primal therapy


noun Psychiatry.

a form of psychotherapy in which the patient is encouraged to relive traumatic events, often screaming or crying, in order to achieve catharsis and a breakdown of psychological defenses.

Origin of primal therapy

An Americanism dating back to 1970–75

Words nearby primal therapy

British Dictionary definitions for primal therapy

primal therapy

noun

psychol a form of psychotherapy in which patients are encouraged to scream abusively about their parents and agonizingly about their own suffering in infancy Also called: primal scream therapy, scream therapy

Word Origin for primal therapy

C20: from the book The Primal Scream (1970) by Arthur Janov, US psychologist, who originated the treatment

Medical definitions for primal therapy

primal therapy

n.

A method of psychotherapy that encourages patients to identify and relive early traumatic experiences and to release anger and other painful emotions by aggressive behaviors such as screaming.