Diane Boyden Pesso, (1929 - 2016) - ForeverMissed.com Online Memorials

Have compassion for all, even the tiniest
life forms on the planet & seek out and celebrate (not fear) differences among people.

86 years old
Born on August 8, 1929 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Passed away on March 4, 2016 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States

This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Diane Pesso, 86, born on August 8, 1929 and passed away on March 4, 2016. We will remember her forever.

We will arrange a memorial service for sometime later in the year and will post the date and place when our plans firm up.

Diane Boyden Pesso, beloved wife of Albert Pesso and daughter of Martha L. Birchby and F. Wendell Boyden died of ALZ on Mar. 4, 2016 in Chestnut Hill, MA. Born Aug. 8, 1929 she leaves her husband, 3 daughters, Tana Pesso, Tasmin Pesso, and Tia Pesso Powell, and 4 grandchildren, Chris F. Edley III, Kyra Chu Pesso, Jono Pesso Chu, and Xoren Pesso Powell.

With her powerful intellect, compassion, and fiercely independent and creative mind she along with her husband created Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor (an interactive process that creates new body-based memories to heal emotional deficits of the past) in the early 1960's.

Diane began her career in the field of dance. As a young woman, she studied under the legendary modern choreographer, Jose Limon, and was a favorite of the renowned Creative Movement pioneer and teacher, Barbara Metler. In high school she ran her own dance studio. Winning numerous scholarships, she continued her dance education at Bennington College under Martha Hill, founder of Julliard's dance department.

Diane went on to teach dance at Wheaton, Emerson, and Boston University's Sargent colleges. In the 1950's she and her husband established a dance school in Quincy with 500 students which taught primarily modern dance, creative movement, and choreography to children and teenagers.

She was a PBSP therapist at McLean Hospital, the Director of Psychomotor Therapy at the New England Rehab Hospital (now Spaulding Rehabilitation) Pain Unit, had a private PBSP practice, and as Vice President of the Psychomotor Institute trained psychotherapists in PBSP certification programs in America and Europe.

In addition, as a dedicated utopian thinker Diane was years ahead of her time in her attempts in the late 1960's to create a multi age, race, creed, and income community that would have conserved land and have offered shared space for education, art, cooking, and other community activities.

A free spirit with a deeply compassionate wish to heal all the wounds of the world, Diane will be deeply missed by friends and family who remain inspired by her life's work and unique soul.

A memorial service will be held in late Spring.

Anyone kindly wishing to make a donation in Diane's memory and honor may do so here: http://gogetfunding.com/support-for-al-pessos-medical-recovery-expenses/

Tributes

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March 5

Dear Diane,
last week I started a new training group. I taught the exercises and, as always, emphasized your central contributions. Your achievements continue to live on and improve so many lives!
Love, Barbara

March 6, 2023

Dear Diane, on your anniversary I am thinking of you with appreciation and gratitude.
In my trainings I keep mentioning your major contributions to PBSP. And my fascination is lasting, even growing about the information you gave us in the US Trainers' Training: That you explored the sponaneous Emotional Movement in reaction to the Expression of neediness before you trusted its "genuineness" enough to offer it via Ideal Parents. That was so visionary and in fact reoccurred much later in Al's conceptualization of Holes in Roles.
The true self contains the impulses both of receiving (in basic needs), and giving (after full maturation), and both contribute to the realization of uniqueness and potentiality. Maybe it comes with my own age, but my focus on that is growing - for myself and a portion of my clients and trainees.
May PBSP with its wealth of understanding of the human nature be able to maintain its momentum and contribute to the well-being of so many human beings!

March 4, 2021

Thinking of you with gratitude and love

March 4, 2020

Always Remembering to Remember! How time flies fast! Love to the PBSP family who will remember you well!

March 4, 2020

This is Laurie Kahalas, Daniel Kahalas' wife. My beloved Danny passed over a year back. I never met the Pesso's, but Danny knew them in his youth and often spoke of them fondly and gratefully. God bless.

August 30, 2019

You would be 90 now...
We will be celebrating your and Al's birthdays at the International PBSP Conference in Prague.
I am thinking of you often, being in the process of preparing my lecture on the development of Psychomotor Therapy. And I'm again just in awe how far sighted your work was. It is fresh and fascinating as ever, and science is only just catching up with where you started.
Your work and your values live on!

August 8, 2019

I am empowered daily in my work with others by your wisdom. Thank you for your gift. Blessings on you and your family.

August 8, 2018

Dear Diane, I am thinking of you on your birthday.
The essence of your discoveries lives on.
Blessings from countless clients who found deep healing!

