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From: g-rh@cca.UUCP (Richard Harter)
Newsgroups: net.sci,net.philosophy
Subject: Re: Value of therapy
Message-ID: <6671@cca.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 14-Mar-86 01:21:20 EST
Article-I.D.: cca.6671
Posted: Fri Mar 14 01:21:20 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Mar-86 20:53:12 EST
References: <899@decwrl.DEC.COM> <402@aoa.UUCP> <192@ulowell.UUCP>
Reply-To: g-rh@cca.UUCP (Richard Harter)
Organization: Computer Corp. of America, Cambridge
Lines: 25
Xref: watmath net.sci:590 net.philosophy:4452
Summary: Value not proven.

In article <> rwl@uvacs.UUCP (Ray Lubinsky) writes:
>> >Clinical and Applied Psychology.
>> 
>> I wish this were more of a "taboo" than it is.  Studies show that as many
>> people are hurt as are helped by therapy.
>
>I don't what study you're talking about, but I have heard that most (70% or
>more) of people who have attended therapy/councilling found it beneficial.
>Therapy is much maligned by people who have no personal experience with it
>-- in fact, by otherwise rational and intelligent people.
>
>Perhaps you should keep an open mind about topics in which you are less
>qualified than others to pass judgment -- even personal judgment.  I've been
>involved in therapy and found it to be very helpful.
>-- 
	For what it is worth there are studies which purport to show
	that the spontaneous remission rate for disturbences severe
	enough that therapy is considered appropriate is on the order
	of 65% -- i.e. that 'no treatment' is as effective as therapy.
	A reference is 'The Case Against Psychoanalysis', which is
	about 20 years old.  I have a copy in my vast and disorderly
	library which I can't find immediately.  If there is interest
	I will try to dig it up and post more details.

	Richard Harter, SMDS Inc.