The Gentle Bio-Energetics Institute is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization dedicated to preserving the life work of Dr. Eva Reich by providing education, training and therapy in Gentle Bio-Energetics to enhance the quality of life for all age groups.
The Institutes program includes: lectures, workshops and extended training with supervision; publications including books and audio-visual material in both DVD and book form; Facebook and YouTube presence. Currently we have programs in United States, Latvia, Poland, Greece, Lithuania, Estonia, and Singapore. Materials have been translated into Chinese, Polish, Greek, Latvian, and Spanish. We go by invitation to help countries develop their own programs cooperatively with the Gentle Bio-Energetics Institute, USA.
Gentle Bio-Energetics is an educational and therapeutic model that integrates verbal and body therapies for healing and growth. The gentle aspect refers to the non-invasive role of the therapist/helper, who nurtures with both touch and verbal interventions. Bio-Energetics refers to the individual's life energy; how it flows freely or is blocked by armor, which results from traumatic life experiences.
Eva Reich, MD, daughter of Wilhelm Reich, coined the term Gentle Bio-Energetics to describe her development of his work. The process evolved as:
Eva observed her father's gentle work with babies and children and his research that demonstrated lightly stroking the skin resulted in life energy flowing outward - in contrast to heavy touch which resulted in the energy contracting inward. Eva called this "Butterfly Touch".
As a result of her observations, Eva developed her butterfly touch and then created a pattern called Butterfly Touch Massage which she refined while working with premature babies at Harlem Hospital (1951-1952) and during her rural Maine medical practice;
She taught workshops worldwide, (1975-1992) as she continued to refine and develop Gentle Bio-Energetics.