March 4, 2018

After 3 decades, I appreciate the genius of your work with Ideal figures. I was referring a colleague yesterday to the Holes In Roles article on the PBSP website.

August 8, 2017

Diane, Fondly remembering your dynamic presence in NH, where you nurtured our spirits as we worked hard on our awareness.

August 8, 2017

Diane,
Today would have been your 88th birthday. We who loved you and Al stand with you both from around the world. We celebrate so many gifts that your work together through PBSP continually allows us to give to each other.
Much love to all on this special day.

March 4, 2017

May 6, 2017 the newly-formed US Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor Association will be having a day of PBSP workshops in Minneapolis and at 4PM a remembrance and celebration of the lives of Diane and Al Pesso and Lowijs Perquin. For information go to https//:pbspamericaconnect.org.

January 7, 2017

Dear Diane,
I never had the privilege to meet you but was lucky to benefit from the method you and Al developed for the benefit of many people around the world. It is inspiring to see how the next generation of therapists is carrying on and spreading the goodness that comes through this work in their home countries.
May the merit you have accumulated in this life lead you to happiness and fulfillment in lives to come!

August 8, 2016

I honour Diane for her contribution to PBSP. The work with Ideal Parents came from her. She always has wanted that PBSP would contribute to the society, bringing it to schools and families. For her leading a structure was: supporting the client to lead her own structure.

August 8, 2016

Happy Birthday. Hope you are having a wonderful party (with Al now too) to celebrate. My love. Rose

August 8, 2016

Thinking of all the wonderful times at Strolling Woods and in Boston! Healing thoughts and warm arms around all the family members at this time. Marina

May 15, 2016

I worked for Dianne and Al in the late 70's and early 80's-We had so much learning to do and Diane was our mentor-We were not college educated-we were world educated office helpers that cooked, shopped, kept books and listened when Diane needed to share her enthusiastic plans for Strolling woods i FRankli. Years would pass-I would see diane in the public and it was as if I saw her that morning-we'd talk and catch up. Friendly-Outgoing-knowledgeable-all lead up to the name DIANE PESSO. You will be missed Diane. I did not know you had passed until your name was brought up while talking to my MA cousin and she told me-Googled and here you are. God Bless and R.I.P. Lilly Cote

March 28, 2016

My Dear Al. When I heard of Diane's passing it was a very tough day for me. I had worked with you and Diane for many years, starting when you were in NH on the lake and continuing on to today. Diane and I worked together in New Hampshire every month to keep the accounting records up-to-date and accurate. Diane was a great person, a wonderful wife and a good friend. When she started with ALZ, it broke my heart. I know you will miss her terribly. When you lose a spouse, especially after being married for a long time, it is a very difficult situation to find yourself in. Just remember, there are a lot of people out there who love you and support you.....your children, your grandchildren, your friends, your colleagues. Diane, you are now at peace. Whisper in God's ear to help your family get through this time. He will listen to you because of the wonderful and precious life you led here on earth. My love to all the family.

March 15, 2016

Dear Al within your family,
it makes me sadly touched and a little bit shy, realizing that Diane was going away from this world - even when she stayes in our mind,
because she was such a wonderful and helpfull person, not only in and for PBSP. Shy because I did not took the opportunity to meet Diane and to get to know her. Now I am very glad and full of respekt seeing all these marvelous pictures out of her and your life! I feel once more your deep connection and loyalty to one another, your power and dance in your life....
Best wishes to you and your health, Katharina Taeger from Freiburg

March 15, 2016

Dear Al, thank you so much for telling us of the treasures of your wife in our PBSP-seminars. I am thankfully giving good bye to her transitus. And I am in spirit on your side hoping that the sadness grows into loving connection with her.
Diane - Al´s wife! We owe the the ideal-parents-idea, the heart of the therapie, I think.
We got to know and love it!
In this commemoration we are connected-
like a world-wide PBSP- group.

A diamant of therapy - a Diane- Diamant!

Anne Polchau

March 14, 2016

During our 25 annual weekends with Al and our South Carolina training group, I was continually aware of Diane’s presence at Strolling Woods. It’s how Al’s eyes would light up when mentioning her and how from their creative life for 60 years has emerged this vibrant tool called PBSP which would enable me to slay so many dragons.

