Short Psychotherapy with Passive Patients

Abstract

The most pressing problem in general practice today is the provision of adequate psychotherapy for psychogenic illness, which is responsible for 30 per cent. of all consultations (College of General Practitioners, 1958) and only a small proportion of which can be treated by trained psychiatrists. This paper describes a form of brief psychotherapy directed towards modifying neurotic character traits and securing freer expression of personality assets in the passive compliant type of personality which was found in 71 per cent. of all patients specially interviewed in late 1959 and 1960 in a working-class Belfast practice.

Character Defenses and Biofeedback

“…Yet, since the complaints were so broad, the life insult so great, and James's characteristic style so dependent, we could find no focus for treatment beyond the immediate somatic concern. This use of a therapeutic focus is especially important for passively or dependently oriented patients (Sifneos, 1968, Browne, 1964. Failing to find a mutually agreed-upon focus, we should have anticipated that James's orienting style and characteristic way of handling upset and stress would prevail over our wish to help.…”