Post-structuralists argue that personal identity is a function of societal power dynamics. This becomes especially problematic for persons recruited into problem-saturated identities. In this paper, inspired by Foucault's call for us to "create ourselves as a work of art" (p. 262), I explore the therapeutic value of an aesthetic approach…

Several researchers have employed milieu therapy to address the communication needs of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Thus, the purpose of this review is to examine milieu therapy, particularly, the environments and individuals involved in the training and the effectiveness of milieu therapy with children who have a diagnosis of ASD…

This article refers to the results of a prospective effect evaluation study of three psychodynamic milieu-therapeutic institutions for children, which included cognitive and projective testing. After introducing milieu-therapy and explaining its roots in psychoanalytic and developmental thinking, the specific results of the research evaluation are…

This literature review examines the present level of evidence in support of communication-based treatments for children with autism spectrum disorders. Reviews to date have reported on research published through 2002. The current article included 36 studies published between 2002 and 2007. Best available evidence is presented for seven treatment…

This paper presents the findings of a recent preliminary study into the effects of a wilderness therapy program on the resilience of male youth at-risk. The study focused on participants who completed a wilderness therapy program at Typo Station. The residential program involved a five-week stay at the Typo Station property in north east Victoria,…

The authors contend that the traditional isolated therapy model (i.e., the provision of services in the therapy room) leads to a number of problems and thus is not as effective as an integrative therapy model (i.e., the provision of services in natural environments throughout the school day), which is presented as an alternative. (Author/DLS)

Gestalt psychotherapy is presented as a synthesis of a number of psychological traditions. Two particular techniques are described in detail: the empty chair technique which is a strategy that focuses on the parents' internalized object relations which are played out between themselves and with their children and the Gestalt experiment. (Author)

Discusses Alcoholism as an illness in light of Alcoholics Anonymous' milieu therapy oriented program. (Editor)

This paper describes a qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with women who identify themselves as feminist family therapists. It includes a summary of the themes identified in these three questions: How did you become a feminist family therapist? How do you DO feminist family therapy? What does it mean to be a feminist family therapist?…

Though wilderness therapy programs are growing in number and popularity, the theoretical basis for distinguishing wilderness therapy from traditional therapeutic modalities is lacking. Existing models describing the wilderness therapy process have been stage-based, meaning the process has been conceptualized as sequential and discrete. Lost in…

Defines primal therapy as an approach to growth and change the goal of which is to rediscover the real self, the natural child. Relates this concept to primal theatre where an effort is made to express on stage what rarely occurs in life and what is usually hidden. Basic processes for primal theatre workshops are discussed. For availability see CS…

Explores issues surrounding sexual trauma and chemical dependency. Aims to provide direction for relapse prevention with a relapse-prone population and explores application of traditional milieu substance-abuse treatment for sexual-trauma survivors. Makes recommendations for working with sexual-trauma survivors who are also substance abusers. (RJM)

Examined in this document are four phases of what are referred to as the counter environment, a new system of beliefs and counter institutions to care for people. The topics studied fall into the general areas of education, therapy, health care, and utopias. Free schools are discussed in terms of varied definitions, historical growth, basic…

This study reports an experimentally designed evaluation of Reality Orientation. Twelve elderly residents were chosen for the experimental group and 13 residents were chosen for the no-treatment control group. Both classroom Reality Orientation and 24-hour Reality Orientation were introduced on the experimental floor. A pretest-posttest control…

This study promotes the natural world as a resource for personal growth. It stresses how nature may help individuals build responsible and fulfilling relationships and offers sensory activities which show how nature can lead people to emotional health by teaching them its "non-language communication." Once participants identify and…