March 14, 2016

Dear Al and your beloved family,
Last Saturday we, in the Netherlands had our annual meeting and Diane was remembered with a beautiful moment of silence. It was mentioned that Diane was the creator of the "Ideal Parents". Unfortunately I only met Diane at the last Congress, in Bergen, when she was already quite ill. I do understand though, through all I have heard, how great her importance was and is for all of us therapists and clients, living on in all the structures we have seen or have had. Dear Al I hope you will find some strength in the time ahead to deal with your sorrow. Ineke

March 14, 2016

Dear Al, I have been thinking of you so much these days. I never met Diane other than through your gorgeous descriptions of her and tender loving references and stories about her and your life together. I love how your eyes twinkle when you speak of her. You are always so adamant that her name not be dropped when referring to the method and speak of her always with such pride and love. Her memory will live on in the wonderful PBSP which you together created and which we are the lucky benefactors of. I am so glad you found each other. warm wishes Kate

March 14, 2016

Dearest Al:

I have been out of touch with you, but not the work, which, I think is knitted in my bones. So, I just learned about Diane's passing. My heart goes out to you and your family. I hope your grief is not too hard on you.
Diane had lovely things to say to me. I remember once she helped me to be less tentative. I don't remember what it was about exactly but the overall impact was that I felt stronger.

Much love to you, Al.

Eli Dan

March 14, 2016

Dear Al and family,
I met Diane during my PBSP training in Basel in the midst of the 1990s, when she trained us in using the PBSP exercises. I remember very well her lovely outspreading, vivid energy, her tremendous care in teaching us very detailed the application of the exercises and how she gave us a deep sense of the meaning of the exercises within the Pesso-Boyden-System. Most of all in my perception Diane was present in every workshop with you, Al. It touched me every time when I felt your affectionate love for your wife, your strong connection to each other, your loyality towards her and your constant emphasize on her invaluable contributions to your wonderful work. With great compassion I am with you in these days and I wish you loving and caring company beside you.
With love, Sybille

March 13, 2016

I have prayed a silent prayer for dear Diane every day since she passed. I was so glad to see her when I was last in Boston just a few years ago. I told her how much gratitude I had for what she taught me an mow much i loved her. I thought she was lucid in that moment and took in my gratitude and love. She will always be in my heart. I send my deepest sympathy and condolences to you, Al, and your children and grandchildren

March 13, 2016

I remember Diana particularly in relation to a warm exchange we had looking at the book: "Living Treasures of Japan", shared both because of the visual sensibilities manifest in her home and and out of a sense of Diana and Al as Living Treasures of the United States. These tributes give me greater knowledge and appreciation. Thank you.

March 11, 2016

Diane Boyden Pesso, beloved wife of Albert Pesso and daughter of Martha L. Birchby and F. Wendell Boyden, died of ALZ on March 4, 2016 in Chestnut Hill, MA. Born August 8,1929 she leaves her husband, 3 daughters, Tana Pesso, Tasmin Pesso, and Tia Pesso Powell and 4 grandchildren, Chris F. Edley III, Kyra Chu Pesso, Jono Pesso Chu, and Xoren Pesso Powell.

With her powerful intellect, compassion, and fiercely independent and creative mind she along with her husband created Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor (an interactive process that creates new body-based memories to heal emotional deficits of the past) in the early 1960's.

Diane began her career in the field of dance. As a young woman, she studied under the legendary modern choreographer, Jose Limon, and was a favorite of the renowned Creative Movement pioneer and teacher, Barbara Metler. In high school she ran her own dance studio. Winning numerous scholarships, she continued her dance education at Bennington College under Martha Hill, founder of Julliard's dance department.

Diane went on to teach dance at Wheaton, Emerson, and BU's Sargent colleges. In the 1950's she and her husband established a dance school in Quincy with 500 students which taught primarily modern dance, creative movement, and choreography to children and teenagers.

She was a PBSP therapist at McLean Hospital, the Director of Psychomotor Therapy at the New England Rehab Hospital (now Spaulding Rehabilitation) Pain Unit, had a private PBSP practice, and as Vice President of the Psychomotor Institute trained psychotherapists in PBSP certification programs in America and Europe.

In addition, as a dedicated utopian thinker Diane was years ahead of her time in her attempts in the late 1960's to create a multi age, race, creed, and income community that would have conserved land and have offered shared space for education, art, cooking, and other community activities.

A free spirit with a deeply compassionate wish to heal all the wounds of the world, Diane will be deeply missed by friends and family who remain inspired by her life's work and unique soul.

There will be a memorial service in late Spring.

