Susana Bloch

Susana Bloch Arendt is a German Chilean research psychologist whose focus is in neurophysiology and psychophysiology. She is known for creating Alba Emoting, a psychophysiological technique that allows an individual to learn to consciously induce, express and modulate basic emotions using the body and particular breathing patterns.
Early life and education.
Susana Bloch was born in Berlin, Germany, and emigrated with her family to Chile in her early childhood. She studied at the University of Chile in Santiago, where she graduated with teaching degrees in English and Psychology. She then pursued graduate studies at Harvard University and Boston University.
Research and career.
Bloch began her career as Visiting Professor in Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience applied to the study of animals at Harvard and Boston Universities, and the University of São Paulo.
She went on to become Professor of Neurophysiology at the Department of Psychology, and Research Associate at the Department of Physiology at the University of Chile. It was there she and neurophysiologist colleague Guy Santibáñez-H, with drama professor and director Pedro Orthous began physiological research experiments in human emotions. It was this collaboration which led to Bloch's discovery of "Emotional Effector Patterns." They named their work the "BOS Method" (after their surname initials). Their collaboration ended after the Chilean coup d'état on September 11, 1973 caused the three to go separate ways. 
In 1974, Bloch became Director of Research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Paris, France, and created her laboratory at the Pierre and Marie Curie University where she worked for 23 years.
In her ongoing research in the psychophysiology of human emotions, Bloch reworked and refined the BOS Method. While working with filmmaker and writer Pedro Sándor, they renamed it Alba Emoting™. The choice of name evolved after using the method while working on Lorca's "The House of Bernarda Alba". "Alba" in Spanish means both "dawn" and "white" in which Bloch says the ideas of "aurora" and "purity" are reflected. The choice of "Emoting" from the English verb "to emote," Bloch arrived at together with an American colleague. The refined method and collaboration with Sándor enabled Bloch to bring her discoveries beyond science and academia, and into the theater.
Bloch eventually returned to Chile, where she continues to devote her time to teaching, developing new practical applications in various areas and internationally, and writing about her work.
Alba Emoting.
The Alba Emoting method allows anyone to induce, express and modulate basic emotions from body patterns, especially respiratory.
In Alba Emoting there are six basic emotions from which all others derive: sadness, joy, anger, fear, sexuality, and tenderness. Alba Emoting "offers us the means to recognize them accurately, without confusion, and to express them genuinely, just as children do," Bloch explains in her book, "The Alba of Emotions." 
Each basic emotion--as well as emotional neutrality--has its own unique and identifiable set of bodily responses which are universal to all humans. Bloch calls these responses "Emotional Effector Patterns."
By reproducing three aspects of these patterns--breathing, posture, and facial expression--a person can experience and express genuine, organic emotion at will, without the use of memory or images.
Through the use of the seventh pattern, called a "Step-Out," an individual can leave any emotion just as easily and return to neutral psychophysical calm. The ability to return to emotional neutrality is considered central to the Alba Emoting technique, in order to practice safe emotional work.
By 1995, Bloch had certified the earliest Alba Emoting trainers to teach independently. She organized the training into six levels. Levels 1 (Self-Use/Practitioner) and 2 (Teaching Apprentice) as student level; while levels 3, 4, 5, and 6 graduate to certified teaching levels. Certified instruction by Bloch grew organically, then organized as the group, Alba Emoting North America; it is currently offered by the Alba Method Association.
Alba Emoting and actors.
Alba Emoting has been primarily a tool for actors and directors, introduced through private lessons, theater workshops, and becoming part of the applied skills curriculum for some drama teachers. For them it is a purely physical alternative to emotion memory and other psychological techniques for releasing, maintaining, and controlling emotional states on stage.
Professionals who practice Alba Emoting in their work include Australian actress Louise Siversen, and Illinois Wesleyan University theater professor and director, Nancy Loitz, who is now a certified Master Teacher after taking training with Bloch.
Bloch shares in her 2017 book, "Alba Emoting: A Scientific Method for Emotional Induction" that, beyond its use in the fields of science, theater, film, and visual arts, "there is a large new world open for exploration" in other possible applications of the Alba Emoting method; and, in the subsection "Opening to Other Domains of Action," gives examples of how it might be used in publicity, organizational development, and psychotherapy.
Computer graphics animators already recognise that acting skills can enhance emotional states and responses in their animations. In those crossover studies, some texts teach animators to combine understanding of Alba Emoting with the likes of Bioenergetic analysis, essences, Laban Effort Shapes, classic training in voice-over acting, lip sync, foundations of Commedia dell'arte, and Michael Chekhov and Konstantin Stanislavski methods.
Published works.
Journal articles.
Bloch is the author of more than 100 scientific publications on topics such as visual perception, the role of the cerebral cortex in learning, and psychophysiology of human emotions. Articles include:
Books.
Books authored by Bloch include: