Flesh and Soul: the Necessity of Hands-On Somatic Psychology in a Disconnected Culture
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Flesh and Soul: The Necessity of Hands-On Somatic Psychology in a Disconnected Culture by Laura Fuller Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology Pacifica Graduate Institute 20 March 2012 ii © 2012 Laura Fuller All rights reserved iii I certify that I have read this paper and that in my opinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a product for the degree of Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology. ____________________________________ Angela Mohan, M.A., L.M.F.T. Faculty Advisor On behalf of the thesis committee, I accept this paper as partial fulfillment of the requirements for Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology. ____________________________________ Tina Panteleakos, Ph.D. Research Coordinator On behalf of the Counseling Psychology program, I accept this paper as partial fulfillment of the requirements for Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology. ____________________________________ Avrom Altman, M.A., L.M.F.T., L.P.C. Director of Research iv Abstract Flesh and Soul: The Necessity of Hands-On Somatic Psychology in a Disconnected Culture by Laura Fuller This thesis explores the tabooing of touch within psychotherapy as symbolic of a disconnected culture. The impact of a paradigm of separation that has pitted the body against the mind, humans against nature, and defined matter as distinct from spirit is assessed. A psychotherapy that ignores the body loses a significant resource for healing and also colludes with forces of division that contribute to mental disease. Hermeneutic methodology is used to integrate information from different genres, paralleling the process of integration involved in healing. A paradigm of touch is introduced as means to transform broken logic systems, draw in the wisdom of the body, and create a foundation for the development of hands-on therapeutic techniques within psychotherapy. Examples are given in reading Autism and Borderline Personality Disorder within a depth psychological somatic frame, demonstrating how psychology would be served by an integrated, embodied approach. v Acknowledgements This project has been in my life for many years. I am grateful for all of the experiences, people, ideas, books, challenges, and joys that have played their part on this road. I am grateful to the thesis itself for proving to me that these thoughts could take form and for inspiring me towards more. I am grateful for all of those who supported me along the way, as well as for my strength to continue through adversity. To the three Pacifica cohorts I passed through—the Butterflies, Temperance, and Victory—thank you for accepting me into your families and for the very different gifts I got from each. I love you all. To the teachers who inspired me along the way—thank you to those who saw me, heard me, and reminded me that I was bringing forth something of value. Thank you especially to my wonderful advisor, Angela Mohan, for believing in me and being excited for my work. Thank you also to Avrom Altman, Allen Koehn, and Christina Mentes—you all have a special place in my heart. Thank you to the friends who have been with me through different parts of this journey. Especially thank you to those who have helped get me through the end. Thank you to Harmonie Tangonan, Phebe Ogami, and Phillip T. Nails for sending various forms of magic. Thank you, Tamy Cohen, for being my mini support group. Most importantly, thank you to my goddess and muse, Jennifer Lynch. Thank you for being my audience, my left-brain, and for being endlessly patient with my madness. I love you so. vi Dedication To Stacy Lauas and Elizabeth Oberstein, for showing me that, through feeling, effort, and metaphor, I have the capacity to change my life, and maybe more than that. Table of Contents Chapter I Introduction..............................................................................................1 Touch ..................................................................................................................3 Methodology and Definitions...............................................................................4 Matter ......................................................................................................5 Body ........................................................................................................7 Soul, Spirit, and Mind ..............................................................................8 Touch.......................................................................................................9 Depth Psychology and Somatic Psychology ...........................................10 Shadow ..................................................................................................11 Purpose..............................................................................................................12 Reclaiming the Body From the Shadow..................................................12 Healing the Split.....................................................................................15 Personal Contact ....................................................................................17 Impact on Psychology ............................................................................19 Overview...........................................................................................................21 Chapter II Literature Review...................................................................................23 Dualism: Divide and Conquer............................................................................24 Dividing Body From the Mind ...............................................................25 Dividing Body From Self .......................................................................29 The Myth of Objectivity.........................................................................32 Colonization and the Body .....................................................................35 The Tabooing of Touch......................................................................................40 The Seduction Theory ............................................................................41 Oedipus in Culture .................................................................................47 Ashes to Ashes.......................................................................................50 Touch in Psychotherapy.....................................................................................52 The Body’s Story ...................................................................................54 Fascism and Its Opposites ......................................................................55 Parallel Paths..........................................................................................59 Trauma and the Body .............................................................................63 Culture and Lens ....................................................................................66 Ethical Questions...............................................................................................70 Summary ...........................................................................................................73 Chapter III The Depth of Touch ...............................................................................75 A Hands-On, Somatic Depth Psychology...........................................................75 Reliteralization.......................................................................................77 Denial of the Obvious.............................................................................80 viii Magical Thinking...................................................................................83 Back to Earth .........................................................................................84 Container for the Symbolic ................................................................................85 Primary Skin ..........................................................................................86 Collective and Individual........................................................................88 Matters of the Flesh ...........................................................................................89 Separation Anxiety: Borderline Personality Disorder..............................90 Reluctant Embodiment: Autism Spectrum Disorders ..............................95 Chapter IV Summary and Conclusions ................................................................... 101 Implications..................................................................................................... 103 Suggestions for Further Research..................................................................... 104 Conclusion....................................................................................................... 107 References................................................................................................................... 108 Chapter I Introduction This dance is the joy of existence. I am filled with you. Skin, blood, bone, brain, soul. There’s no room for lack of trust, or trust. Nothing in this existence but that existence. Rumi, 1995, pp. 130-131 A distance from the body exists in psychotherapy, demonstrated particularly in the taboo against touch. A therapist may say to a client, “Your story touched my heart,” “I will hold it in