healthy through rhythm
TaKeTiNa in Medicine and Therapy
Early on, the positive health effects of working with TaKeTiNa became apparent. People suffering from psychosomatic conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias, asthma, or tinnitus suddenly experienced relief from their symptoms. This led to the development of initial projects in collaboration with doctors and scientists.
Numerous clinical studies and practical experiences confirm the positive effects of TaKeTiNa on the autonomic nervous system, heart rate variability (HRV), and the synchronization of biological rhythms. The method is increasingly used in psychosomatic clinics, rehabilitation centers, and coaching contexts, showing remarkable impact in stress regulation, pain therapy, burnout prevention, and trauma recovery.
- Pain Medicine: The targeted alternation between rhythmic activity and relaxation helps to interrupt chronic pain patterns and promotes self-regulation.
- Burnout Prevention: Rhythmic induction into vagotonic states activates regeneration – an essential counterbalance to chronic overload.
- Trauma Therapy: The clear structure and rhythmic repetition enable a deep experience of safety and stability.
- Coaching and Corporate Health: Rhythm supports emotional coherence, presence, and team connectedness – key factors for sustainable performance.
Effects on the Nervous System and Body Rhythms
Research Findings and Clinical Use
Since the 1980s, renowned scientists have been exploring the effects of rhythm on health. Dr. Hans Peter Koepchen, a pioneer in the field of biorhythmics, was one of the first to study the connection between rhythmic order and autonomic processes. In collaboration with institutions such as the Max Planck Institute, the Jülich Research Center, and the International Society for Music in Medicine, a scientific network emerged that laid the groundwork for in-depth studies on TaKeTiNa.
Early measurements already showed that machine-generated rhythms tended to make the heartbeat more rigid, whereas TaKeTiNa led to greater variability and harmonization of the heart rhythm — a sign of healthy flexibility in the autonomic nervous system. Although the methods at the time were still limited, the positive impact of the process on autonomic balance was already clearly evident.
HRV (Heart Rate Variability) is now considered a key indicator of the body’s adaptability and resilience. Studies by Dr. Alfred Lohninger and Prof. Dr. Klaus Laczika show that TaKeTiNa induces measurable changes both during the session and in the resting phases that follow:
- An increase in parasympathetic activity (vagotonia), which is regarded as essential for regeneration and healing.
- Synchronization of bodily rhythms in the 0.1 Hz frequency range, which is associated with emotional coherence and inner stability.
- “Frequency shifting” and autonomic anticipation – the body’s ability to adjust in advance to rhythmic changes.
Studies have shown that during the TaKeTiNa process, there is a state of high mental-emotional focus combined with physical relaxation — despite relatively elevated heart rates. This intensity of dual activation is exceptionally rare.
This heart rate variability (HRV) measurement illustrates the typical course of a TaKeTiNa session and its effects on a 30-year-old woman experienced in rhythmic pedagogy.
During the sessions (marked in green), the phenomenon known as “frequency shifting” occurs, with increased detection in the 0.1 Hz frequency range.
During the breaks (marked in blue), there is a strong increase in vagotonic activity of the autonomic nervous system, visible as a pronounced “flare-up” in the displayed spectrogram. This significant rise in parasympathetic activity can be interpreted as a response to the rhythmic intervention.
The black arrows in the diagram indicate effects during the resting phases of the TaKeTiNa process: a noticeable reactive drop in pulse rate, accompanied by a “flare” of the so-called Lebensfeuer® (life fire). This, too, is rarely observed at such intensity and is regarded as evidence of vagus nerve activation.
The described autonomic response patterns become more pronounced with each repetition of the session.
Remarkably, even before the official start of the session at 3:00 p.m., an identical sequence of patterns can be observed: focusing in the 0.1 Hz range followed by vagal activation at a lower level — an example of “autonomic anticipation” that appears to occur in trained individuals.
These phenomena are particularly relevant for individuals suffering from chronic stress, pain disorders, or exhaustion, as they demonstrate that rhythm can serve as a pathway to self-regulation — without the need for medication.
