Pre- and Peri-Natal Stress-the Psychotic Individual

The psychotic individual often presents imagery, hallucinations, and behavior
that reflect pre- and peri-natal stress. This paper is a phenomenological study of psychotic adults with a known
history of pre- and peri-natal distress. An overall view of psychosis is described as well as the context of a
therapeutic community system. The method of body therapy found to be effective with the psychotic individual is
delineated and excerpts from actual interviews are included. The purpose of this paper is to present an overall
view of psychosis, the context in which this state of consciousness is treated, and the imagery, internal frame of
reference and process which demonstrates the pre- and peri-natal stress of the psychotic individual will be
described and excerpts from actual interviews will be included in the text. Psychosis is an externalization of the
problem of integrating mind, body and soul.