Nudity in itself may represent a symbolic and factual lifting of the mask —Paul Bindrim (1968, p. 187).
Paul Bindrim an innovator in the field of psychotherapy pioneered the practice of nude psychotherapy in 1967. Bindrim explored mental health treatment through nude therapy based on some of Abraham Maslow’s initial findings.1JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES :BARING THE SOUL: PAUL BINDRIM, ABRAHAM MASLOW AND ‘NUDE PSYCHOTHERAPY Bindrim was a highly trained psychologist and well regarded by Abraham Maslow the father of humanistic psychology, who publicly endorsed the exploration of nude psychotherapy. Maslow has previous stated his belief in the therapeutic value of nudism.
“I still think that nudism, simply going before a lot of other people, is itself a kind of therapy.” Abraham Maslow Eupsychian Management
Bindrim was a graduate of Columbia and Duke Universities with a bachelor’s and master’s degrees and was a licensed psychotherapist in the state of California. 2The History of Nude Psychotherapy Based on his observation of some group therapy participants spontaneously skinny dipping after a session Bindrim decided to include nudity in his group sessions. Bindrim believed the naked body provided an opportunity to bare one’s soul creating a window to the soul.
“Nude therapy was based on the idea of the naked body as a metaphor of the “psycho-logical soul.”3JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES :BARING THE SOUL: PAUL BINDRIM, ABRAHAM MASLOW AND ‘NUDE PSYCHOTHERAPY
Though Bindrim was not himself a nudist, the first session of “nude psychotherapy” was held on June 16, 1967, at a nudist resort in Deer Park, California.
The nude group therapy sessions led by Bindrim were similar to the popular encounter groups (therapy or t- groups) being led by his contemporaries. Participants who paid to participate in the sessions that started with ice breakers then the disrobing in the group. This was typically followed by a meditations circle and deep sharing from each individual. 4Psychology’s Short-Lived Experiment With Nude Psychotherapy Bindrim devised exercises designed to disconnect participants from negative experiences related to their genitalia.5JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES :BARING THE SOUL: PAUL BINDRIM, ABRAHAM MASLOW AND ‘NUDE PSYCHOTHERAPY The unique psychotherapy sessions were later documented in the 1971 film Out of Touch
In the final chapter of the book Nudist Society , Bindrim sounded an optimistic note about the future of nude therapy based on the changing attitudes of general society regarding nudity. His optimism was unfounded. Though grounded in prior work by psychologists like Howard Warren, Lawrence Casler and Maslow and popular interest, nude therapy was still not readily accepted by the established psychology community.
The American Psychological Association ethics committee launched an investigation into Bindrim’s group sessions. The investigation was later dropped becuase all nudity was deemed consensual.6The History of Nude Psychotherapy Despite Bindrim efforts to gain acceptance for his pioneering approach to psychotherapy including changing the name to aqua energenetics the practice of nude psychotherapy was short lived. By the 80’s the practice had died out and is no longer considered acceptable by the psychology community due to ethical concerns. 7Psychology’s Short-Lived Experiment With Nude Psychotherapy
Bindrim died in Los Angeles in 1997 8E. Paul Bindrim; Father of Nude Psychotherapy
References
- 1JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES :BARING THE SOUL: PAUL BINDRIM, ABRAHAM MASLOW AND ‘NUDE PSYCHOTHERAPY
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- 3JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES :BARING THE SOUL: PAUL BINDRIM, ABRAHAM MASLOW AND ‘NUDE PSYCHOTHERAPY
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