The Mind and Body in Body Psychotherapy: Characteristics and Their Connections

As therapists gain experience in bodywork, many become interested in the relationship between the body and mind. I am one of those people, and I once noticed that two clients with similar body types were in similar situations, such as being very successful at work, and wondered why. However, as I studied body psychotherapy, I began to see clear answers to these questions. Therefore, over the next few articles, I will introduce "character analysis," one of the theories of body psychotherapy.

This theory was developed by Austrian-born psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich (1897-1957). He discovered through his own experience that clients with similar childhood experiences and parent-child relationships tended to have similar physical shapes and fundamentally similar psychological states. He suggested that a person's personality is related to the psychological trauma they experienced in their childhood. Such traumatic experiences gradually lead to a suppression of emotions, and psychological defenses become habits. He also suggested that the frustration of an infant's unfulfilled desires leads to muscle tension and disruption of energy flow, resulting in the formation of a certain body shape.

This theory allows body psychotherapists to discern a person's personality from their body shape, muscle and fat distribution, breathing patterns, skin color, texture, posture, movement patterns, and metabolic patterns. A skilled therapist can identify a client's personality the moment they step into the room. Reich explains personality development by categorising it into five main stages based on the childhood environment and when, between the time of conception and the age of six, the most traumatic event occurred (Figure 1). Two of these traits are said to be most strongly expressed in a person's body.

Schizoid

- the demand for the right to life

Schizoid personality disorder is influenced by psychological trauma experienced from inside the womb through the first six months of life. It is strongly associated with the harsh, cold, distant, and indifferent attitude of the mother, who is the primary caregiver during this period. The emotional connection between mother and child is lost, and the child begins to feel abandoned by the mother, who may be unsure of whether to abort the child during pregnancy, experience stress after a difficult birth, or become irritable, unloved, or even unwanted. The infant perceives hatred, rejection, or abandonment by the parent, a lack of warmth, and a denial of the parent-child relationship. Denied the right to life, and without the warmth and physical embrace of others, the infant loses a sense of worthiness for having been born into this world. Consequently, the infant learns to rely on themselves to stifle deep feelings of despair and fear. They then begin to live in a world of mental images and fantasies, with little or no contact with reality.

Schizoid individuals habitually withdraw from reality when they feel threatened, often by avoiding eye contact or dissociating. Symptoms include chronic anxiety, avoidance behavior, and conflicts with social interactions, trust, and commitment. They often engage in self-destructive or self-harming behaviors, self-loathing and self-dissatisfaction, and poor self-care and self-comfort. This stems from a constant fear of losing their right to survival. However, they often lack insight into their own emotions, allowing them to maintain close social relationships. When interacting with therapists and acquaintances, they tend to rationalise using objective and absolute language. Their physical appearance reflects schizophrenic fears and lacks full embodiment and integration, suggesting immaturity.

Figure 2. Schizoid type

The body appears to remain united in spite of the fear of falling apart, evident in uncoordinated or robotic movements. The body is distorted, showing splits between various body parts, suggesting a psychological aversion to contact. The body is tense and rather thin, with protruding bones and weak joints. Muscle tension is also common, and the energy flowing through the body is not harmonious, particularly in the neck area near the back of the skull.

Schizoid personality types are often referred to as "professor-type" individuals. They have an awkward posture, are usually tall and thin (though sometimes overweight), and are particularly weak and slender in the wrists, ankles, and calves. They also have one shoulder larger than the other, a large head tilted to one side, daydreaming, blank-eyed eyes, stiff and cold limbs, and a chunky, baby-like or ethereal elf-like appearance. They are also typically hyperactive and ungrounded. Typical occupations include artists, scientific researchers, philosophers, clairvoyants, prophets, or visionaries. When schizoid personality symptoms reach their extreme, they can develop schizophrenia, autistic spectrum disorders, and some forms of schizophrenia.

Oral

- the demand for the right to request (breastfeeding, right to be supported)

Oral type development occurs when a baby's right to make requests is denied during the first 18 months of life. This is because the baby begins to see the world as cold and dark, with no response to requests for feeding, communication, play, or cuddling. This is often caused by parents who are not trustworthy and do not respond adequately to the baby's needs. For example, if the mother dies, is bedridden with illness, or is depressed and mentally unstable, the baby's mother's presence is completely absent and the baby's needs are not met. This is a time when dramatic changes in the environment occur, including breastfeeding, the introduction of solid foods, and the progression from crawling to walking and talking. Furthermore, if the baby has siblings, they will no longer receive 100% of their parents' attention. When a baby begins to talk or walk earlier than average, or becomes independent earlier than other children, they are actually compensating for psychological losses. It is not uncommon for a child to suddenly walk independently instead of crawling, which can also be seen as a sign of this psychological bond. In this way, infants become confused about their sensitivities and begin to fear asking for what they truly need, because deep down they are convinced that no one will respond to their requests. As a result, they become clingy, greedy, and reserved. They also tend to be vindictive, passive, and gluttunous.

Oral types are unable to reveal their needs, express themselves, connect with the public, ask for help, or be self-indulgent, and they often complain about their own distress. They are essentially rejected, empty, dishonest, and irresponsible. Their cold nature stems from a lifetime of disappointment and rejection.

Oral-type individuals exhibit a complete lack of adult maturity, with long, thin, and relaxed muscles. They are often tall and slender, often with a long, slender figure, a cold, hunched chest, significant shoulder tension, shallow breathing, and stiff, weak legs. They are occasionally overweight and hungry, with eyes that seem to suck all their energy out. Their own energy is very low and insufficient. Their physical appearance reflects their feelings of emptiness, helplessness, and inability to be alone, as well as their intense need for warmth and support. They may interact with others in an indirect, questioning manner, and others may act as motherly figures. However, because they are no longer infants but adults, they are never truly fulfilled. Typical occupations include nurses, cooks, speakers, and charity workers. Oral symptoms can become extreme and lead to depression and bipolar disorder.

Figure 3. Oral type