Body Sense by Alan Fogel

Author:Alan Fogel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: NORTON

Only much later, when writing this book, did I discover that Joan’s case was similar to that of one of Freud’s early patients, Frau Emmy. Emmy’s most persistent symptom was gastrointestinal pain. In the course of Freud’s treatment of Emmy with a combination of massage, hypnosis, and emotional release (and until writing this book, I did not know that Freud used touch in his work), Emmy recalled some of her childhood trauma.

. . . how her siblings used to throw dead animals at her; how she unexpectedly saw her sister in a coffin; how her brother terrified her by dressing up in a sheet like a ghost; and how she saw her aunt in a coffin and her aunt’s jaw suddenly dropped. (Wilson, 2004, p. 31)

And, just to finish up this section on a more positive note, also in preparing this book I was fascinated to read a study of the views of female college athletes about their body experiences. Unlike many women of their age who exemplify the soft smooth bodies of the “ideal” female, these women were highly muscular: large leg muscles for soccer, for example, and large upper body and arm muscles for basketball, compact breasts and little curvature above the hips because of strong transverse abdominal muscles. While some of the women were embarrassed about their muscles in mixed company, many of them were proud of their bodies. One woman, talking about her relationships with men, said,

He told me, “Oh, I thought you had the best body when you came to school, then you started lifting and bulking up. I wish you wouldn’t lift as much. All my buddies give me shit, saying that you’re stronger than me. I have to stick up for you all the time.” It bothers me that he didn’t like my muscles, but I do—so forget him! Other boys tell me my body is hot. (George, 2005, p. 335)

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.