Using Live Video Sessions for Remote Orgone Therapy

The greatest challenge for patients wishing to undergo orgone therapy has always been access to a qualified practitioner. Thankfully, and surprisingly, I’ve found therapy can be conducted quite effectively even when patient and therapist are in different locations though live video sessions.

Many call themselves “Reichian therapists” but scarce few employ the specific and unique method of treatment Wilhelm Reich pioneered. I, and others, have engaged in considerable efforts to maintain standards, train new therapists, and get the word out about the benefits of this treatment. Still there are just a handful of us who are qualified to do this work. Lack of access to orgone therapy presents a significant barrier for many. 

Some years ago, a training therapist I’d been working with for years, and who had been coming to see me from Europe, suggested we try video calling for some sessions. Initially I was skeptical. I had used video conferencing to lecture abroad, and conduct meetings, but didn’t see how this could be applied to therapy sessions which are an integral part of training.  

In the course of orgone therapy I don’t just talk with my patients. They’re also allowed to express powerful emotions, such as sadness and anger. There is in addition a “hands-on” aspect where I relieve areas of bodily tension by applying direct pressure to specific muscle groups.

Despite my reservations about video sessions, the need was real for this training therapist and, I have come to realize, for many others. Even the most dedicated patients and training therapists may not have the resources to regularly travel great distances.

Although we both had our doubts, my European trainee and I were pleasantly surprised by how well sessions went. The connection between us proved excellent. It was almost as if were together in the same room. For the hands-on work, we found ways to manage that. I instructed the trainee to apply pressure, themself, to specific muscle groups. It worked.   

Today I conduct video sessions with many patients and training therapists. Although I still prefer to treat and train in person, I’ve learned it isn’t necessary. Not everyone is a candidate for remote therapy and training but many are. 

Short-Burst Therapy

When preparing for remote therapy, it's best to begin with a series of in-person sessions. These can be conducted in a short period of time, for example one session each day over the course of a week. I call this “short-burst therapy” or “intensive intermittent orgone therapy,” and it’s something I’ve written and lectured about. An obvious benefit of short-burst therapy is convenience. A patient can receive several sessions in a single trip. There are other benefits as well. I've found some patients do better with this more concentrated approach. Again, it isn't for everyone. Sometimes it's best to move slower. It all depends on the patient. 

When I was seeing Dr. Elsworth Baker as part of my own therapy and training, I drove every week from Center City Philadelphia, where I lived at the time, to his office in Red Bank, New Jersey. It was an hour and a half each way and certainly worth the travel time. However, had it been much farther, I doubt I would have been able to make the trip given the demands of my own work. I’m sure there are many people over the years who would have had therapy or training, but ultimately didn’t, because of lack of access to a therapist.

The distances one had to travel for training no doubt also hampered the progression of the work. There were so few of us and we were so far apart that it prevented the formation of a critical mass that could continue to grow. I travelled many times to Italy, Germany, and Greece to treat and train therapists, and to the U.S. West Coast to connect with colleagues. I can't help but wonder how things might have been different if online communication and video calling had been around back then, when we all struggled to connect, learn, teach, and spread the word about Reich. Maybe orgone therapy would have become a widespread method of treatment.

I’ve always been concerned that orgone therapy will end when the last of its true practitioners is gone. Today, I’m encouraged that there are still therapists in the U.S. — and many more abroad — who are interested in training to do this work. I’m fortunate to still be training orgone therapists in Reich’s unique method, and I’m glad to be able to conduct live video sessions.