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Background and question: Eurythmy Therapy (EYT) is a movement-orientated Mind-Body intervention within Anthroposophic Medicine. EYT is applied to treat various medical and psychological conditions. Exercises in the therapeutic process are generally chosen from a traditional catalogue. In addition, the exercises can also be selected spontaneously and according to intuition. Intuition (lat.) means sensing, quick insight, realization without conscious deduction or conclusions. By postulating “the proper therapy is found by intuition” Joop van Damme refers to Steiner’s idea that a doctor or therapist becomes truly capable of therapy through intuition. So far, we don’t know, which role intuition-based decisions play in the field of EYT-interventions; how often and with which result do they take place?

Material and methods: Over a period of five months 11 therapists documented their work on 41 patients with the EDET-documentation-instrument. Documented were applied exercises and their effect on the patients. We also asked to describe exercises chosen by intuition and to evaluate that decision.

Results: Intuitions for therapeutic decisions were stated in the treatment protocol in 15 cases. In total, a decision based on intuition was reported 58 times. 36 times the decision had proved to be correct from the therapist’s point of view (62%). The therapists either described the effect in a differentiated way, e.g. “Felt deeply rooted afterwards” or “She was able to hold her center better” or they commented with “good” or “yes”. 22 times there was no further description. Those decisions were made between 7 and 1 time per case. The information on positive confirmation varies to the same extent.

Discussion and conclusion: Intuition does play a greater role in the EYT-treatment process. However, the presented data doesn’t draw a detailed picture; we don’t know yet, how intuition is built and if there may be varying approaches/definitions of intuition in EYT-processes. As a next step, a colloquium with experts in EYT is held.