Events

This presentation explores the philosophical and historical shifts in our understanding of the body, emphasising its symbolic nature and its role as an entry point into the unconscious. Drawing from Jungian and psychoanalytic perspectives, we will consider how the body—with its gestures and symptoms—serves as a vital expression of the psyche, manifesting our persona and archetypes in the world. Rather than suppressing physical symptoms, we will explore how they can be integrated as symbols, offering new possibilities and deeper meaning in the therapeutic process. Historically, Western thought has often viewed the body with suspicion, reinforcing a psyche-soma split that neglects its rich symbolic potential. This presentation will examine Jungian ideas that see the body as a container for psychic processes and as a language through which the unconscious communicates.

Clinical vignettes will demonstrate how embodied experiences like transference, countertransference, and active imagination can provide profound therapeutic insights. This approach aligns with the growing emphasis on bottom-up therapy, where healing begins by engaging the body’s sensory and somatic experiences, allowing deeper unconscious processes to surface and integrate into conscious awareness. Attendees will discover how deepening their connection and understanding of the body can enrich their work in Guided Imagery and Music, offering powerful insights for clients.

About the presenter In this presentation, Flávio De Grandis proposes to investigate such ideas and present some clinical cases to illustrate the importance of the body in Jungian psychotherapy practice. Brazilian born Flávio De Grandis is a physiotherapist with a Masters degree in Science, and a Jungian psychotherapist, completing a degree in Philosophy at Deakin University and currently training with ANZSJA (Australian & New Zealand Society for Jungian Analysts).