Introduction: Child-centered play therapy is a well recognized and research-supported form of child psychotherapy. Methods: Fifteen children in the age range of 5-11 years (eight girls and seven boys) with somatoform disorder were administered 25 sessions of non directive play therapy. Parents received 3 reflective counseling sessions. Children…

A detailed approach in how to incorporate the principles of Milton Erickson into counseling therapy is presented here. Since Ericksonian therapy emphasizes practical results, the paper opens with ways to apply Erickson's work. It emphasizes a philosophical framework where the therapist is clear in what he or she is doing and where a definitive…

A current manual for treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in children and youth using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is presented. The three chapters of the Introduction present a review of medical diagnosis and assessment of pediatric OCD, psychological assessment techniques, and an overview of treatment. Theoretical background…

Based on an earlier list of characteristics, ten assertions were derived about the nature of psychotherapy upon which it was believed that humanistic therapists would agree. These assertions were then submitted to three groups of therapists (111 returns) listed in the "National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology":…

This paper presents the basic premises of Solution Focused Brief Therapy, a model of intervention based on systems theory, and how this approach is uniquely suited to the needs of school psychologists within a public school setting. Five key principles are described: (1) complaints are interaction based; (2) change in one part of the system leads…

This paper reviews the empirical research on short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STDP). It begins with a brief history of STDP, identifying current developers and researchers of STDP and listing commonalities among various short-term dynamic psychotherapies. In this review, research is grouped broadly into two categories: controlled…

Self-help programs can be used to replace, complement, or supplement formal treatment, but their effectiveness has been underestimated. To test the effectiveness of bibliotherapy in the treatment of problem drinkers, six studies were conducted over 7 years (1975-1982) comparing different treatment approaches. The combined data showed that for…

Although the roots of phototherapy extend back to the late 1850's, it did not emerge as a distinct entity until the late 1970's. Growing interest has generated a substantial body of literature in the field. While photographs may be looked at concretely, as two-dimensional, their symbolic and metamorphic nature is a potentially powerful tool in…

These five symposium papers address the gap between behavioral and psychoanalytic theories. "Teaching the Integration of Different Models to Therapists-in-Training," by Richard P. Halgin, suggests that students should concentrate on a broad-based education, using the best of several approaches to fit individual client needs, rather than…

The use of poetry as a valuable part of the psychotherapeutic experience has gained increasing acceptance and usage in recent years. Poetry provides a viable modality for releasing intense emotions and reducing anxieties and hostilities. Poetry therapy was used with an 18-year-old male who was experiencing sexual orientation disturbance to examine…

Twenty-two junior, senior, and graduate students from an introductory counseling class for nonmajors were introduced to the verbal psychotherapies, and randomly divided into treatment and control groups. The groups were treated identically and received the usual instructional program except for the treatment group receiving 30 minutes of…

This bibliography, a list of research in the area of counseling and minorities, is divided into the following sections: (1) general references (165 entries); (2) American Indians (54 entries); (3) Asian Americans (14 entries); (4) Blacks (280 entries); and (5) Hispanics (178 entries). The topics address such areas as mental health, psychotherapy,…

Emphasizes the value of a systemic approach, when encountering life-threatening behavior in a clinical practice. Presents two case studies that employed therapeutic methods derived from systemic therapy. Illustrates the importance of the therapist's ability to speak the client's language in formulating an intervention for reducing the likelihood…

Discusses the work of the bibliotherapeutic technique to treat physically and sexually abused children. The client's psychological stages in the process of bibliotherapy are summarized. Criteria are presented for selecting books and 10 appropriate books are synopsized. Limitations of the technique are discussed. (CB)

Sexual offenses have a serious impact on individuals and society at large. Most victims know the offender; few victims report the offense; not all reports result in arrests; not all arrests result in conviction; and not all convictions result in incarceration. This paper reviews the literature related to psychotherapeutic treatment of male sex…