Modern HRV Diagnostics: The spectrogram is displayed as an intuitively readable graphic. The intensity of HRV is expressed through color coding and quantified in milliseconds squared (ms²). A dense, high-flaring, color-intense image — corresponding to the power bar on the right edge of the screen — represents vitality.
Inspired by the color spectrum of a gas flame, the visualization ranges from light blue, medium blue, dark blue, dark red, light red, orange, yellow, and white to gray. Light blue corresponds to the highest intensity (e.g., at least 1,200 ms²), red represents 240 ms², and gray indicates 0 ms².
https://www.autonomhealth.com/blog/grundlagen-der-herzfrequenzvariabilitaet/
In a pilot study led by Dr. Michael A. Überall, researchers investigated how brain activity changes through TaKeTiNa. The results revealed:
- Deep relaxation phases during rhythmic disorientation, measurable through sudden shifts in EEG frequency bands
- Increased resting-state activity after the session compared to baseline levels
- Spontaneous reorganization of neuronal activity patterns, indicating enhanced neural plasticity and self-healing potential
Visualization of the Energetic Rhythm of the QEEG Macro Indicator
before, during, and after a 90-minutes TaKeTiNa session
Left: Situation in the resting phase before the exercise
Center: Clear tension/activation during the polyrhythmic exercise (strong red) | Sudden phases of deep relaxation in connection with falling out of rhythm (4x block-like blue and green phases)
Right: Marking for relaxation after TaKeTiNa (less red/yellow color compared to the initial situation)
Dr. Michael Überall and his team analyzed EEG data from a TaKeTiNa workshop held over several days in May 2010 at the TaKeTiNa Institute. The research team measured the participants’ brainwaves before and after the TaKeTiNa process.
The notable success of TaKeTiNa in the context of chronic pain syndromes sparked renewed scientific interest. As a result, a pilot study was conducted at the TaKeTiNa Institute in Vienna in the summer of 2010. During this study, neurophysiological correlates of cerebral brain activity were recorded and evaluated using multichannel electrodes in participants undergoing the TaKeTiNa process.
Our a priori hypotheses were:
a) Certain chaotic phases repeatedly experienced by participants during the TaKeTiNa process lead to the development of new endogenous coping strategies that may support healing in chronic illness. These should be objectifiable and detectable via corresponding neurophysiological correlates — such as sudden changes in EEG frequency bands, which are typical of trance states, hypnagogic awareness, lucid dreaming, hypnosis, meditation, deep relaxation, and enhanced learning potential.
b) The timing and duration of these phases should be clearly identifiable using QEEG analysis.
c) QEEG changes associated with these phases should be more pronounced than baseline values measured prior to the TaKeTiNa process, i.e., when participants were still in a relaxed resting state.
d) These changes should not coincide spatially or temporally with other known QEEG patterns (e.g., those associated with alertness or medication effects).
Methodology and Findings
The study employed a mathematical procedure — specifically a form of multichannel, quantitative DAS (Dynamic Adaptation Signal) analysis of time series and trends. This method translates the spatio-temporal and energetic dynamics of real-time EEG into a biometrically unique macro-indicator of brain activity. This allows for stochastic measurements (analogous to Selye’s theory of the general adaptation syndrome as an integrative EEG marker of alertness) and enables the objective quantification of specific physiological functions within an integrative conceptual framework.
We were able to clearly identify chaotic phases — moments of “falling out of rhythm.” In addition, we observed bioelectrical resting states that were stronger than those recorded just before the TaKeTiNa process began. The rhythmic journey also appeared to activate an autonomous learning process, which participants could utilize both unconsciously and consciously — the latter notably during the breaks between EEG measurements (as shown by the differences between pre- and post-session recordings).
Conclusion
This marks the first time that modern measurement techniques and computational procedures have been used to demonstrate the effects of TaKeTiNa on neurophysiological changes in cerebral brain activity. We hope these findings will lay the foundation for a theoretical model explaining the effectiveness of rhythmic therapies and inspire further development of new therapeutic approaches involving TaKeTiNa.
