Short Psychotherapy with Passive Patients

An Experiment in General Practice

An account is given of an active and brief form of psychotherapy in general practice with 21 patients of the passive personality type, which was found in 71 per cent. of all patients interviewed.

Treatment was directed towards increasing self-assertiveness and self-acceptance which were regarded as basic aspects of a unitary process of recovery through greater self-realization. It involved the use of hypnotic techniques and the playing-back of tape-recorded interviews; reassurance, clarification and interpretation of the patient's attitudes to himself and others and active persuasion and suggestion were the main elements in therapy.

Sixteen patients were considered on follow-up two years later to be much or considerably improved. It is suggested that this method of psychotherapy is simple and effective enough to be of value to general practitioners, as well as in psychiatric practice.