The shadow of femininity in the treatment of psycho-somatic distress

Abstract

Abstract This paper considers inter-generational transmission as a factor influencing choice of affect in psycho-somatic distress. The Greek myth of Pandora's box is explored within the context of unravelling cultural meanings and collective experience that find analogues in prototype figures. The case material presented illustrates the functional aspects of the body as recorder of transmission suggesting devaluation of the feminine. The practical aspects of translating into words the explosive bodily expressions in the therapeutic process are presented.