Together with Dr. med. Ali Behzad, who has been integrating TaKeTiNa into treatment at the University Hospital Erlangen — including in the context of stem cell transplantation — a new project has been launched for individuals suffering from depression.
Worldwide, more than 300 million people are affected by depression. The burden on those affected is immense and can lead to reduced ability to work as well as significant strain on their social environment. In many cases, the illness becomes chronic or does not respond sufficiently to established therapies.
This study examined the effectiveness of TaKeTiNa in outpatient patients with depression at the Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. As part of the study, individuals diagnosed with depression participated in a TaKeTiNa group over the course of 8 weeks.
By repeating the process over several weeks, the study aimed to achieve a lasting antidepressant effect, extending beyond the study period itself. In addition to investigating potential mood-improving effects, researchers also examined the impact on the immune system. Inflammatory markers and other blood-based indicators — which are thought to play a role in depressive disorders — were measured.
The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the biological aspects of depression, with the hope of enabling more targeted diagnostics and treatment in the future.
The results are currently being evaluated.
STUDY OVERVIEW
Brief Summary
The aim of this clinical study is to investigate the effects of TaKeTiNa music therapy in patients with depression.
The primary research questions are:
- Does TaKeTiNa lead to a significant reduction in depression severity from pre- to post-intervention?
- Does TaKeTiNa result in significantly lower post-intervention depression severity in the T1/T2 group compared to the W1/W2 waitlist group?
Participants will:
- be randomly assigned to one of two groups (intervention vs. waitlist),
- either receive eight weeks of TaKeTiNa music therapy or be placed on a waitlist,
- be assessed using questionnaires, blood sampling, cortisol saliva analysis, and measurements of heart rate variability (HRV).
Researchers will compare the waitlist group with the intervention group to determine whether TaKeTiNa is superior to a non-intervention condition.
Detailed Description
One third of patients with depression do not respond adequately to conventional treatments. This may be associated with increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1, as well as dysregulation of cortisol levels.
This project pursues the following objectives:
- To examine the effectiveness of TaKeTiNa music therapy in patients with a clinically diagnosed moderate to severe depressive disorder,
- To investigate the physiological and pathophysiological effects of TaKeTiNa using novel blood-based biomarkers for depression, particularly LDL cholesterol,
- And to analyze the impact on immune system function in order to establish immune-based biomarkers for improved diagnosis and treatment monitoring of major depressive disorder.
Official Study Title
Immunological Mechanisms in the Treatment of Depression and Their Relevance in TaKeTiNa Music Therapy as a New Psychotherapeutic Method. A Waitlist-Controlled, Randomized Group Pilot Study.
MORE INFORMATION
The study has been registered under ClinicalTrials.gov with the identification number NCT05778643 and can be accessed via the following link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05778643
NEW APPROACHES IN THERAPY AND HEALING
TaKeTiNa is a practice-proven and scientifically grounded method that combines musical principles with modern neurobiology.
It works on multiple levels – physical, mental, and emotional – and opens a pathway to inner order that offers new possibilities in both therapy and prevention. Access to regeneration, self-regulation, and inner clarity becomes possible through the body and rhythm.
HEALING POWER RHYTHM
The effects of TaKeTiNa
TaKeTiNa is based on the interplay of rhythmic movement, breathing, and multilayered perception.
This combination has a profound effect on the autonomic nervous system. As participants move through a process of rhythmic chaos and reintegration, the brain is prompted to let go of habitual control mechanisms. In that moment, the nervous system can reorganize itself — a state that many describe as liberating and clarifying.
Research shows that physical and psychological disorders are often accompanied by rigid or chaotic internal rhythm patterns. TaKeTiNa offers a structured yet flexible form of rhythmic learning, guiding participants through phases of disorientation and reorganization. This process supports the development of resilience, self-awareness, and emotional regulation.
In neurobiology, these experiences are described as states of increased coherence between heart, brain, and breath — ideal conditions for healing, learning, and integration. The active role of participants, combined with group dynamics, amplifies the effect. Rhythmic synchronization within the group creates a supportive field that fosters both safety and deep relaxation.
