Absent Bodies: Psychotherapeutic Challenges during COVID-19

Abstract

Introduction: The paper's main aim is to analyze the theme of psychotherapy which, during the months of lockdown, has undergone a considerable transformation as it moved, in many cases, to the virtual modality. The scarce literature on this subject is divided between those who maintain that the screen establishes a relational distance between the patient and the therapist (disengagement theory) and those who instead consider it an element that stimulates and facilitates communication (stimulation theory). Method: Utilizing a qualitative and phenomenological interview, which allowed me to collect the testimonies of therapists and patients, I will try to understand if and how the fundamental components of psychotherapy and clinical encounter have changed. Results: I will describe how the lack of bodily resonance affects psychotherapy and emphasize the centrality of often-underestimated elements such as the atmosphere and setting. Conclusion: I will finally argue that what is missing is indeed an embodied trust which, in my view, is necessary for a successful therapeutic relationship.