Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 19, 2026
07:20
Observing the Transformation of Bodily Self-consciousness in the Squeeze-machine Experiment
Published on: March 8, 2019
14.3K
Embodied simulation, body language, and symbolization: understanding somatic symptoms in psychoanalysis
Elena Markova1, Gabriel Enache2
1Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis, Moscow, Russia.
Frontiers in Psychology
|February 18, 2026
Summary
Psychoanalytic therapy increasingly recognizes the role of body language and embodied simulation in treating somatic symptoms, especially when verbal communication fails. This research highlights how failures in mentalization and symbolization manifest somatically, with AI lacking the embodied resonance crucial for therapeutic progress.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychotherapy
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Classical psychoanalysis emphasized verbal communication ('talking cure').
- Contemporary research highlights embodied simulation and non-verbal communication in psychotherapy.
- Somatic symptoms can arise from failures in symbolization, particularly when verbal expression is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the interplay between early development, mentalization, language acquisition, and somatic disorders.
- To examine transference-countertransference interactions as a lens for understanding failures in symbolization.
- To investigate the role of embodied simulation and intercorporeality in therapeutic communication.
Main Methods:
- Phenomenological observation of interbody communication in psychotherapy.
- Integration of theories on intersubjectivity, embodied simulation, and interbrain synchronization.
- Analysis of clinical vignettes illustrating symbolization failure and embodied countertransference.
- Comparison of human-AI interaction with therapeutic intercorporeality.
Main Results:
- Somatic symptoms emerge when mentalization fails, leading to concrete enactments.
- Embodied countertransference in therapists may indicate pathological intersubjective resonance.
- AI, lacking bodily resonance, cannot replicate therapeutic processes reliant on embodied simulation.
- Symbolization failure manifests as bodily distress and intercorporeal communication challenges.
Conclusions:
- Therapeutic communication involves pre-verbal, intercorporeal dimensions crucial for processing somatic symptoms.
- Failures in mentalization and symbolization have neurobiological underpinnings related to intersubjective resonance.
- AI technologies cannot replace the embodied, intersubjective aspects of human therapeutic relationships.
- Understanding embodied communication is vital for psychoanalytic practice and highlights risks associated with AI in therapy.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:33Somatosensation
43.8K
The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
43.8K
01:22Somatic Spinal Reflexes
5.5K
Somatic spinal reflexes are rapid, involuntary muscular responses to external stimuli that involve the somatic musculature and the spinal cord.
One of the most well-known somatic spinal reflexes is the stretch reflex, which is activated by the sudden stretching of a muscle. This reflex involves the activation of specialized sensory receptors called muscle spindles, which are located in the muscle tissue and detect changes in the length and speed of muscle contractions. When a muscle is suddenly...
One of the most well-known somatic spinal reflexes is the stretch reflex, which is activated by the sudden stretching of a muscle. This reflex involves the activation of specialized sensory receptors called muscle spindles, which are located in the muscle tissue and detect changes in the length and speed of muscle contractions. When a muscle is suddenly...
5.5K
01:30Dreaming
536
Sigmund Freud revolutionized our understanding of dreams by proposing that they are a window into the unconscious mind. According to Freud, dreams are not mere stories our minds create while we sleep but are profoundly meaningful narratives about our hidden desires and fears. He introduced two key concepts: manifest content and latent content. The manifest content is the actual content and imagery of the dream — what we remember when we wake up. The latent content, however, represents the...
536
01:29Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory
2.1K
Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory revolutionized psychology by introducing the idea that unconscious forces significantly shape human behavior. According to Freud, every psychological event is driven by deep-seated internal forces, often formed during early childhood. His theory, built on the premises of psychic determinism, symbolic meaning, and unconscious motivation, offers a unique perspective on the complexities of human behavior.
Freud's concept of psychic determinism asserts...
Freud's concept of psychic determinism asserts...
2.1K
01:30Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
737
Schizophrenia is a complex mental health disorder that can manifest with various positive symptoms, including thought, movement, and behavior disorders. These symptoms significantly disrupt cognitive and motor functions, leading to profound effects on an individual's ability to engage with the world.
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes...
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes...
737
01:23Jung's Analytical Theory
1.2K
Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist and former follower of Freud, eventually broke away from Freud's ideas to create his framework, analytical psychology. This approach emphasizes achieving a balance between the conscious and unconscious aspects of the mind and reconciling various experiences within an individual's personality. Jung believed that this process, which typically unfolds in the latter part of life, involves an ongoing journey of recognizing and incorporating unconscious...
1.2K