A framework for understanding involuntary experiences which draws from social, psychological and cognitive perspectives on hypnotic responding is presented. Five reasons are suggested to reject the hypothesis that hypnotic responding is automatic and involuntary. (SLD)

Describes investigation evaluating impact of pretreatment depression severity and functional impairment on response of older depressed adolescents to group cognitive-behavioral treatments. Suggests variables of severity and functional impairment are best conceptualized as measures of single factor. Results were inconclusive. Discusses implications…

Articulates a model of treatment-facilitated recovery from sexual trauma. The model integrates an ecological view of psychological trauma, progressive stages of recovery, and a multifaceted definition of what constitutes recovery from a psychological trauma. Presents applications of the model and implications for treatment and research. (JPS)

Examined whether preparation decreases state anxiety and improves therapy outcome. One-half of 138 psychotherapy outpatients viewed preparatory videotape, whereas controls waited equivalent period before first appointment. Prepared clients had more accurate expectations about psychotherapy and lower state anxiety than did controls. At 2-month…

Examined therapist competence and patient-therapist complementarity as to their interrelation and their unique, collective, and interactive contributions to patient change in 20 sessions of short-term anxiety-provoking psychotherapy. Found that competence in early sessions did not relate to patient change. Patient-therapist complementarity ratings…

Provides a perspective on the use of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" as a bibliotherapeutic tool in group therapy. Provide an example of theme extraction in a session. Considers philosophical and theoretical issues. (RS)

Discusses the use of metaphors in psychotherapy. Offers suggestions for the construction and delivery of therapeutic metaphors. Includes two abridged metaphors used with an actual client, and presents the client's poetic responses. (RS)

Responds to previous article by Gelso and Carter (this issue) on components of psychotherapy relationship: working alliance, transference configuration, and real relationship. Considers difficulty in discriminating between transference and real relationship, both at conceptual and measurement levels. Also sees concept of real relationship as vague…

Describes theoretical framework and techniques of Morita psychotherapy. Western research indicates that Asian American clients prefer active-directive, logical, rational, and structured approaches. Suggests that ethnocentric counseling approaches may be imposed upon clients of Asian origin because meanings attached to terms describing counseling…

Responds to two articles previously published in the "Journal of Poetry Therapy": Michael De Maria on poetry and child abuse, and Vin Rosenthal on the haiku psychotherapist. Discusses art expression with respect to the element of choice of medium, and notes implications for the process and outcome of therapy. (SR)

Discusses themes in theoretical development of cognitive psychotherapies since 1950s inception: differentiation of rationalist and constructivist therapies and metatheories of knowing; acknowledgment of social, biological, and embodiment processes in therapy; recognition of unconscious processes; self-organizing and self-protective processes in…

Single-case study examined frank disclosure of important topics in brief exploratory psychotherapy, including topics closely related to recent, unintegrated stressor life event. Quantitative measures of emotion and control variables showed heightened levels of both emotionality and defensive control during discourse on topic of stressor event.…

The usefulness of brief therapy techniques in helping adults build confidence is asserted. Techniques described are clenched fist, split screen, submodalities, Swish, and theater technique for phobias. (SK)

Describes phases in the life of a Tavistock group composed of college students using concepts from Von Bertalanffy's general systems theory, MacKenzie's role theory, and Kantor's family theory. Discusses early, middle, and late phases of typical 16-session group as it moves from a closed to an open system. (Author/NB)

Uses a dramatistic analysis to examine the rhetorical elements of two therapeutic discourses designed to help women cope with eating disorders: spiritual recovery therapy (SR) and feminist psychoanalytic therapy (FT). Finds each therapy has the same key terms but serve different functions and encourage different interpretations. (NH)