1950s, developed a style of work which synthesized Reichian techniques with methods from various humanistic and growth work approaches. Kelley defines Radix like re-education in feelings and purpose. He developed ways of working in groups to enable people to recover conscious purposiveness and reconnect with the deep feelings which are blocked by armouring (Kelley 1974). ‘Radix’ is Kelley’s equivalent for life energy, or what Reich called ‘orgone’. He stressed that Radix work is ‘education’ rather than psychotherapy, although many of his followers no longer make this point. Kelley pays particular attention to developing Reich’s work on the eyes, synthesizing it with the Bates Method and emphasizing the importance of dissolving ‘ocular armouring’ – tensions in and around the eyes which block not only clear vision, but also good contact and thinking (Kelley 1976). Contact is one of the most central concepts in Radix work and the concept that makes this work so powerful.

Radix is still taught and practised around the world, but like several other psychotherapy schools it has fallen out with its own founder, who now works independently. In many ways it is a very traditional form of humanistic Reichian work, but with its own set of terms, techniques and emphases. In particular, it focuses on the distinction between the energetic ‘instroke’ and ‘outstroke’, and divides neurotic structure into three types: the blocked instroke (organized around the emotional polarity of fear/trust), blocked outstroke (anger/love), and blocked pulsation (pain/pleasure).

Out of this basic, TePsynthesis has grown into an depth psychological method with all the general characteristics of body-psychotherapy work – a functional and structural approach working with character structures, vegetative, pulsation and subtle energy processes.

2. The integration with many aspects of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy helps to enable reparation work on early deficits using applications from the theories of Kernberg & Kohut. Other aspects of psychodynamic work that are used include ego psychotherapy for deeper analysis and early relationships that appear again in the transferential aspects of the therapeutic relationship. This early ‘developmental’ work enables us to repair, more successfully and more easily, early schemas of disturbed or distorted contact which have been uncovered through the application of Radix Body-Psychotherapy techniques.

3. Transpersonal psychology and psychotherapy is the ‘fourth force’ in psychology and enables us to expand our theoretical model into a wider framework of further human development. We do not, at this moment in time in our school, practically apply any techniques from the various modalities within Transpersonal Psychotherapy, but we are developing our theoretical model in this direction. Furthermore this connects with and is in accordance with the developmental aspects of Maslow’s Humanistic Psychology.

TsPsychthesis thus combines theoretical approaches and some practical applications from psychotherapies of the Body (Radix), Mind (Psychodynamic) and Spirit (Transpersonal) into a coherent Humanistic whole and which is in accordance with recent developments and thinking in some of the new sciences.

NEW CONCEPTS

After the experiences the school has gone through in the last twenty years in Yugoslavia, new theoretical concepts have also started to emerge based on these older concepts. TePsynthesis studies and researches the evolution of the basic human instinctual drives: the instinct for self-preservation (aggression), and the instinct for procreation of the species (sexuality). It helps people in this evolution using both verbal and nonverbal methods and not only on a psychological level. It is only through the unity of mind and body that a spiritual dimension opens up and the whole scope of evolution can be approached. Firstly there is the evolution of primitive aggression and destruction towards mature power integrated with a developed value system, to Non-dual Universal Power. Secondly there is the evolution of primitive sexuality towards Bliss and supreme Joy.

On the basis of the holographic paradigm and quantum physics, and in cooperation with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of Belgrade, TePsynthesis is continuing to develop the Psychoanalytic theory of psychosexual development. Dr. Ljiljana Klisic has also developed the theories of Orgasm Development and The Function of Bliss. She has introduced new terms for different orgasms as a model for the development of consciousness and a new model for human development. Bliss is seen by Te-Psynthesis as the most intense positive psychological experience, which has an important function. The bliss taboo is deeper and more hidden than the sex taboo. The goal of orgasm development is to increase the degree of freedom in decision-making, which happens, step by step, at each subsequent level of orgasm development. Orgasms are classified as primitive, immature, perverse, neurotic, blocked, mature, extended, ecstatic, blissful and non-dual. In order to develop orgasm further, a person must learn to increase the degree of his/her freedom in decision-making. If successful, the reward is ecstasy. If a deeper and more complex degree is reached there is a divine reward – bliss.

