Conscious mind--conscious body

Author: Greene AU
Affiliation:
anitaphd@aol.com
Conference/Journal: J Anal Psychol
Date published: 2001
Other: Volume ID: 46 , Issue ID: 4 , Pages: 565-90 , Word Count: 135


The incorporation of body awareness and touch techniques within analytic treatment is the main theme of this paper. Beginning with a personal experience of the oneness of body and psyche, the author considers Jung's observation of the physiological accompaniments of emotional reactions and his understanding of body as both shadow and ground. The author proposes a new model of analytic treatment that embraces both the verbal and imaginal as well as the non-verbal and somatic aspects of psyche. She describes the three elements of her approach: 1) reading what the body is saying about psyche; 2) using the body as an organ of perception; 3) using touch as a therapeutic tool. The effects of the taboo around touch are considered. Clinical examples throughout the paper demonstrate how somatic awareness and the use of touch promote the analytic process.

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