How do we experience our bodies and our sense of self in extraordinary situations? Why can seemingly similar changes be perceived as enriching at one time and as stressful or even pathological at another?

The IDEE project investigates so-called (dis)embodiment experiences—moments in which one’s usual experience of the body and self changes. Such experiences occur, for example, during meditation, flow, intense media use, or in connection with depression, anxiety, or eating disorders.

We bring together perspectives from psychosomatics, linguistics, philosophy, and neuroscience to better understand these experiences. The goal is to identify similarities and differences between positive and distressing forms of altered bodily experience and to develop a new, integrative understanding of these phenomena.

The findings are intended to contribute to a better understanding of mental health, identify opportunities for well-being and personal development, and help shape future human-technology interactions in a responsible manner.

We are planning a project conference for mid-2027; more information will follow here on this website 

Microphenomenology Workshop: In April and May 2026, PD Dr. Prisca Bauer and Dr. Fynn-Mathis Trautwein led a 20-hour online workshop that introduced participants to the microphenomenology interview method.