Bodies

In Bodies, renowned psychotherapist Susie Orbach diagnoses the crisis in our relationship with our physical selves and illuminates a path towards healing and self-acceptance.Orbach challenges the prevailing notion that bodily dissatisfaction originates solely in the mind, arguing instead for a more holistic view that considers the body on its own terms. Drawing on the latest neuropsychological research and case studies from her clinical practice, she traces the roots of fixations like self-mutilation, obesity, anorexia, and plastic surgery to the formative relationship between mothers and infants, where unconscious anxieties are transferred at a profound level.In an era of globalized media that bombards us with idealized, westernized images of the body, Orbach reveals the unprecedented vulnerability of our physical selves to negative stimuli. As the body becomes an object of production and commerce, the stakes for our collective well-being have never been higher. Bodies offers a timely and essential examination of the crisis, and points the way toward a process of healing and acceptance of our diverse physical forms.