Freud had it wrong

A client asked me this in session this week:

Why do you focus on the body so much?

I secretly love this question.

Beginning with Freud, we believed that focusing on in-the-head thoughts was the best way to help our clients.

Freud had it wrong.

Many therapists — including me — have shifted away from helping clients with thoughts to sensing/feeling in the body.

Why?

Thanks to tons of recent neuroscience research, we’ve learned that it’s the only way to help the body. What’s more, it restores both access to the wisdom of your body and your wired-in instinct to heal.

This make your body a better home.

You can’t do that by privileging thoughts above all else.

Next time you're stressed, try this:

• Check in with how stressed you are. Rate it on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the most stressed. Notice what you feel in your body.

• Go for a 20-minute walk around your neighborhood. Don’t bring your phone (but if you have to, don’t look at it and same goes for your iWatch).

• Notice what you see, hear, smell as you are walking. Take it all in.

• At the end, check back in with your stress level and rate it again. Notice what you feel in your body.

• Is it the same or different?