PSYCHOSOMATICS AND THE BODY: A THEORETICAL REVIEW ON MIND-BODY INTEGRATION IN HEALTH AND ILLNESS

Abstract

Psychosomatics proposes a shift away from the dualistic view that is common in traditional medicine. It understands the body as a place where subjective experiences manifest. This integrative study reviews the main historical, theoretical, and neuroscientific foundations that structure psychosomatics today. It emphasizes the body as a symbolic means of expressing emotions. Advances in neuroscience have supported this view by identifying emotional circuits linked to somatization. The study also highlights the clinical implications of attentive and expanded listening to the body, seen as carrying affective meanings