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GRIFFIN DAILY NEWS MAGAZINE
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• Yes; the chief aim in psychotherapy is to prevent
small troubles from becoming big ones. However,
the family-group technique is often just as success
ful in treating serious problems caused by an emo
tionally disturbed child or adult.
At one point in the history of psychoanalysis,
most authorities felt that no child under age nine
could benefit from psychotherapy. Now most au
thorities believe that successful treatment of dis
turbed youngsters depends on investigation, and
frequently calls for treatment of the entire family.
Family analysis often shows that the individual
who seems to be causing the trouble is actually the
Ml * * ° 0 F Y ° u * MI ND • BY JOS EF H WH IT NEY
• Are psychiatrists against religion ?
No; psychiatrists are found in all and insights about man's mind and
religious faiths. Every year there spirits that no one had suspected,
is a growing number who under- Religion began to recognize that
stand and stress the role that there is nothing wrong with human
religion plays in emotional health feelings, drives and wishes, provided
of the individual. the destructive ones are not trans-
In the past fifty years, the lated into similar action. It was
psychiatry-versus-religion issue has found that some people do seek
become mostly a question of the religion to escape real issues; and
role each can play best in the cure that some people reject religion for
of emotional illness. Even the orig- irrational reasons, such as a child-
inal controversy was largely due to hood concept of a vengeful God, or
mutual misunderstanding. Freud’s inculcated guilt for having evil
probing into man's neurotic need thoughts.
for religion stopped short of ex- Later researchers in ego-psy
ploring healthy, meaningful needs. chology began to discover the dy-
On the otfcer hand, religious leaders namics of "the religious uncon-
(and most other people) were scious." Some believe that the faith
shocked at Freudian warnings to and hope necessary for a healthy
ignore all mental censorship, and ego are found only in religion. As-
to express every thought, however ter all, psychiatry and religion have
unpleasant. To most people, this the same goal: the development of
meant complete permissiveness in an individual’s inner strength to
moral life. resist the tyranny of compulsions,
When the two disciplines began fears and self-defeating tempta-
to understand each other, they tions. Both strive to eliminate un
sound more areas of agreement necessary pain, and to help individ-
than disagreement. The new psy- uals utilize their own resources to
chology had discovered knowledge combat destructive forces.
2
scapegoat for a more seriously disturbed member.
In some cases, behavior problems and learning dif
ficulties have cleared up after it was found that a
parent was over-critical, or actively disliked the
children. A four- or five-year-old child is often the
one who gives valuable tips as to the root of family
problems.
Group therapy for married couples usually moves
much faster than the one-patient-one-doctor method.
Many group-therapy clinics use tape and video re
cordings to speed the process. Three sessions are
often enough to initiate definite changes; some
times even one session may create a lasting impact
<© 1967, King Features
• Are self-made men hard-boiled ?
Some of them are, and some are
gentle, sensitive and responsive to
human needs. Probably the only
traits all self-made men have in
common are their dedication to a
goal, and capacity for hard work.
As with everyone else, their adult
personalities were largely formed
by the emotional satisfactions they
did, or did not, receive in childhood;
modified by later frustrations and
rewards.
The stereotyped image of the
tough, cold-hearted man who fought
his way from poverty to power is
less realistic than it used to be. The
typical hard-boiled self-made man
of an earlier period came from a
deprived home, with little parental
tenderness or emotional support.
At times this fellow had trouble
seeing himself as a worthwhile in
dividual, and compensated for his
inferior feelings by trying to prove
himself stronger and smarter than
other people. He began working at
an early age, without much educa
tion. Often his early experiences
caused him to distrust others, and
Syndicate, Inc.)*
Sat. and Sun., May 20-21, 1967
on couples who might otherwise have taken years
to solve their problems.
The chief value of group therapy lies in helping
the individual to act out his feelings, and to ob
serve the reactions of other members of the family.
With the TV technique, the individual gets a star
tlingly clear picture of the way he acts, and how he
must look to others.
Every person occasionally wonders why people
react to him as they do; with video-therapy, he
knows. The objective picture needs no outside in
terpretation, and often arouses a keen interest in
the patient to behave differently.
to feel threatened by their progress.
By the time this fellow achieved
success, he had come to rely only
on himself, and to deny that he
needed anyone else for comfort or
support His fear of losing inde
pendence and power often pre
vented him from becoming emotion
ally involved with others. The only
thing he felt sure about was his
ability to work and to manipulate
others.
Although the conditions that
shape such personalities still exist,
there are now more and healthier
ways of easing and redirecting
their impact. Today a young person
can earn money, learn a specialized
skill and at the same time con
tinue a broader education that em
phasizes the values of healthy emo
tional adjustment, and the en
hancement of personal growth. The
self-made man no longer needs to
feel inferior to those who enjoy the
prestige background of a college
degree. Consequently he can let
down his defenses and respond to
his normal human instincts.