In the history and study of psychology there have been a wide variety of approaches to treatment. Throughout the ages, treatment has shifted to embody and reflect whatever the dominant theory and/or perspective is at the time. In what seems like ancient times, deviations in behavior and personality were viewed as “bad” or “mad”, wherein if a person exhibited “bad” behaviors they were able to stay within their distinct communities, but received consequences for their behavior, whereas if a person’s behavior was deemed “mad” they were required to be treated with therapies and were ultimately not permitted to remain in their community (Chung & Hyland, 2011). Back in the days of Hippocrates, a form of treatment was bloodletting. Some believed that the mentally ill were witches or possessed by some supernatural being and thus, unethical and immoral forms of treatment were administered (e.g. burning, hanging, beheadings, vomiting, painful exorcisms, etc.). Luckily, we now know that those people who exhibited deviations in behavior were not witches or demons, they were mentally ill and we have since then come up with myriad ethical and dignified ways of treating mentally ill patients.
It was around the 1700’s that the scientific method emerged. Still, abusive standards and treatments persisted for those with mental illness. As Western medicine progressed into the 19th century, the examination of corpses enabled examiners to learn more about specific pathophysiologies of diseases (Chung & Hyland, 2011). From these sort of experiments/examinations, it became known that mental illness was a product of diverse physiological abnormalities.
In terms of a non-evidence based treatment that was mentioned by Chung & Hyland (2011), arising from the humanistic movement was nude psychotherapy. This therapy was based on the idea that nature provides one with the opportunity to gain meaning from life; however, in order to become “one with nature” being nude was necessary. As maintained by Chung & Hyland (2011), “nudism, which was popular in the 1930’s particularly in Germany, was a therapeutic return to nature, and that nudism provided an escape from the repressive and perverted morality of modern society” (p. 285). While Paul Bindrim introduced the world to nude psychotherapy, Maslow was a pioneer of this approach, as he reportedly believed that nudism was a way to overcome inhibitions and uncover the “real person” (Chung & Hyland, 2011, p. 286). Despite its original support, this form of therapy was ultimately viewed as “wacky” and “morally questionable.”
In today’s society, nude psychotherapy would likely be received with a great deal of hesitance and negativity. For the most part, the naked body is viewed as something that should only be displayed in one’s personal quarters, not in public. Exposing your body publicly is often shamed. What if this kind of immediate outward shaming and psychological shame felt by so many has a distinct correlation to psychological issues? What if we have become so conditioned to hide under layers of garment, that we have also hidden our true selves along the way? What if nude psychotherapy could assist people in exposing and uncovering their psychological soul? While past experiments with this form of treatment are indeed questionable (e.g. staring at another person’s genitalia and confessing sexual experiences that made patients feel guilty), perhaps there is a way to use this form of therapy more conservatively and in a way that makes patients feel safe to “bare it all.” This form of therapy could be used to help patient’s overcome things like self-consciousness, anxiety, body image issues, etc. if done appropriately and in a welcoming, harmonious environment.
Standing naked in front of someone is ultimately the easy part, baring the soul is where the vulnerability comes into play. However, in order to heal, we must first allow ourselves to become vulnerable. We have to expose the hidden parts of ourselves that are viewed as socially unacceptable in order to come up with adequate solutions. Perhaps nude psychotherapy can assist individuals in stripping away those outer layers in an overall effort to shred the inner layers that lead to the route of the problem that needs tending to. Nude psychotherapy could be a treatment that helps individuals feel liberated from their exaggerated feelings of guilt, shame, and self-reproach. Dealing with these feelings in a natural state of undress may enable patients to reconnect with themselves, their communities, and nature and lead more healthy and happy lives.
References
Chung, M. C., & Hyland, M. E. (2011). History and philosophy of psychology. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
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