March 11, 2016

My Dear Al, My thoughts are with you so much at this time. I remember Dianne so fondly and especially I remember how the love between the two of you was so clear and bright. I hope that you know how much we love and care for you and we will hold you and your family in our hearts. With Love, Jemme

March 11, 2016

Dear Al,
Our hearts go out to you and your family. We carry you with us always.
                   Love,
                Terry & Alice Berkson
               & children Elizabeth & Jonathan

March 10, 2016

Diane always made me feel welcomed, supported and nurtured at Strolling Woods. She paid great attention to detail and made me always feel I had a place in her heart. As s teacher, I will always keep with me the amazing inventiveness of the exercises she led and the absolute joy and relief she exuded when ideal parents were truly ideal parenting. It was always evident that she and Al were a devoted couple. PBSP, and psychotherapy itself, have been enriched by her presence and her contributions.

March 9, 2016

Condolences to the family, especially Albert and Tana who I remember fondly. I was a neighbor of Diane's in the 50's in Wollaston ma. I was in what was probably her first dance class. When I didn't show up the 2nd year, she called my mother to find out why. When told we couldn't afford it, Diane said. "You send her right over. The money isn't important - only that she is getting something out of it." So I was able to continue my lessons with this very modern woman who helped shape my childhood.

March 9, 2016

Diane, when I heard the news about you a few days ago I was in Jamaica. I saw a big star shining up in the dark sky, which reminded me of you. Although I have never met you in person I feel the presence of your life energy in Al's youthful smile when he talked about you, twinkling eyes with pride, and the deepest respect and admiration to you. I believe you are momentarily departed physically but your love to Al, your marvelous daughters, and to all the people you helped and inspired will be forever cherished in everyone's heart!
Dear Al, my husband and I are sending you and your family our hearts full of loving-kindness from Korea. (We just arrived home a few hours ago.)

March 9, 2016

Dear Al,
I've never met Diane personally, but I remember well how fondly you spoke of her in our training in Munich and how important it is to you that PBSP is not only named after you, but her as well.
All the best to you and your family,
Florian

March 8, 2016

Dear Al!
I would like to offer you my condolences. You brought Diana to every training you gave us, you had her at your side as wife and partner in work and introduced her to us that way. This for me was impressing and important and will never be lost from my mind.
With love from Renate

March 8, 2016

Dear Al and family,
we share your sorrow and grief for that unique woman, who developped with you together such a wonderful way to help people in all the world to become whole again. She dedicated her life and energy to make this world a better place.
Our thoughts are with you, while you -and all of us- have to say good-bye to Diane. Her bright spirit will live through the work with our clients and thus will last forever in our world.

The board of the PVDS/PVSD, Germany, in behalf of all the members

March 8, 2016

Many many years ago, probably 1969, Diane was driving Tana and me (Tana and I were teenagers) back to Boston from New York, where we'd been seeing friends and she'd been visiting Pesso relatives somewhere on Long Island (this is, at least, how I remember it). She was telling us about how when Al's father came to visit them he'd bring a suitcase full of food, particularly chickens. I'll never forget how we stopped at a Howard Johnson's and were laughing till we cried at the thought of the suitcase full of chickens.

March 8, 2016

My deepest condoleance to you Al, and your family.
I remember our wonderfull experiënces in Eelde in the early eithies in our traininggroup. You as a couple, dancers, focus on the body and the movement, so missing in our verbal therapies. Also as father and mother of your wonderfull 4th child: PBSP. I loved the exercises of Diana, and later on, I more and more appreciated the sometimes underestimated relevance off it. I keep here with me in my heart!

March 8, 2016

Dear Al, Tana, Tasmin and Tia,
Your mother was a light for us all, in her great contributions to PBSP. We have an expression in Dutch - I do not now if it exists in English - that is: "he carried her on his hands", meaning: he held her in great esteem, usually said of husbands about their wife. That is how I remember Al talking about Diane: carrying her on his hands - probably also literally, when you were younger. Well, Al, we all carry you both on our hands. And let us hope that Diana's heartfelt celebration of diversity will have a lasting impact on our woeful times. Please accept my deep condolences. Marietta van Attekum.

