Rebirthing and primal therapy were psychological fads in the 1970s that involved reliving and expressing past traumas, often through intense emotional release and breathing techniques. These therapies promised deep healing and a return to a more 'authentic' self, appealing to those seeking alternatives to traditional psychoanalysis. Despite their controversial nature and questionable efficacy, they captured the zeitgeist of the human potential movement and reflected a cultural obsession with self-exploration and catharsis.

Primal therapy and the rebirthing fad had a direct influence on the confessional poets of the 1960s and 1970s, who were committed to a raw, autobiographical, and often painful exploration of the self. The therapeutic language of catharsis and deep emotional release permeated the poetry of this era. The emphasis on authentic expression and confronting painful memories became a central tenet of a whole generation of poets, shaping their subject matter and their style.