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Published on: September 18, 2012
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Somatic Narration, Psychosis, and Gaze Aversion.
The Psychoanalytic Quarterly
|November 5, 2025
Summary
This study demonstrates somatic narration techniques for treating psychosis, focusing on bodily experiences instead of gaze aversion. The approach utilizes body movement to enhance the narrative process in therapy.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychotherapy
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Gaze aversion is a common symptom in psychotic patients.
- Traditional transference analysis may not fully address somatic experiences in psychosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To illustrate Sebastian Leikert's somatic narration technique.
- To explore focusing on bodily transference rather than analyst transference.
- To demonstrate the utility of somatic narration in treating psychotic patients with gaze aversion.
Main Methods:
- Detailed clinical case presentation of a psychotic patient with gaze aversion.
- Application of somatic narration focusing on the patient's bodily experience (neck as 'encapsulated body engram').
- Integration of Riccardo Lombardi's concept of bodily transference.
Main Results:
- Somatic narration effectively shifts focus from gaze aversion to internal bodily sensations.
- The patient's experience of her neck as a 'body engram' becomes a therapeutic focus.
- Bodily movement in therapy supports the narrative process.
Conclusions:
- Somatic narration offers a valuable alternative to traditional approaches for psychotic patients with gaze aversion.
- Focusing on bodily transference enhances therapeutic engagement.
- Incorporating bodily movement is crucial for narrative development in somatic psychotherapy.
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