Agrasms (a new term suggested by Dr Klisic) are classified as instinctive, primitively aggressive, destructive, manipulative, passive, assertive, truly powerful, non-dual universal powerful. In her opinion, investigation into orgasms and agrasms in Power or Bliss development gives us a good model to start the exploration of consciousness and human development.

Dr. Klisic has also put forward a continuation of the Character Development Theory. To the oral, anal, phallic and genital character structures she adds heart and divine non-character. She has connected the genital character to the beginning of maturity and the ability to surrender to the orgasm reflex, meaning a freedom from the main blockages. Heart character means giving primacy to heart reactions, where all decisions are made from the heart. This is the principle of love, meaning at a higher level of consciousness. As with previous character structures, some neurotic tendencies remain. The heart character is more developed and discovers Bliss that is often the result of love actions. The most developed character structure is resolved character: no-character. In this structure there are no more frozen functions, the flow of energy is complete. There is unity with the whole universe, total freedom from blockages and from character armour, the ability to be in joy and bliss, to radiate it, to become the love principle, pure consciousness, the only reality there is, ourselves connected with the divine no-character.

The above are theoretical considerations, which place the training work in a wider conceptual framework. TePsynthesis uses an organized system of methods in treatment. It is a systematic application of defined body-psychotherapy methods with some innovations. (Dr Klisic is still working on the methods, which are best for each stage of Power and Bliss Development.) The approach to each trainee is individual and accepting, with a lot of support for the stage he or she is at. This attitude, together with awareness opens the next stages of development more easily, bringing more pleasure, joy and bliss.

TRAINING DESCRIPTION

The training takes four years. The first year is educational-experiential with group and individual work. The second and third years are theoretical, methodological, didactic, conceptual, as well as continuing with the experiential work. The fourth year emphasizes supervision.

Founder and Director of Training is:

Univ.Prof. Ljiljana Klisic, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist, University Professor at European University, Belgrade, Serbia; Licensed Radix Trainer, founder of the body psychotherapy training institute –TePsyntesis, Founder of the Serbian Ass. for BP, and Serbian Council for BP, Radix IC, DPS, WCBP, ECP holder, Founder of the World Council for Body Psychotherapy in WCP, etc.

Trainers and Supervisors are: Dr. sci Ljiljana Klisic, Clin. Psych. (Director of Training); Erica Kelley, Radix Founder and Supervisor, USA; Joel Isaacs, Radix i Bodynamic Trener and Supervisor,USA. Regular Trainer and Supervisor is Prof dr Tijana Mandic, FDU lecturing nonverbal comunication and trainer in ITAA San Francisko. Other Supervisors are our regular gests, too, from other modalities.

Assistent in Training and co-trainer is Nikola Djordjevic, dipl. Psychologist and Body Psychotherapist.

Educational work in TePsyntesis Ljiljana Klisic, PhD do with her students in Beograd have been supervised by Trainers from Body Psychotherapy schools, specially Radix : Lara Amber 1977, David Boadella 1984, Marck Ludwig 1986, William and Lillian Davis 1987, Nelly Pasque 1988, Andrea Pitzal 1988, Marie Schils 1989, Joel Dweck Isaacs1990, Sylvia Amsz 1997, Courtenay Young 1997,98, Christiane Lewin 2004, Erik Jarlnaes 2004, Inge Joachim 2007, Ditte Marcher 2008, Aneesha Dillon 2014, etc. With most of them nice cooperation is continued and outside Belgrade.

Training team has advisory function: Elida Faganel, B.A. Psych.; Svetlana Vukojevic Deleon, B.A. Psych.; Jelena Mutavdzic Vojnovic, Clin. Psych.; Ana Ristovic, B.A. Psych.; Ljiljana Jovanovic, B.A. Psych.

