Dissociation in alternative healers and traditional therapists: a comparative study

Article Abstract:

Psychiatric patients suffering from multiple personality disorder or other dissociative disorders are prone to experience so-called supernatural phenomena and ESP. At the same time, many of the recent alternative forms of healing rely upon similar experiences, including trances, out-of-body experiences, and possession by spirit guides, in order to effect their cures. Dissociation and dissociative disorders affecting alternative therapists have not been well studied. Two standardized tests for measuring such disorders, the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule (DDIS) and the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DIS) were given to 19 traditionally trained psychiatric residents in a university setting and to 12 alternative therapists. Demographically, the alternative therapists were more likely to be older, female, and have more years of both training and practice, while the traditional therapists were more likely to hold a university degree. In terms of the scales, the differences in number or type of dissociative experiences were small, although the alternative healers reported significantly more ESP and supernatural experiences. However, these experiences were not viewed as pathological by the alternative healers; on the contrary, such experiences were welcomed and perceived as requisites of the mode of therapy. According to the authors, the study is flawed by the fact that the questionnaires were designed to identify clinical symptoms of psychopathology, and by the small size of the study groups. Nevertheless, it was found that the alternative healers valued and sought experiences that are traditionally viewed as dissociative. It is concluded that dissociative experiences do not necessarily indicate psychiatric disorders when encountered outside of patient populations. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Research, Dissociation (Psychology), Dissociative disorders, Healers

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Joost A.M. Meerloo, M.D.: 'some psychological processes in supervision of therapists'

Article Abstract:

Joost A.M. Merloo's guidelines on the proper instruction of students in psychotherapy are based on a combination of new and old teaching methods that are utilized in medicine. The supervision of students in psychotherapy is a formal training that demands rigid adherence on a set of procedures and techniques for dealing with specific emotional disorders. However, psychotherapy is also an art form that depends on the fruitful interaction between the patient and the therapist.

Therapist-patient relations, Psychotherapist and patient

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Some psychological processes in supervision of therapists

Article Abstract:

Application of psychotherapeutic skills demands proper guidance and tutoring from an experienced clinical psychologist. The student should be properly guided by the art of psychotherapy without hampering innate skills and motivation. The control or supervision of the student should be subtle to allow the exchange of old experiences with new ideas. Furthermore, the teacher should not impose his ideas and methods on the student.

Methods, Teaching

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