What Experts Say
“At its core, Reinhard Flatischler’s successful rhythmic pedagogy is based on accessing the only two rhythm systems in the human body that are consciously available: breathing and movement. The genius of TaKeTiNa lies in withdrawing precisely these two — which are usually subject to voluntary control — from that very control.
During the process, participants succeed in decoupling breath and movement from conscious control and reconnecting them to an inherent inner rhythm. This rhythm appears to positively influence the entire time-organized rhythmic system of the body. The synchrony that arises within the group further amplifies the effect on each individual.
Our measurements of heart rate variability (HRV) show a significant increase in vagotonic activity of the autonomic nervous system during the pauses between rhythmic pedagogical interventions.
It is worth noting that at the beginning of the 21st century, biomedical research has demonstrated on a molecular level that disease processes — particularly those occurring in destructive cascades — can only be interrupted during states of vagotonia. Likewise, the body’s own repair mechanisms — as confirmed down to the smallest molecular detail — take place exclusively during phases of increased vagal tone.
At the same time, conventional medicine acknowledges that medications can induce only limited levels of natural vagotonia. However, access to the autonomic nervous system — and thus the path to synchronizing the vegetative system — is indeed achievable through non-pharmacological methods such as Reinhard Flatischler’s rhythmic pedagogy.”
"We entered this experiment with the hope of finding medical evidence for the autonomic processes occurring during a TaKeTiNa session. However, the results far exceeded our expectations: in synchrony with the phases of the TaKeTiNa process — from feelings of safety through chaos phases to a newly reached rhythmic level — the HRV graph vividly reflects the parallel dynamics of the body's internal biorhythms.
A simultaneous video recording compellingly documents the unconscious reentry into rhythm after the phase of rhythmic 'departure' or 'chaos.' This reintegration into rhythm, achieved without conscious cognitive effort and on a higher level, coincides in the HRV graph with an immediate rhythmic reorganization of the autonomic nervous system.
The measurements clearly show that TaKeTiNa can repeatedly and predictably induce ideal states for the nervous system and bodily rhythms. I am convinced that TaKeTiNa will soon find its place on a broad scale in the field of medicine."
"We have been using TaKeTiNa as a rhythm-based therapy in our clinics successfully for 25 years. The experience of being carried by the foundational structures of rhythm within a group — of losing oneself, finding oneself again, and becoming more securely anchored within — is a fundamental and deeply enriching component of inpatient psychosomatic treatment.
Our clinical experience confirms that physical or psychological suffering often manifests in rigid, monotonous rhythmic expression or in rhythmic chaos. TaKeTiNa helps people move out of this rigidity and into a state of vibrant flexibility."
Medical and therapeutic projects
TaKeTiNa in Psychosomatics, Pain Medicine and Trauma Therapy
TaKeTiNa® in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
Frank Rihm has been dedicated for many years to the treatment of patients with structural ego disorders and complex trauma. He works both in the field of depth psychology-oriented psychotherapy and with nonverbal methods — particularly TaKeTiNa — which has allowed him to explore and study the similarities, differences, and complementary potentials of both therapeutic approaches.
TaKeTiNa® rhythmic therapy is not disorder-specific; it does not initially target isolated problems or diagnoses. Instead, it addresses the whole person. It invites individuals to directly and physically experience the archetypal elements and effects of rhythm within their own bodies.
Frank Rihm
Certified music therapist, TaKeTiNa teacher, overall head of creative therapy at the Heiligenfeld Clinics
Dr. med. Ali Behzad
Specialist in internal medicine, naturopathy, acupuncture University Hospital Erlangen
TaKeTiNa® for stem cell transplant patients
Dr. med. Ali Behzad and his team at the University Hospital Erlangen are currently investigating, among other things, the effects of TaKeTiNa music therapy on patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The study focuses on outcomes such as quality of life, depression, and immune response (clinical trial: NCT02976558). Preliminary results, presented at the European Congress for Integrative Medicine (ECIM) in 2018, are promising. They indicate improved quality of life and fewer acute graft-versus-host reactions in the treatment group — further evidence of the multi-layered impact of TaKeTiNa on both body and mind, and a confirmation of the increasingly recognized interconnection within the Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immune System (PNEIS).