STATE OF RECOGNITION

Tepsinteza education program was accredited by the Radix Kelley Institute, WCBP 2003, EABP 2005, etc.

Literature – publication – research

Klisic, Lj., Body-Psychotherapy (To Orgasm and Beyond), a book summarizing all of Dr Klisic’s work to date, Eko – primat, Zemun YU, 1995. Second enlarged edition: Skripta international, Beograd, 2001. Tirth enlarged edition: UTPJ, Beograd, 2004.
Klisic, Lj., Body Psychotherapy in PSYCHOTHERAPY, Eric, University of Medicine textbook, Belgrade, 2001,2005.
Klisic, Lj., Radix Education, PSYCHOLOGY – Journal of Serbian Association of Psychologists, Belgrade, 1980
Klisic, Lj., Psychological Growth: Neo-Reichian Approach New Group Psychotherapies, AVALA, 1980
Mutavdzic, J., Psychoanalysis and Body Psychotherapy, Congress of the Psychologists of Serbia, Belgrade, publ. 1999

There are also more than 300 introductions, monographs, and articles in various countries, published lectures and presentations.

Klisic, Lj., Doctoral research: Evaluation of Successfulness in Training Psychotherapists for Application of Radix Psychotherapy Method, Belgrade, 1989
Klisic, Lj., Masters research: Validation of Intervening Techniques-guided Images and Movements, Belgrade, 1978
Ristovic, Ana, Touch in our ethnical tradition, Uzice, 2001
Milicevic, Nebojsa, Relation of Harmony and Antagonism Between Soul and Body, 12 EAP Congress publ. 2004

TEPSINTEZA – YU TRAINING SCHOOL OF BODY-PSYCHO-SYNTHESIS

SCHOOL HISTORY

Prof Dr Ljiljana Klisic founded TePsynthesis in 1976 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. TePsynthesis has evolved from thirty years of research by Dr. Klisic into drives development and the relationship between life force and consciousness. It has trained more than 200 professionals.

Mother school is Radix where Ljiljana Klisic have been trained from Charles and Erica Kelley. She completed Radix Training Program and became a Certified Radix Teacher (Adjunct to Clinical Psychology) and after fulfilling criteria Licensed K/RADIX Trainer.

Also, school is grateful to many other Body Psychotherapists who have supported our work during all this years and decades: Esalen teachers: Stanislav Grof, Richard Price, Michael Murphy, Gregory Bateson, Joseph Campbell, Will Schutz, Janet Lederman, George Leonard, Stella Resnick, Joseph de Lagrotte, Ruth Alon, and others. Body-mind practitioners have supportive influence: Ken Dytchwald, Janette Rainwather, Britt Ewning, Bill Schwartly, Douglas Russel, Nataniel Branden, Stilianos Atteshlis, Nikola Andonov and many others. To teach Radix and Body Psychotherapy precious help was from: Connie Cossette, Renan Sercars, Eliane Warburton, Peter Bernhardt, Bill Cornell, Clair Killen, Laura de Nuccio, Alan Schwartz, Mark Ludwig, Joel &apm; Anna Isaacs, Richard Blasband, Ron Kurtz, Pat Ogden, Barbara Goodrich Dunn and other brave neo-reichian. Latter in Europe, precious support was from: Nelly Pasque, Ellen Willis, Neel Fasting, David Boadella, Courtenay Young, Michael Randolph, Will & Lilly Davis, Sylvia Falkner Amsz, Babette Rothschild, Andrea and Werner Pitzal, Myron Sharaf, Albert Pesso, Stephano Sabetti, Lisbeth and Ditte Marcher, Bjorn Odegaard, Francois Lewin, Inge Joachim, Clorinda Lubrano and many other dear Trainers and colleagues.

