The body as hypothesis and as question: towards a concept of therapist embodiment

Abstract

A therapeutically relevant concept of embodiment is constructed which focuses on body image and sensation. Drawing on the philosophy of Merleau-Ponty (1962), body image is viewed as a relational or intersubjective presence, which can provide the therapist with a living hypothesis on the client's embodied being. The concept's second component, sensation, focuses on the body as matter, rather than image. Drawing on the work of Bion (1967) and Ferrari (2004), the paper argues that a meaningful relating between bodies assumes that an anchoring in this more material presence has taken place. The paper situates embodiment in a developmental context and considers the role of the body in differing client presentations. Sensations which disturb the therapist's sense of being bounded by a body image are then considered as questions relating to potential disturbances in the client's relationship to their own body.

Keywords:

• embodiment
• intersubjectivity
• body image
• sensation
• trauma
• Merleau-Ponty
• affect attunement