About
Functional Analysis
Somatic Psychotherapy
Functional Analysis is the meeting place between psyche and soma.
The body and mind always work together – in both health and in illness.
Through focusing words, we guide the cognition to a deeper consciousness to enter into a clear experience of one’s self. We then use this self to self relationship as the basis upon which to build all our other relationships.
Somatically, we do the same. By gentle touch, we mobilise the bio-energetic properties of the connective tissue bringing the person deep within to meet himself, his essential endo self, and then, with this secure knowledge, he can move safely out to the world again.
In Functional Analysis, through both touch and words, we contact and explore that profound center in each of us where all our emotions, thoughts, movements and dreams flow together and from which all our life experiences spring.
The founders of Functional Analysis Somatic Psychotherapy
Will Davis
Will Davis is an American body-psychotherapist with more that 45 years’ experience in the field. He is a psychologist and was trained by Charles Kelley in neo-reichian Radix work. He trained in Encounter groups, Gestalt Therapy and in various healing methods. In the past 35 years, he has been offering trainings in America Japan and all over Europe.
Will developed Functional Analysis based on understanding the functioning of the life force. His interest is in the functional approach to therapy, which he interprets as the meeting place between Reich’s energy concepts and recent research in biology and physics, with a focus on the energetic qualities of connective tissue.
He is considered one of the major researchers in the fields of the functioning of the instroke and of the plasmatic origins of early disturbances.
He developed the gentle release technique of Points&Positions and combines that with a unique synthesis of verbal therapy.
He published innumerous articles in book form as well as in various professional journals, most notably in “Energy and Character”.
He is a member of: the International Advisory Board for the Journal of Energy and Character, the Advisory Board of the International Journal of Body Psychotherapy, the Scientific Committee of the Italian Society of Psychologists and Psychiatrists, the European Association of Body Psychotherapy .
“Will Davis, the founder of Functional Analysis Body Psychotherapy, challenges many assumptions within the Neo-Reichian movement, in particular the over-emphasis on too much cathartic discharge and induced emotional release. Davis described the polarities within the natural energetic pulsation within the organism, and has developed the deeply sensitive concept and practice of working with the “instroke”. This leads to a healing contact with quiet inner rhythms of the embodied self and to organic processes of self-recognition and self-valuation. Together with his wife, Lilly, Will has developed an important understanding of the flow of energy through the connective tissues of the body. This is a significant contribution to psychotherapy in general and forms a bridge between subjective experience and objective anatomy” (David Boadella)
Lilly Davis
Lilly Davis is a body-oriented psychotherapist. Since 1984 she works in her private practice in different European countries. From 1985 until 1994 she worked as a Trainer and Supervisor for Charles Kelley, The Radix Institute, Ojai California. Now she works as Trainer and Supervisor for the Institute of Functional Analysis. Her particular interest is consciousness and the psychosomatic process. She also teaches within a DIU “L’approche psychosomatique dans le soin” at the University of Montpellier. She is a state approved psychotherapist ( N° Adeli), a member of the EABP, ECP- holder and membre de la Federation Francaises des Psychothérapeutes et Psychanalystes. She lives in an old farmhouse in the countryside, where she brought up their two children with her husband Will.
About Functional Analysis Somatic Psychotherapy Australia
We are a not for profit association established in 2020 by Ermanno Bergami and Maria Sangiorgi, two Melbourne based Functional Analysis Certified Psychotherapists trained in Europe
Australia Practioners
Ermanno Bergami
Ermanno Bergami is a Clinical registered Body Psychotherapist, an Accredited Supervisor with PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia) and a fully certified Functional Analyst Psychotherapist.
Ermanno was born in Italy and has a Master degree in Human Sciences. He was trained in England in Group Therapy and Body-centered Psychotherapies, the work originated by Wilhelm Reich. He also completed his training in Functional Analysis, a contemporary Reichian body-psychotherapy approach.
Ermanno has lived and worked in various countries and continents . He started his private practice In London over 40 years ago. He worked in UK, Holland, Germany, Portugal, Italy and Australia.
He has lead thousands of therapy group workshops for individuals, team leaders and organisations. He has devoted many years of his professional life working with complex traumas and in particular the relationship between traumas and addiction.
Together with colleagues he has contributed to develop a new structured approach in Group Supervision called “Intervision” with a particular focus on burn-out and compassion-fatigue. He is the founder of Australasian Intervision and of The Australian Institute of Functional Analysis.
He remains passionate about researching and studying the relationship between anatomy physiology and psyche, the energy medicine and the consciousness.
Maria Sangiorgi
Maria Sangiorgi is a Functional Analysis Somatic Psychotherapist and Dance Movement Therapist with extensive experience in body-oriented psychotherapy and trauma healing. Trained in Italy in Functional Analysis and a graduate of the International Dance Therapy Institute of Australia, Maria integrates deep inner work with somatic awareness to help clients resolve trauma, addictions, anxiety, and relational difficulties.
In her private practice in Hampton, she works with individuals, couples, and groups, including those with special needs. Her approach supports clients to move away from limiting adaptive patterns and towards clarity, compassion, and authentic connection.
She has many years’ experience working with people living with physical and intellectual disabilities.
She also offers day retreats, workshops, and online sessions, extending her work to international settings in Italy, Japan, and Bali.
She is a co-founder of Australian Intervision Supervision.
Her background in somatic movement and dance continues to inform her therapeutic presence, bringing creativity, embodiment, and depth to the psychotherapeutic process.
International Trainer
Anna Comacchio
Psychologist–Psychotherapist, Transactional Analyst, Functional Analyst.
She lives in Vicenza, Italy, where she works in her private practice.
Since 2004, she has been teaching at IUSVE University in Venice, where she leads a laboratory on Clinical Counselling and a laboratory on working with emotions.
She has had the pleasure of co-teaching a course and a laboratory with W. Davis on Functional Analysis.
She teaches FA at the Aetos Psychotherapy School in Venice, where she is also involved in psychotherapy and supervision activities.
She has been working with Will Davis since 2006 as a translator, teacher, and supervisor, as well as in the organisation of Functional Analysis trainings in Europe.
Our Purpose
To bring a much sought-after body-oriented approaches to Australia, fulfilling the growing need of linking together anatomy and psychotherapy, physical and talking therapies
To provide health professionals with skills and working knowledge in Body based/Somatic practices through research studies, workshops, seminars, professional development courses and full training programs.
To help practitioners enhancing their therapeutic interventions, bringing back to psychotherapy the lost language of touch in a safe and ethical practice.
To collaborate with other associations and institutes that are interested in contributing to further knowledge in the growing field of somatic psychotherapy.