Somatics: Investigating the common ground of western body–mind disciplines

Western body–mind disciplines (known by the name of somatics) encompass ways of working with the body that are therapeutic, educational, creative and physically expressive. This literature review uses a ‘bird's eye view’ meant to provide a comprehensive synthesis of somatic theory. This brief analysis of somatic theory examines common principles behind somatic work rather than necessarily differentiating between the wide variety of available practices. This review aims to consolidate somatic theory by drawing from key theorists within the field of somatic movement education and therapy. In addition, this review also investigates an interdisciplinary approach exploring somatic work in relation to the fields of dance and body psychotherapy in an attempt to include related fields of knowledge. Furthermore, this review explores a new avenue of research looking at the historical roots of Western body–mind methods within the physical culture of the nineteenth century. Somatics and body psychotherapy have common ancestors although a great deal of further investigation remains for this type of historical analysis.