Human bodies of all races share the same basic features. But do we accept medical views that the human organism manifests universal phenomena and disregard psychic and social factors as "epiphenomenon"? As body psychotherapists, would we not expect that cultural contexts and influences impact and shape our embodiment? The 'World in the Body' could reflect our ethnic roots but also our socio-cultural identities, sexual orientations or any disabilities, all of which may profoundly inform and shape our embodied being in the world.

Thinking about the 'World in the Body', we may also need to revisit some inherent psychotherapy assumptions. Psychotherapy originated in Euro-American cultures which value individualism in contrast to cultural views that understand a person more in relation to their social world, their environment or the cosmos. The panel will utilise video examples and clinical experiences of panellists to explore the embodied intersubjectivity of cultural phenomena in the therapeutic relationship.