The Body in Psychology

By Dr. Denise Renye

The practicing field of psychology has been evolving since it started and that’s a good thing because humans are always evolving and our understanding of ourselves is as well. The experience of the body has been a tool for pathologizing the lived experience and through the work of some pioneers in the field of Somatic psychology, it has begun to be understood as an important aspect to explore and more deeply understand. Some of the pioneers I have studied with directly or their work include Wilhelm Reich, Charlotte Selver, Don Hanlon Johnson, Peter Levine, Pat Ogden, Marian Rosen, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, and Ilse Middedorf.

I sought out my graduate studies beginning with a masters degree human sexuality because the body is typically a central part of sexual expression. And then I found my way to the California Institute of Integral Studies, where Indian Psychology was, in part, what the school was founded on and Indian Psychology has a deep understanding that the human lived experience is far beyond the mind and most certainly includes the body, at the very least. Somatic psychology, a western psychology field, is a field that explores the relationship between the mind and body, emphasizing the importance of bodily sensations, movement, and physical experiences in psychological well-being and healing. While there isn't a single individual who can be credited with starting somatic psychology, several pioneers and influential figures have contributed to its development, such as those above.

One of the key figures in the early development of somatic psychology is Wilhelm Reich, an Austrian psychoanalyst who believed in the connection between the mind and the body. He developed the concept of "body armor," suggesting that chronic muscular tension and holding patterns in the body could reflect repressed emotions and psychological conflicts.

Another influential figure in the field is Pierre Janet, a French psychologist who explored the role of physical sensations and bodily experiences in trauma and dissociation. His work on psychosomatic medicine and the effects of trauma on the body laid the foundation for later somatic approaches.

In more recent times, somatic psychology has been further developed and popularized by various individuals, including Peter A. Levine, who created Somatic Experiencing®; Pat Ogden, who developed Sensorimotor Psychotherapy®; and Ron Kurtz, the founder of Hakomi, among others. These individuals and their respective approaches have contributed to the advancement and recognition of somatic psychology as a distinct field within psychology and psychotherapy.

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