When the Body Speaks: The Archetypes in the Body [Paperback]

Mara Sidoli (Author), Phyllis Blakemore (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415188873 | ISBN-13: 978-0415188876 | Publication Date: October 22, 2000 | Edition: 1

When the Body Speaks applies Jungian concepts and and theories to infant development to demonstrate how archetypal imagery formed in early life can permanently affect a person's psychology.
Drawing from Mara Sidoli's rich clinical observations, the book shows how psychosomatic disturbances originate in the early stages of life through unregulated affects. It links Jung's concepts of the self and the archetypes to the concepts of the primary self as conceptualized by Fordham, as well as incorporating the work of other psychoanalysts such as Bion and Klein. Lucidly written, When the Body Speaks is an important book for professionals and students in the fields of child and adult psychoanalysis and psychotherapy.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mara Sidoli trained as a child and adult analyst at the Society of Analytical Psychology in London. In 1988 she was appointed Visiting Professor at the University of New Mexico. She has supervised and taught infant observation in London, Italy and the USA.

Product Details

• Paperback: 127 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (October 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415188873
• ISBN-13: 978-0415188876
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,624,281 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Current theory on childhood development problems., April 29, 2004

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The Old Philosopher "The Old Philosopher" (WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: When the Body Speaks: The Archetypes in the Body (Paperback)

Sidoli combines Jung's theory of the psyche with Fordham's theory of the primary self and some of her own original thoughts into a combined work on how disruptions of normal childhood bonding at an early age can have profound affects later in life. The book is heavily written in psychobabble jargon and theory. It is aimed at those who are schooled in psychology rather than a popular audience. Much of the book consists of long descriptions of individual patients from her clinical experience. While this is common in psychological books, "anecdote" is not synonymous with "data." One can selectively choose examples to illustrate virtually any theory, and the examples given only consist of the author's opinion about the examples. Personally, I found the long descriptions of individual actions and weeks of therapy meetings with particular clients to be tedious, irrelevant and essentially meaningless. The conclusions are that children who have bonding and relationship problems at a very young age, from birth onward and perhaps even before, often have resultant psychological and physical problems later in life. These same problems often cause parents to do a poor job as parents, and continue the cycle to subsequent generations. Personally I prefer plain language to psychobabble, but professional and amateur psychologists will enjoy the level of theory that is found in the book. It's interesting, well thought out, well presented, and aimed at a scholarly audience.