TaKeTiNa® in Psychotherapy
The idea of defining health as a harmony between body and mind dates back to antiquity. It means placing equal value on feeling and action.
With Descartes’ famous dictum “I think, therefore I am,” an imbalance emerged in favor of rationality — one that continues to shape our lives today. Purely analytical understanding of problems alone is rarely sufficient to alleviate emotional suffering.
TaKeTiNa® rhythmic therapy is not disorder-specific; it does not focus on isolated symptoms or diagnoses. Instead, it addresses the whole person. It invites individuals to experience the archetypal elements and effects of rhythm directly and physically, engaging the body as a pathway to deeper integration and balance.
Dr. Ingrid Wagner
Specialist in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy
Univ. Prof. Dr. Karl Dantendorfer
Specialist in psychiatry and neurology | Chairman of Pro Mente, Vienna
TaKeTiNa® for people suffering from mental disorders
Early on, the positive health effects of working with TaKeTiNa became apparent. People suffering from psychosomatic conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias, asthma, or tinnitus suddenly experienced relief from their symptoms. This led to the development of initial projects in collaboration with doctors and scientists.
Numerous clinical studies and practical experiences confirm the positive effects of TaKeTiNa on the autonomic nervous system, heart rate variability (HRV), and the synchronization of biological rhythms. The method is increasingly used in psychosomatic clinics, rehabilitation centers, and coaching contexts, showing remarkable impact in stress regulation, pain therapy, burnout prevention, and trauma recovery.
Read more
“I recently had the opportunity to witness Reinhard Flatischler guiding a group of individuals suffering from severe psychological disorders through the TaKeTiNa® process. It became strikingly clear how positively the TaKeTiNa® method can impact participants.
Looking ahead, we are committed to making TaKeTiNa® more accessible to patients and to continuing our scientific exploration of its effects. Our research aims to examine both the subjective experiences of participants and objectively measurable data — including heart rate variability and cognitive parameters.”
TaKeTiNa® for people suffering from chronic disorders
People with chronic illnesses suffer from a wide range of consequences related to their condition and its accompanying phenomena. Perhaps the most significant consequence of a chronic illness is the loss of self-determination — the loss of the ability to exert a soothing or even healing influence on one’s own life.
This slowly creeping process, which can ultimately become symbolic of the complete loss of autonomy and inner motivation, represents one of the few phenomena for which conventional medicine has no real remedy.
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The ability — or in a broader sense, the art — of helping even chronically ill individuals without prescribing medications, medical devices, aids, or other interventions has been lost over the course of thousands of years of human evolution.
The medical consequences of this development are undeniable: despite increasingly powerful, targeted pharmaceuticals, ever more sensitive early detection methods, and highly advanced diagnostic technologies, chronic diseases — seemingly immune to all these innovations — continue to rise, especially in the industrialized nations of the Western world.
In parallel, our ability to influence our own healing diminishes steadily. Modern humans are becoming increasingly dependent on technocratic developments. Though the potential for self-regulation still lies dormant within, many have lost access to their natural inner resources — the very abilities that once empowered them to help themselves and others. The art of self-help, the capacity to activate and control autonomous inner processes, is slipping further and further beyond our conscious reach.
This dilemma is often ignored or denied by modern conventional medicine, because this very art is all too willingly sacrificed at the altar of medical progress and high-tech interventions.
If we define art — in its broadest sense — as any developed practice based on knowledge, experience, perception, imagination, and intuition, then we must also recognize the art of showing people new paths, opening doors, and developing perspectives with them — perspectives that lead them out of dependency and toward renewed self-determination — as one of the most vital human capacities.
And what a revelation it is to meet individuals who truly embody this gift: people who have not only relearned how to access their own inner abilities, but who are also able to awaken that potential in others.
TaKeTiNa is such a work of art — and its creator, Reinhard Flatischler, is such a unique artist.
