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
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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.