REVIEW OF:
Body Psychotherapy Edited by Tree Staunton (Brunner Routledge) 2002
ISBN 1-58391-115-4 (hbk) or 1-58391-116-2 (pbk) : vi, 242pp
Advancing Theory in Therapy Series: editor Keith Tudor
Firstly, it is wonderful to see any book specifically about a much neglected mainstream branch of psychotherapy, and this is, on the whole, a very good solid book, coming out of the UK field of Body Psychotherapy, and written essentially as an introduction to this discipline for both professionals in the field and post-graduate psychotherapy trainees.
All of the contributors not only know their stuff but also write well about it. The very able editor, Tree Staunton, who is also responsible for the introduction, the afterword, and the key chapter on “Sexuality and Body Psychotherapy”, is rightly praised in the short preface by the series editor, Keith Tudor. The opening sentence of Andrew Samuels’ introduction is apt: “This book should make it possible for those psychotherapists whose training did not involve much (or any) focus on the theory and practice of body psychotherapy to think about adding a bodily perspective to their existing way of doing things.” This book largely does this.
There is a wide spectrum within the book ranging from the practical “hands-on” approach; epitomised here by Roz Carroll writing about the use of Gerda Boyesen’s ‘Biodynamic’ massage in psychotherapy, but which brings out points and issues that are true for many other “hands-on” approaches; through to the theoretical and psychoanalytical origins of Body Psychotherapy well described in Nick Totton’s chapter, to which Totton adds a further chapter on ”The future for body psychotherapy”.
The former chapter looks at some of the historical roots of Body Psychotherapy and its concepts and attitudes arising from the work of Freud, Reich and Ferenzi, whereas the latter chapter deals with a number of professional issues such as training, supervision, clinical practice, ethics, culture & politics and professional organisation. Totton also presents an interesting analysis into what he sees as the three main “models” of Body Psychotherapy: the now out-dated adjustment model (or Reichian ‘fix’) where the priviledged perspective of the therapist helps to realign the client’s physical and emotional distortions; the trauma/discharge model whereby Body Psychotherapy can act effectively to help complete frozen “physiological responses” and their attendant emotions; and the “process” perspective where the therapist helps facilitate the client’s naturally intuitive bodymind to determine what the next appropriate step is.
The use of imagery in body-oriented psychotherapy and integration with object relations approaches is intelligently described by Margaret Landale and the book also dips into the transpersonal perspectives of a core level of existence firmly held by and accessible through the body in the chapter relating to Hakomi psychotherapy by Phillippa Vick.
I have already mentioned Staunton’s excellent chapter on sexuality where she goes into some of the transferential, ethical and boundary issues around this hot topic as well as outlining how Body Psychotherapy can address and work with a client’s sexuality in a very effective and meaningful way. There is another good chapter on the ‘Chiron’ approach to Body-Psychotherapy by Bernd Eiden and how it integrates various streams and concepts. The Chiron Centre is a respected Body Psychotherapy training school in London that developed a nice mix of post-Reichian bodywork and somatic perspectives, Gestalt psychotherapy, and some well-grounded (Jungian) analytical work.
Of particular interest also to many professionals is Babette Rothschild’s chapter on working with shock and trauma with a ‘non-touch’ approach and yet with a refined body awareness perspective and a deep understanding of human physiology. I can also recommend her recent book on the same topic: The Body Remembers: The psychophysiology of trauma and trauma treatment (Norton) 2000. Given the increasing extent of this area of client work and its relative efficacy, this type of work is useful for any psychotherapist and much good work is being done with this in traumatised countries and communities (viz: Bosnia, Palestine) as well as with individuals caught up in disaster situations or victims of crime and abuse.
My only serious reservation is the inclusion of the chapter on “Body psychotherapy and regression: the body remembers past lives.” by Roger J. Woolger. Whilst regression is definitely an aspect of Body Psychotherapy, as it is in many other branches of psychotherapy, and whilst it is possible to re-experience something that may well be relating to a past life in body psychotherapy (and I have been party to this myself both as a Body psychotherapist, as a group member, and and as a client) it is not a particularly significant aspect of Body psychotherapy and the form of past-life regression practised and proselytised by Woolger, does not, in my opinion, form a legitimate part of Body Psychotherapy. It’s theoretical position is from Transpersonal Psychotherapy; its concepts are profoundly esoteric, and, whilst Woolger makes occasional reference to the body, self-image, strong emotional release, the subtle body, and Reichian therapies, etc., these do not justify this chapter’s inclusion in this book. The chapter undermines the solidity of rest of the book and its presence weakens the case that the book makes for the legitimacy of the serious study of Body Psychotherapy. It should have been replaced with a chapter on the increasing relevance and connections between Body Psychotherapy and Neuropsychology: much more up-to-date, interesting and useful!
Courtenay Young