Here is the short story of Albert Pesso, co-founder of the Pesso-Boyden System Psychomotor (PBSP). How could you imagine that this little boy could become weightlifter at 5, dancing teacher at 15, and psychotherapist at 35, and co founder of the advanced body-based therapy, with high ratio results for traumatic events treatment ?
Here is the little story illustrated with drawings...
1.Al pesso, a 5 years Old Weightlifter
Albert is the youngest of a yugoslavian family, born in 1929.
He struggles with older brothers and the wild neighboorood of the Bronx and Brooklyn.
Strong willed, Al want's to do things his brothers can't do.
So the young 5 years old boy began body building in a nearby park.
He's working out, training on ladder and parallel bars.
He enjoy and succeed at it : it's pure satisfaction for him.
2.Albert Pesso meet Muscular Man Dan Lurie
Albert Pesso has got the greek athletic body and the greek mind as well :
A strong mind in a strong body - Al pesso
Aged 15, Albert meet Dan Lurie at a studio around the corner. Dan is the most muscular man of america at this time. The become friends.
Al is enrolled in his bosy building workshop and start to teach acrobatics and body building especially weight lifting.
3.When Al Pesso is introduce to dancing
Aged 17, Dan lurie's girlfriend introduced Albert to the world of Dance. Al think it's a bit awkward at first but isn't that so different from what he did before !
His passion for dance is just about to begin and even start to teach dance to youngsters.
Good looking and good dancer, he is photographed to illustrate the book
of modern dance : teaching and technique by Gerturde Shurr.
Albert Pesso climb the ladder of the world of art and theater. He left brooklyn for manhattan and works with famous martha graham, the founder of the modern dancing.
4.Albert Pesso and Diane Boyden
Good student, al get a scholarship at Benington College. This is where he met Diane. they become good friends at the point she's looking for a woman for him !
Al left and start teaching dance, open a Dancing school and start workinga as a choregrapher as well. Al and Diane wrote letters and the correspondance change to a love Romance. Till Al ask Diane to become his wife.
We are now in the 60's. they got married, children and a dance school.
5.Dancing school towards Psychotherapy
As the dancing school goes, they realize that some dancers who express their inner emotions through movement, experiment psychological relief especially those who have experienced trauma (loss of parents, separation divorce, sexual abuse).
At this time, Diane had started a psychotherapy and during hlidays, her therapist was away. She decided to take a session with Al and it was surprisingly more convincing.
They approach specialized institutes convinced of the benefits of this discovery.
6.The PBSP principles explained
Diane and Albert set up the "PBSP" body and mind therapy. The Pesso Boyden System Psychotherapy.
They begin to develop a non-verbal and verbal therapeutic approach to provide new memories (abuse) or fill the memory holes (parent loss). Behaving like bringing a missing puzzle piece in the picture.
The therapist and a group propose a 1 hour session therapy and guide the client. For example, in a case of a parent loss, the client would like to talk a last time to them. Some people can play parents, share words, touch, etc...so the client can build up new memory with parents behaving like in his dreams.
7.World Wide recognition for AL and Diane pesso Boyden
A Gift idea for PBSP therapist ?
The portrait and biography of Albert Pesso is available on my art gallery here, and will make a very original and smart gift for a PBSP enthusiast !
Sources : all sources comes from PBSP.com History and Origins
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