Body psychotherapy for psychosomatic reflux: Insights from a performing arts medicine case report

This case report explores the midway point between a psychosomatic illness and performance-related trauma through the case of a professional actor experiencing reflux episodes and functional voice loss. The client’s symptoms, unresponsive to conventional treatment, were traced to unresolved trauma exacerbated by a nightly reenactment of violent stage material. Using relational vocal massage, a body psychotherapy technique, therapy facilitated the emotional processing of historic trauma stored somatically. This intervention led to the resolution of both reflux symptoms and vocal impairment. The report aims to show the role of the autonomic nervous system in mediating performance anxiety and somatic symptoms, particularly through vagal control of the lower oesophageal sphincter. It supports the use of body-oriented psychotherapeutic approaches in cases where trauma is expressed somatically, particularly in high-performance professions. The case contributes to emerging psychosomatic models and invites further exploration of trauma in performing artists and other populations whose symptoms lie beyond the reach of traditional therapies.