Psychotherapy 3862 Psychotherapy

definite branch of psychological inquiry psy-chophysics was founded by Fechner in rSGo. Weber had already employed what is known us the Method of Least Differences, To this method Fechner added two others of a less
imperfectly developed. See Dubois's Psychic Treatment of Mrrvnw Disorders (1903); King's Rational Living (1007; James V TVv-etiology dSgi); Ho ff ding's Outlines of Psy-cholvny (trans. HJOJ); Worcester, McComb

direct character, (he Method of Right and | and CoviatV Religion and Medicine (1908);
Wrong Cases nnd the Method ot Average jast row's Fact and Fable in P,\ychologv;

Error. For a l)rief account of the Weber-
Fechner investigations tee James's Psy-
chology, vol. i., p. 5.u ff'\ and for fuller
details as to methods and results, Kulpe's
Psychology (Eng. trans. 1803).

Psychotherapy has come into wide use a?
the general name for the various forms of
mental healing which have lately sprung into
prominence both within and without the
medical profession. It is used to cover such
varied and opposing activities as the Em-
manuel Movementt Christian Science, Faith
Cure, etc. Definition is therefore important
and difficult. Dr. Richard C. Cabot, of the
Harvard Medical School, defines p.sycholher-
npy as the 'attempt to help the sick through
mental, moral and spiritual methods.' It has
been frequently said that psychotherapy is a^
old as the beginnings of medicine, hut it was
not until the work of Bcrnhdm and Liebault
a half a century ago that a thoroughly sci-
entific basis was given for psychotherapy
projKjrly so called. They laid the foundation
for a system of therapeutics based on sug-
gestion.

Psychotherapy may be said to have its
basis in the quality of the human mind com-
mon to all—suggestibility. It follows that the
central method of psychotherapy is sugges-
tion. Perhaps it would be more correct to
sum up the methods under six heads; Hyp-
notism, Suggestion, Auto-Suggestion, Per-
suasion, Re-education, and Psycho-analysis.

From the prominence given to hypnotism in
the treatment there arose a measure of con-
fusion* Kut, as Dr. Hinckle points out, 'hyp-
nosis of itself, without suggestion, never ac-
complished anything; the forceful directions-
given the patient during the responsive state
of hypnosis achieve the results,' (See HYP-
NOTISM,)

Psycho-analysis depends upon the theory
that 'many nervous and mental diseases arise
from suppressed emotions' which for one
reason or another do not run their complete
course. The psycho-analytic method aims at
removing the repressive influence, bringing
these forgotten ideas and emotions back to
consciousness and giving them full expression,

The results already gained by psychother-

A-llen's Psychotherapy with Children (1942),
Psychotherapy, Progress in. Develop-
ment in psychotherapy since 10.^5 has seen
this science engaged in gaining more detailed
knowledge of the relationship of psychic fac-
tors or mental instabilities, which find com-
mon ground in such maladies as heart dis-
orders, arthritis, stomach disorders and such
distressing conditions as shortness of breath,
weakness in the buck, chest pains, exhaus-
tion, nausea, fainfness, headaches, fatigue
and speech impediment. Psychotherapy has
made no attempt to treat organic disease but
has been successful in conditions which arc
partially or totally the result of mental agi-
tation. The principal means of treatment
has been the establishment of clinics in most
of the large cities of the world. The purpose
of the clinics is to secure for the patient
equanimity and to enable him to develop a
normal personality. This process is called
re-education. The therapist tries to substi-
tute good mental habits for bad ones. The
clinics offer ''classes in thought control" and
by group inslruction they teach: first, re-
laxation; second, mental wise- through imag-
ery; third, tests to verify that the first and
second are being applied; fourth, patients are
asked to relate the experiences of their ail-
ments; and fifth, the doctor delivers a lecture
based on each patient's testimonial.

tabulation showed almost half the
hospital beds in the United States are occu-
pied by mental ease;*, fn the la^t fifty years
the population of the United States has
doubled while mentally ill canes have in-
creased ninefold. Tin-re were ift.S private
mental hospitals in the United States in i<)37,
fifteen per cent of the total. Psychotherapy
as practiced in hospitals today emphasizes
kindliness to patients and the stimulation of
their intelligence. The better known thera-
peutic methods of the mental hospitals arc:
Occupational Therapy, which instructs the
patients in various forms of work, such as
weaving, carving, knitting or carpentering;
hydrothcrapy, which consists of dousing the
patient with water to tone, up his system,
Physiotherapy, or exercising him in gymna-
siums, through walks and playing games; and

apy nave boon notable, though it is as yet I Practical Theraphy, or giving the patted