Wilhelm+Reich+and+Somatic+Psychology


 * Somatic Psychology As It Relates To Personality **

Wilhelm Reich, born in Austria in 1897, is one of the few psychologists in history to have books burned in both Nazi Germany and America. The founder of Somatic Psychology, Wilhelm Reich went from being a controversial figure in life to an almost unheard of figure, lost in the sands of history. Remembered most for his sci-fi-esque work with orgone energy, an energy he 'discovered' that he believed ran the entire universe, including our own lives, Reich's work on child-rearing, neurosis, and personality has been largely forgotten, and yet, much of what he said may have had great influence on future psychological theories (Grow, 2007, paras. 1-19).

To start with, Somatic Psychology is the idea that the mind and body (and some would say the spirit) work in harmony together, as one whole unit. Reich, a contemporary of Freud for many years, was one of the last psychoanalyst to believe that libido (or what he would later call orgone energy) was a physical substance that actually governed our actions (Fadiman & Frager, 2002, p. 241). The ability for that energy to flow, or the inability, is what affected our personalities. In Reichian thinking, a healthy personality is one that moves freely and does not block the energy that is trying to flow throughout. Reich believed that personality defects could be seen in the movements of people. The more stiff and rigid a person moved and acted, the unhealthier their mind was (Fadiman & Frager, 2002, pp. 242-245).

Reich also came up with the theory of primary and secondary emotions. To Wilhelm Reich, primary emotions were innate, healthy emotions that all people had, like desire, rage, fear, disgust, and joy (Grow, 2007, para. 8). Secondary emotions were emotions that came about as a result of primary emotions being blocked (Grow, 2007, para. 9). To simplify it more, Reich claimed that primary emotions were simple and lent themselves to social contact and resolution, while secondary emotions were complex and lent themselves to self-absorption, frustration, and addiction (Grow, 2007, para. 9).

In the late 40s, Reich switched to a focus on child rearing. A drastic contrast to the ideas being presented by Behaviorists, Reich believed in natural child-rearing practices, such as the importance of breast feeding, disciplining children through natural consequences, and home births. In essence, Reich had given up on trying to change the mindsets of adults and had hoped that he could raise children properly so that they would grow up with healthy personalities and "bring light to a new world" (Grow, 2007, para. 19).

Criticism of Reich's work comes from the fact that Reich had a tendency to isolate himself, and therefore would not allow or accept the scientific scrutiny of his work (Grow, 2007, para. 17). He was very passionate about his work, so he could never really be objective in his studies. He believed he was right, and his studies sought to prove himself right (Grow, 2007, para. 15). Reichian therapy and the idea of becoming completely free and unarmored also never considered the need for balance between self-control and free will, and for some patients, could lead to further social inadequacies in the way they express themselves without any consideration for their surroundings (Fadiman & Frager, 2002, p. 253).

However, despite the scrutiny, and despite the book burning, many of Reich's principles can be seen in practice today. His study of the body as it relates to the mind can be seen in the holistic practices today that focus on massage therapy and the recent rise in popularity of yoga and acupuncture. His idea of looking at the mind, body, and spirit as a whole unit as opposed to separate entities may not have directly influenced Gestalt Psychology, but it does sound somewhat similar, and this idea is furthered considering Fritz Perls, a noted Gestalt psychologist, was in analysis with Reich. Even Reich's child rearing theories were quite revolutionary for the time, and many of the practices he advocated for are, today, considered good practices for raising a healthy child (Fadiman & Frager, 2002, pp. 252-259).

Somatic Psychology may not have been the end all, be all answer to societies problems, but it provided basis for enough modern theories that it deserves a little more attention and scrutiny than it has been given. Reich's work on personality theory seems to be as sound as any of his contemporaries, and he deserves that recognition at least.


 * The following i﻿s a video of A﻿lexand﻿er Lowen, a student of Wilhelm Reich, explaining Bioenergetics, an offshoot of Somatic Psychology, a little better: **

"You Are Your Body"

Eric Mann