Anyone who has witnessed — with open eyes and an open mind — what TaKeTiNa can evoke, who has been present when chronically ill individuals begin to rediscover hope, creativity, and new perspectives through rhythm, and ultimately regain the ability to act for themselves with independence and dignity, will recognize that TaKeTiNa is the result of a creative, visionary process — and that process is itself the true masterpiece.
Reinhard Flatischler deserves not only general gratitude for having created this profound work, but deep appreciation for having made it accessible to people around the world for over 40 years — against all odds.
What a revelation — in a healthcare system otherwise so often driven by economic constraints.
PD Dr. med. Michael A. Überall
Director of IFNAP - Institute for Neuroscience, Algesiology & Pediatrics, Nuremberg | IQUISP- Institute for Quality Assurance in Pain Therapy and Palliative Medicine, Nuremberg
Dr. med. Gerhard Müller-Schwefe
President “German Society for Pain Medicine e. V.”
TaKeTiNa® in Pain Treatment
Between February 1998 and October 1999, the project “TaKeTiNa in Pain Therapy,” initiated by the German Society for Pain Therapy (DGS), was carried out by Dr. Gerhard Müller-Schwefe at his day clinic in Göppingen.
In collaboration with Reinhard Flatischler and trained TaKeTiNa facilitators, encouraging results were observed: individuals who had previously relied on morphine to cope with their pain were able to significantly reduce their dosage. Many participants spoke of a new quality of life that TaKeTiNa had brought into their lives.
The study, which was supervised and documented by Dr. Gerhard Müller-Schwefe, highlighted the central role of emotional well-being in psychosomatic conditions.
The effect of TaKeTiNa on people with complex traumatization
TaKeTiNa® in Clinical Rhythm Therapy
TaKeTiNa as Rhythm-Based Therapy with Individuals Affected by Complex Trauma:
In a thesis conducted at the University of Leipzig, research explored how patients with trauma and severe psychological injuries can benefit from experiences involving rhythm, voice, and movement within a clinical group setting using the TaKeTiNa method.
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Abstract
In 2015, a qualitative study was conducted to examine the effects of TaKeTiNa within clinical rhythm therapy at a psychosomatic clinic.
Twelve patients with simple and complex trauma were interviewed after participating in a four-day intensive program combining the TaKeTiNa method with psychotherapeutic interventions. Three of these interviews were evaluated using exploratory and deep hermeneutic analysis.
The evaluation revealed that the primordial power of rhythm and communal experience can help even severely traumatized individuals reconnect with deeply buried qualities such as safety, trust, connection, relaxation, continuity, and belonging. Emotional patterns, activated schemas, and traumatic memories triggered during the process of rhythmic chaos and challenge were able to be contained and integrated thanks to the simultaneous experience of present-moment awareness and the stabilizing elements inherent to the TaKeTiNa method.
Participants described the emergence of new, nourishing experiences with themselves and others, which supported their psychotherapeutic and personal development processes. They reported increasing self-confidence, a reduction in inner self-critical voices, greater self-acceptance and tolerance of mistakes, enhanced stability and inner strength, and deep states of relaxation accompanied by resourceful, often archetypal inner imagery.
Especially impactful was the fact that these experiences occurred within a group — among people previously perceived as threatening — allowing participants to build trust, experience soothing and release, and feel safe in interpersonal contact.
The TaKeTiNa rhythmic therapy setting offered a space for experience and experimentation. By cultivating qualities such as safety, trust, and connection, it provided structure (strengthening ego capacities), while also allowing repressed and bodily stored traumatic memories to surface. Through the archetypal rhythmic field, emotional patterns, learned conditioning, or suppressed inner images became visible. These were simultaneously contained by the stabilizing and connecting aspects of the group process, allowing for integration.
The shared rhythmic field facilitated autonomous experiences, while also enabling collective moments of growth and connection. Participants discovered new avenues for emotional regulation and relaxation. States of presence were reported that helped individuals emerge from chronically dissociated conditions and reconnect with a felt sense of stability and grounding. Moreover, the inner images and memories evoked during the sessions were experienced as empowering and healing resources, even beyond the therapy setting.