March 8, 2016

Dear Al,
I`d like to give you my hand and a warm hugh.
I give you my compassion. I`m sad.
What at a luck, that Diane had been born.
Mona from Freiburg"

March 7, 2016

Minute’s silence for Diane Boyden Pesso
When Diane quietly stopped breathing, we lost one of the two founders of PBSP. With her energy, her vivid, creative and independent mind and awareness of body movement and body expression, she presented us with many contributions to PBSP, f.e. the ideal parent exercise, which is right in the core of PBSP.
With her artistic creative mind, she was more fascinated about people’s potentialities to grow than in medical concepts of illness and healing. Her vision about PBSP was broader than psychotherapeutic. She was the mother of the method and stayed firmly with the fundamentals of PBSP as a contribution for the development of humanity in individuals and society. She also saw children and parents, schools and other family institutions as recipients of PBSP.
Let us honour her in a minute’s silence around the planet, in all countries and on all continents, which PBSP had reached in deep sympathy with Al, the daughters Tana, Tasmin and Tia, their partners and the grandchildren.
Michael Bachg

March 7, 2016

I have been deeply hurt by the death of Diane and I would like to offer my condolences to Al and the family. - Regrettably I did not have the possibility to meet Diane in person. But when Al gave us lectures, he praised Diane’s substantial contribution on the development of PBSP. I highly respect the big treasure both of them brought into the world. Thanks to Diane and Al and PBSP there are more rays of sunshine in my life. – I am very touched by the photos of both: They are dancing with one foot on the earth and with one foot in heaven. For me it is a metaphor of their work. - My thoughts are with you. ♥

March 7, 2016

My very dear greetings and compassion I send to Al and all the family. And I light my candle also to wish Diane a blissful further journey. Although I never met Diane physically, her presence was always here when Al (or PBSP) was around. She was a part of all the workshops and her energy could be felt in the techniques, the atmosphere and beeing deeply connected with Al. The energy of love was so strong to be felt between the two of them, Al and Diane, that it was and is a most beautiful phenomena. No boundaries could become too strong, not the ones between Europe and America, not between sickness and health, not between time and space.There were always most powerful lovely bridges, might it have been the intense videoconferences, caring thoughts or the pure heartconnection. There will be now lovely bridges between life and death, I am convinced. I pray for this very special love may be further protected so that it will keep on shining for all of us, now specially for Al and his family. With love, Anja

March 7, 2016

Dear Al, as a fomer student from the Netherlands I received the news about the death of your beloved wife with compassion. I want to take the chance here to send my condolences to you. Good to hear, that Diane went went without pain and in peace. My thoughts are with you and your family remembering DIane, as I had the chance to see her during the conresses in The Netherlands. With kind regards yours Ulrike Boon-Thiel The Netherlands

March 7, 2016

Dear Al
I am deeply sad about the News of Diane having passed away. I never met her but in a sense she was always there through you and your loving bond and through the beautiful, graceful pictures of you two dancing which gave me a little glimpse of who she was. I am very grateful for what you two have brought into life. This is a deep conviction of mine that nothing, not even death can separate the love between you nor the love, insight and wisdom you put into PBSP! Much love, Christina

March 7, 2016

Diane, I never met you, which is a sadness, as I have such a profound love and respect for the method that you and Al co-created. However, I feel like I know you a little bit, because Al mentioned you so often, when he was teaching the method in the U.K. You have made a great contribution to the world. Thank you.

March 7, 2016

So sad to hear about Diane's passing away.
I met her for the first and only time in 1994 in Atlanta. But I met her a hundred times when Al was lecturing or when I was going through PBSP readings. Diane was always there because her contribution to psychotherapy, psychology and human sciences is of the greatest value and for ever lasting. Thanks to Al her intuitive discoveries were not lost. He integrated her and his findings in a very important psychotherapeutic framework. As so many say here, I too was touched and enriched by the warm and respectful relationship between Al and Diane. I am very grateful I got to know them.
With kind memories and forever in my mind, Diane will never fade away.
My sincerest and warm condolences to you Al and your family.

March 6, 2016

Dear AL
I was so saddened by the news of Dianne s death. She left such a tremendous legacy though the work you created. I am so fortunate to have learned from each of you. I have fond memories of Diane teaching the exercises to the Asheville group and her contribution to the special time in Strolling Woods. My deepest love and sympathy to you and your children.

March 6, 2016

Dear Al, I only met Diana once, some years ago, in Amsterdam. I remember how girlish she looked, with her pony-tail and open look. I was impressed to realize that she was the woman who made such wonderful contributions to the PBSP-work.
Al, I'm saddened for you, that you will have to miss your soulmate.
I hope you will feel supported by your loved ones and by all the people who appreciate the work of you and Diana.

March 6, 2016

Al, I am saddened to hear of your loss as well as that of the PBSP community and, indeed, the world. I am aware of your deep, loving relationship with Diane. My knowing of Diane was when she was in the background supporting your training at Strolling Woods. I have seen the lovely photos of you and Diane as young dancers and was touched by the love evidenced in your eyes and dance positions. I have much gratitude and respect for Diane as an integral part of PBSP and as your soulmate. The heavens are dancing with Diane and you, Al, are being loved and supported by many.

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