Psychosomatic Health : The Body and the Word

Psychosomatic Health is an exploration of the relationship between physical and psychological wellbeing. It draws on postmodern and narrative theory to consider the psychosomatic processes which underpin and enhance health. The text adopts a psychoanalytic stance rooted in the work of D.W. Winnicott, and reviews the work of other major psychoanalytic figures on the question of body and mind, enabling students and practitioners to engage with a variety of perspectives. Clearly written and well illustrated with examples throughout, the author makes extensive use of infant observation extracts and real-life case studies to explore the experiences of movement and touch and their meanings for the individual. As a basis for working effectively with psychosomatic disturbance, the author introduces her original concept of 'body storylines'. Case studies explain how this therapeutic approach can be used to encourage therapists to think about their relationship to their experiences, their use of physicality and their use of their bodies as 'barometers of psychological change'. This broad ranging text pulls together contemporary developments from across a range of disciplines, including psychoanalytic theory, clinical psychology, medicine, complementary medicine and philosophy, to demonstrate a better understanding of clinical practice.