Patients with complex trauma represent a particularly sensitive population in psychotherapeutic work due to the severity and early onset of their attachment-related injuries. The effects are often seen in their relationship to the self (e.g., self-perception, affect and impulse dysregulation, emotional flooding, disconnection from bodily experience, shifts in consciousness and attention, and physical pain symptoms), as well as in their relationship to others and the world (e.g., mistrust, fear, isolation, alienation, and lack of belonging).
The interviews demonstrated that the therapeutically supported TaKeTiNa rhythm process was experienced as a safe and protected space where healing could take place. Participants described the process as helpful and transformative, both personally and in relation to their symptoms. A comparison with current trauma theory literature confirmed that the elements, mechanisms, and conditions of the TaKeTiNa setting reflect many key principles recommended by trauma researchers and therapists.
Quotes from Participants:
“When it comes to trauma… it goes back into feeling. That it’s allowed to be there. That life continues. Continuously. Also through these movements. And these steps, and this tone… And the drum. That it’s just there — that everything is allowed to be.” — Ms. F.
“…Parts of myself that had been dormant, or that I had lost contact with — like adulthood, uprightness, inner strength. Then I thought: Whoaaah.” — Ms. A.
“That you learn to accept yourself just the way you are. And… not the way others expect you to be.” — Ms. M.
M.Sc. Psych. Carolin Stede
University of Leipzig
M.Sc. Psych. Devina Galuska
Effects of clinical TaKeTiNa rhythm therapy on self-esteem
TaKeTiNa® in Clinical Rhythm Therapy
In TaKeTiNa rhythm therapy, individuals often report feelings of being held, of inner order, and of “coming home.” The space created through shared rhythm allows for experiences of trust, self-efficacy, and an improved sense of embodiment. In psychotherapeutic settings, TaKeTiNa is used transdiagnostically and is particularly intended to provide stability for patients with weak structural integration.
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Effects of Clinical TaKeTiNa Rhythm Therapy on Self-Esteem
In TaKeTiNa rhythm therapy, individuals frequently report feelings of being held and supported, of inner order, and of “coming home.” The space created through shared rhythm allows for experiences of trust, self-efficacy, and enhanced body awareness. In psychotherapeutic settings, TaKeTiNa is applied transdiagnostically and is particularly intended to provide stabilization for patients with low structural integration.
One psychological factor that plays a role in almost all mental disorders is self-esteem. According to Asendorpf (2007), self-esteem is defined as “the subjective evaluation of one’s own personality, the satisfaction with oneself.” Positive self-regard is considered an important health resource and a protective factor against life challenges. Both therapists and patients often view the strengthening of self-esteem as a key therapeutic goal, or even as a potential cause of psychological distress (Ambühl & Orlinsky, 1999; Faller & Goßler, 1998).
This master’s thesis aimed to explore the effects of TaKeTiNa rhythm therapy, applied across various disorders, on the transdiagnostically relevant construct of self-esteem.
Study 1: Short-Term Effects
The first study investigated the short-term effects of a single rhythm therapy session on self-esteem, comparing it with other creative therapy approaches. Rhythm therapy led to a clear improvement in self-esteem, although not significantly greater than that of other creative therapies. All interventions tested were able to significantly enhance participants’ self-esteem.
Study 2: Long-Term Effects in Inpatient Treatment
The second study assessed self-esteem levels at the beginning and end of an inpatient treatment program. Patients who participated in rhythm therapy during their stay showed a greater increase in self-esteem compared to those who did not participate in the rhythm group.
Interpretation and Therapeutic Implications
The results of both studies suggest that the effectiveness of rhythm therapy on self-esteem increases over time. While a single session already produced notable improvements, greater changes were observed over the course of multiple sessions. These findings align with the process model described by Stede (2015), which suggests that TaKeTiNa rhythm therapy does not follow a linear path. Instead, patients may experience setbacks, during which painful memories are activated or they are confronted with stress and inner conflict.
However, through repeated experiences of safety and trust, improved emotional regulation, and a deeper connection to the body, significant transformations can occur — including measurable increases in self-esteem.
The studies confirm that rhythm therapy is a process-oriented approach that requires time in order to unfold its full potential.