Neuroscience and the Embodiment of Psychoanalysis—With an Appreciation of Damasio’s Contribution

ABSTRACT

This article contends that psychoanalysis benefits from a neurobiological perspective. It is suggested that Antonio Damasio’s view on the neurobiology of mind and self is particularly useful in this regard. The article presents a review and discussion of Damasio’s basic assumptions on body, emotion, feeling, unconscious and conscious mind, and embodied self. It explains how Freud’s hypotheses that ego is first and foremost a bodily ego is underpinned by contemporary neurobiological research and theory. A clinical illustration highlights that changes in sense of self encompasses changes throughout the whole body, as felt from the inside and as observed from the outside.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

¹ ”Sense of self” is my translation of the Norwegian word ”selvfølelse”, which litterary means ”self-feeling”. It is widely used in Norway and has a meaning close to selfregard. It is typically used to denote either high or law, good or bad sense of self.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jon Sletvold

Jon Sletvold, Psy.D., is Faculty, Training and Supervising Analyst at the Norwegian Character Analytic Institute.