Holistic Therapeutic Approach

According to Berman (1989), the basic fault of human existence is the substitution of hollow secondary satisfactions for somatic, primary satisfactions. Primary satisfactions, the need of humans for self-love and love by others, are genuine and lead to wholeness. Secondary satisfactions lead to inner conflict. These satisfactions include career pursuits, wealth building, family rearing, patriotism, sports, and the numerous activities that temporarily fill an emotion void. Berman (1989) cites Fowles who referred to this void as the "nemo" or the condition of being nobody (p. 20).

Secondary satisfactions are sought on the collective level as well as the private level. Berman (1989) contends that all "isms" and ideologies are emotional crutches: "For the (extremely rare) healthy person, life is its own meaning; they do not need an ism to stuff the gap, to feel OK" (p. 22). The pursuit of secondary satisfactions lead to ultimate disillusionment because these activities fail to penetrate to the somatic core of the individual.

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ound that a vegetative center exists from which bioelectrical energy emanates and returns (p. 292). In designing a therapy to facilitate the release of bioelectrical energy, Reich (1973) concentrates on releasing the orgasm reflex by removing muscular blocks: "The completeness of the body harmony and motility is dependent upon the uniformity, totality, and freedom from disturbance of the impulses of the body" (p. 331). The therapist first locates the individual sites of the inhibitions. Then the vegetative impulses are intensified. This is usually accomplished through breathing techniques or gentle pressure on the abdomen. During the therapy, the patient is encouraged to relax the body: "Yielding in the bodily attitude is expressively the same thing as the attitude of surrender in the sexual act, or in the state of sexual excitation" (p. 335). Lowen (1958), a former student of Reich, also advocates a physical approach to psychoanalytical problems: "Can one change the character of an individual without some change in the body structure and in its functional motility? Conversely, if one can change the structure and improve its motility can we not effectuate those changes in temperament which the patient demands?" (p. xi)
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