Maurizio Peciccia - Perugia, Provincia di Perugia

Judith Moss

As an Art Psychotherapist, whose training and practice are rooted in awareness of the damage caused by early childhood trauma, Professor Peciccia’ s reference to child development theorists, Carl Jung, Melanie Klein, Donald Winnicott and others, was heart –warming.
Therapists, who are sensitive and aware of their humanness and process, may enable the deeper, empathy required for “holding” another in therapy. Such “holding”, safety and empathy is clearly at the root of Amnio Therapy.
This was emphasised by the stories told to us and the therapy recorded by Professor Maurizio Peciccia, through video.
Two people shared their experiences of Amnio Therapy. First a Danish man whose devastating trauma occurred around 3 – 6 years old. Then a German, ex teacher/ Art Therapist, whose life experience and trauma began at birth. From these two life stories it may be asked, is silent rejection and pretence of caring no less damaging to early life experiences than physical abuse?
Both these have become strongly functioning people and seem to have transformed negative experiences into positive life styles. These and the benefits gained from their meetings with Professor Peciccia, at different times, led them, both, to experience the deeply, healing process of Amnio Therapy.
A therapy that emulates the comfort and safety of “being in mother’s womb” may be for many mental health sufferers a healing experience.
Professors Peciccia’s video shows the therapist, clad in swim wear, “holding” a, similarly clad, client - safely, in water. This went on to show client and therapist later joining other client therapist partnerships, happily and safely gathered, together in a ‘communal, “holding” pool. Following the completion of 10 sessions. Miriam described the experience of Amnio Therapy as a deeply healing and lasting process.
It seems unlikely, in the present, NHS climate of ‘quick fix culture’ that Amnio Therapy would be taken up, in UK. It seems, also, unlikely that British people, who’s past “stiff upper lip”, culture, may colour our attitudes to closeness and touch would engage in Amniotic therapy? That is, should anyone be brave enough to make it available, here?
However a visit to Perugia seems vital, if holding the belief that Amnio Therapy may be just the treatment needed to alleviate years of suffering and ‘stuckness’ suffered, by psychosis. It may be that such a condition originates from particular circumstances surrounding birthing? This may also be exacerbated by the ignorance of significant adults concerning the sensitivity of early childhood years. Subsequently might a subject’s disassociation from deeply fettered emotions, lack of self - worth and inability to seek wellbeing be at the root of various other mental disorders as well as psychosis?
I recently spent five weeks with a person suffering from mild psychosis during which time we visited Centro Amnio. This person and other participants have shared very positive accounts of their inner sense of wellbeing resulting from their participation from 15 sessions up to a year of treatment.