To integrate deep ancient wisdom about mind-body connection precious help was from: Prof.Dr.Ganesh Shankar, Prof.Dash, Prof.Giri at Department of Yogic Science , University of Sagar and Univ. of Haridwar , India; Prof.Sri Satyananda – Bihar University of Yoga, India;Prof. Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche – Tibetan Buddhism centre,Italy; Prof.Swami Ananta Bharati, Himalayan International Institute, in India; Dr Shashi Bhushgan Mishra ( Shivananda, Jyotirmayananda) International Y.A. in India, and many other magnificent Teachers.

Main Supervisors of the school TePsyntesis, besides Prof dr Ljiljana Klisic are Erica Kelley (successor for Charles Kelley PhD) and Joel Isaacs, PhD (Radix and Bodynamic).

BASIC THEORY AND CONCEPTS

The most influential source of the TePsynthesis is Radix work, founded by Charles Kelly who was a student of Wilhelm Reich. The theory represents an integration of psychoanalysis (Janet, Freud) and psychosynthesis (Assagioli). Many other body-psychotherapy approaches have had their influence including vegetotherapy, bioenergetic analysis, biosynthesis, biodynamic, bodynamics, core energetics and various neo-Reichian psychotherapies. Mainstream psychoanalysis, developed in Serbia one century ago, has also exerted its influence. Elements of analytical psychotherapy, gestalt and transactional analysis are integrated with respect to spirituality. TePsynthesis has grown into an autonomous depth psychological method with all the general characteristics of body-psychotherapy work – a functional and structural approach working with character structures, vegetative, pulsation and subtle energy processes.

Dr Klisic has also proposed the theory of Power Development. In the process of development from primitive aggression to mature power and towards ultimate non-dual power, it is necessary to learn to postpone (not to block, suppress or repress) reactions in order to increase the degree of freedom in decision-making. In this process blocking or impulsivity often happens, the most difficult being integrating surrender with control and cognition. Agrasms (a new term suggested by Dr Klisic) are classified as instinctive, primitively aggressive, destructive, manipulative, passive, assertive, truly powerful, non-dual universal powerful. In her opinion, investigation into orgasms and agrasms in Power or Bliss development gives us a good model to start the exploration of consciousness and human development.

On the basis of research into instinctual drives development, Dr. Klisic has proposed the continuation of the psychoanalytic theory of psychosexual development. She sees the concept of maturity in psychotherapy as being under-developed and too dependent on the biological model. In her opinion, psychoanalysis has connected maturity to genital primacy and the genital character structure while it is only the beginning of maturity. After oral, anal, phallic and genital primacy – well-known Reichian concepts – development has to continue on to heart and divine primacy. Dr. Klisic has also put forward a continuation of the Character Development Theory. To the oral, anal, phallic and genital character structures she adds heart and divine non-character. She has connected the genital character to the beginning of maturity and the ability to surrender to the orgasm reflex, meaning a freedom from the main blockages. Heart character means giving primacy to heart reactions, where all decisions are made from the heart. This is the principle of love, meaning at a higher level of consciousness. As with previous character structures, some neurotic tendencies remain. The heart character is more developed and discovers Bliss that is often the result of love actions. The most developed character structure is resolved character: no-character. In this structure there are no more frozen functions, the flow of energy is complete. There is unity with the whole universe, total freedom from blockages and from character armour, the ability to be in joy and bliss, to radiate it, to become the love principle, pure consciousness, the only reality there is, ourselves connected with the divine no-character.

The above are theoretical considerations, which place the training work in a wider conceptual framework. TePsynthesis uses an organized system of methods in treatment. It is a systematic application of defined body-psychotherapy methods with some innovations. Dr Klisic is working on the methods, which are best for each stage of Power and Bliss Development. The approach to each trainee is individual and accepting, with a lot of support for the stage he or she is at. This attitude, together with awareness opens the next stages of development more easily, bringing more pleasure, joy and bliss.

Training description

Tepsyntesis — 1977. Sa Larom Amber, Kalifornija