[Primal therapy : yesterday and today.]

The author[ traces the beginnings of Primal Therapy back to Charcot and follows the development of regressive therapy to the 70's when Janov's "Primal Scream" brought to lay people an awareness of past events that influence their "here and now lives". As people moved back to childhood experiences, some were finding their root traumas in .the birth stages - opening the therapeutic community to develop the whole person as transpersonal levels were experienced. Stanislov Grof s "Realms of the Human Unconscious" advances his concept of the four stages of birth (BPM I-IV), in which he describes the traumas in these stages and their spiritual counterpart as an important intersection between psychology and religion, culminating in release from guilt, permitting true forgiveness. Finally, the importance of the therapist being sensitive to all facets of the person when working with them and continuing work on their lown growth and awarenesses emphasized.