Comments on: Will clothing-optional therapy soon be all the rage in psychotherapy? http://saynotostigma.com/2011/03/will-clothing-optional-therapy-soon-be-all-the-rage-in-psychotherapy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=will-clothing-optional-therapy-soon-be-all-the-rage-in-psychotherapy a blog of The Menninger Clinic Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:19:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Reinaldo http://saynotostigma.com/2011/03/will-clothing-optional-therapy-soon-be-all-the-rage-in-psychotherapy/comment-page-1/#comment-1680 Reinaldo Thu, 12 Jul 2012 04:27:23 +0000 http://saynotostigma.com/?p=1146#comment-1680 I second Aaron's comments. I am a highly credentialed psychotherapist. In the 1970s I went to a Hartman and Fithian nude workshop and later returned to get training. My home was in Ohio where I was getting my Ph.D. I found the nude therapy to be very helpful, and for several years held nude group therapy. During the 1980s and beyond, the profession became infested with conservatism and nudity was seen as sexual. I quit. But in recent years, I have returned to working with nudity and have found it very helpful. I am never nude. Only the client is. I only offer this as an option with certain clients with whom I have developed a level of trust. Nudity is most frequently a part of neo-Reichian practice, but occasionally in other therapeutic practice. (For those who are unable or unwilling, for whatever reason, to be nude, I offer two options. They may do the work in their underclothes or in loose and non constricting clothing like sweats. Even in sweats, the work is beneficial.) Nudity has many valuable effects in helping the client to experience emotions which they had hidden from their consciousness. Of course, unlike Sarah White, I am never nude in individual therapy. However when I do nude groups, then I do join in nudity. (Of course, at 76, I am not considered any kind of Porn.) Also unlike Ms White, I do hold several credentials including a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and have over 40 years of practice. I second Aaron’s comments. I am a highly credentialed psychotherapist. In the 1970s I went to a Hartman and Fithian nude workshop and later returned to get training. My home was in Ohio where I was getting my Ph.D.
I found the nude therapy to be very helpful, and for several years held nude group therapy. During the 1980s and beyond, the profession became infested with conservatism and nudity was seen as sexual. I quit.

But in recent years, I have returned to working with nudity and have found it very helpful. I am never nude. Only the client is. I only offer this as an option with certain clients with whom I have developed a level of trust. Nudity is most frequently a part of neo-Reichian practice, but occasionally in other therapeutic practice. (For those who are unable or unwilling, for whatever reason, to be nude, I offer two options. They may do the work in their underclothes or in loose and non constricting clothing like sweats. Even in sweats, the work is beneficial.) Nudity has many valuable effects in helping the client to experience emotions which they had hidden from their consciousness.
Of course, unlike Sarah White, I am never nude in individual therapy. However when I do nude groups, then I do join in nudity. (Of course, at 76, I am not considered any kind of Porn.) Also unlike Ms White, I do hold several credentials including a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and have over 40 years of practice.

]]> By: Aaron Ingebrigtsen http://saynotostigma.com/2011/03/will-clothing-optional-therapy-soon-be-all-the-rage-in-psychotherapy/comment-page-1/#comment-1527 Aaron Ingebrigtsen Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:27:38 +0000 http://saynotostigma.com/?p=1146#comment-1527 Hi, thank you for writing this article. I too think this is a bit weird, however, only because she starts out clothed, and gradually removes different items of clothing, while her "patient" remains clothed. I believe Firmly that the Nudist/Naturist way of life is incredibly therapeutic, that being nude around other nude people who neither judge you nor put any social pressures on you in any way is very relaxing and psychologically relieving. I used to have extremely severe gymnophobia, aka fear of nudity, not only of others, but of my own, even in private. I eventually got to the point that I would go MONTHS without bathing or showering, because of it. I felt constantly under attack by everyone around me for the way I looked, clothed, and was terrified of being seen nude because I felt the attacks would multiply, and be far more psychologically damaging to me. When I finally realized how very bad off I was psychologically about my body image, I decided to nip it in the bud, and fight it head on. I researched anything I could think of to combat it, and found a site that actually talked about gymnophobia, and how people had overcome it through Nudism. So, I decided I'd try that. What a world of difference it made for me. I now feel far more comfortable around other people, while clothed, than I had in many years, Because I had found an environment, and people, that made me feel comfortable in my own skin, literally. You can poopoo nude therapy done the way this lady is doing it, but I'm serious when I say that my own psychological well being was improved Immensely by Nudism. I don't have any Shame, or Fear, like I once did. I only wear clothing now for comfort, or to make sure other people don't feel uncomfortable, or upset, around me. Not to mention the idiotic laws against mere nudity. Nudity is Not inherently Sexual. Behavior maters far more than the amount of skin one is able to see, or touch. Have a nice day. Hi, thank you for writing this article. I too think this is a bit weird, however, only because she starts out clothed, and gradually removes different items of clothing, while her “patient” remains clothed. I believe Firmly that the Nudist/Naturist way of life is incredibly therapeutic, that being nude around other nude people who neither judge you nor put any social pressures on you in any way is very relaxing and psychologically relieving.

I used to have extremely severe gymnophobia, aka fear of nudity, not only of others, but of my own, even in private. I eventually got to the point that I would go MONTHS without bathing or showering, because of it. I felt constantly under attack by everyone around me for the way I looked, clothed, and was terrified of being seen nude because I felt the attacks would multiply, and be far more psychologically damaging to me.

When I finally realized how very bad off I was psychologically about my body image, I decided to nip it in the bud, and fight it head on. I researched anything I could think of to combat it, and found a site that actually talked about gymnophobia, and how people had overcome it through Nudism. So, I decided I’d try that. What a world of difference it made for me. I now feel far more comfortable around other people, while clothed, than I had in many years, Because I had found an environment, and people, that made me feel comfortable in my own skin, literally.

You can poopoo nude therapy done the way this lady is doing it, but I’m serious when I say that my own psychological well being was improved Immensely by Nudism. I don’t have any Shame, or Fear, like I once did. I only wear clothing now for comfort, or to make sure other people don’t feel uncomfortable, or upset, around me. Not to mention the idiotic laws against mere nudity. Nudity is Not inherently Sexual. Behavior maters far more than the amount of skin one is able to see, or touch. Have a nice day.

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