The Psyche Of The Body

Does the psyche have an affect on health? The Psyche of the Body is a passionate and well-informed plea for a Jungian version of psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy. Many cases of physical illness show evidence of the effect of psychic involvement, both in origin and treatment. Yet to date the majority of study into psychosomatic illness has been purely empirical, with little theory to help interpret and put results into context. Illustrated by vivid clinical illustrations of case histories, The Psyche of the Body reviews the long history of psychosomatic medicine and models of the relationship between psyche and body that have evolved over time, and presents a full revision of research in the field over the last twenty years. It presents a much-needed theoretical model together with practical guidelines that demonstrate how the psychological aspects of specific illnesses should be handled in therapy and analysis. Practicing and training Jungian analysts, as well as all those involved in clinical treatment, will find the interdisciplinary approach to psychosomatic medicine promoted in this book fascinating reading.