What is BodyTalk?
Developed by Dr John Veltheim, BodyTalk is a holistic therapy that fixes the communication lines in the body to improve mental, emotional and physical health. It takes advantage of the body's innate wisdom to support its natural healing mechanism and prevent the onset of disease.
A BodyTalk practitioner identifies which areas in the body are experiencing communication barriers, restores its communication network and facilitates healing using a light tapping technique which positively affects the brain and heart. Bodytalk therapy can help reduce stress, treat trauma, release muscle tension, improve circulation, increase energy levels, alleviate anxiety and depression, eliminate chronic pain and promote clarity, among other things.
Why Study BodyTalk?
By taking a course in the BodyTalk system, you will be able to understand how stress can force the body to malfunction and what needs to be done to regain health. You will learn how to address the root cause of a health problem and help your clients produce lasting changes.
BodyTalk involves asking the body questions and listening to how it responds, and mastering this process will enable you to address physical symptoms that are mentally or emotionally rooted. BodyTalk is a useful addition to your toolbox, regardless of what type of complementary medicine you specialise in, as it can be used as a stand-alone treatment or an adjunct therapy.
What Does It Take to Study BodyTalk or Become a Practitioner of It?
BodyTalk entails a thorough understanding of the mind and body connection because having the ability to see them as an integrated whole will make learning the system a breeze. You have to take into account a person's beliefs, emotions, relationships, genetics and environment as all of these come into play during therapy.
BodyTalk may sound like a complex topic as it's not easy for everyone to grasp how one's thoughts can manifest as symptoms of a physical disorder. Through an accredited course, though, you will come to understand how the body communicates emotional stressors in the form of physical discomfort, injury or disease.
Course and Study Options for BodyTalk
BodyTalk can be learnt in a wide range of training courses, workshops and seminars. For starters, sign up for the BodyTalk Fundamentals Parts 1 and 2, to learn about the theory and principles of the modality, how to use muscle checking to communicate with the body and how to apply basic BodyTalk techniques in a non-professional level.
To be able to practise BodyTalk in a professional capacity, you need to undertake the BodyTalk Fundamentals Integration program and pass the Certified BodyTalk Practitioner (CBP) exam. You can also use your qualification to pursue the Certificate IV in BodyTalk, which is a nationally accredited qualification.
Completing short BodyTalk courses will also enable certified practitioners of the modality to meet their continuing education requirements. Some of these courses are delivered in face-to-face classes, others combine on-campus and online learning, and there are also online courses for students who don't have access to an accredited BodyTalk course provider in their local area.
How to Choose a School or Course in BodyTalk
To ensure yourself of quality BodyTalk education and training, find a school that is recognised by the International BodyTalk Association (IBA), which is the peak body representing certified BodyTalk professionals in Australia and the world over.
You will see a comprehensive list of qualified course providers at the top of this page. Feel free to compare their curriculum, tuition fees, delivery method. After you have gone through their offerings, consider speaking with their course advisers for additional information, such as potential career outcomes for their graduates, to assist your selection process.
