Reports on the Center for Independent Living (CIL) in Berkeley, California, one of the most remarkable and probably the largest self-help enterprise of disabled people to have surfaced in the past 25 years. (Author/AM)

For more than 50 years, adolescent peer group treatment has been both glorified and criticized. Quality control has been a problem for the Positive Peer Culture (PPC) treatment modality throughout its history. The following article includes observations and commentary on the history, strength-based elements, and criticism of PPC.

A project was established to design and implement appropriate workshops for self-help groups of British mid-career engineers who wanted to attain chartered status. During the preparatory period, interviews identified the experiential learning difficulties and needs of prospective participants. Pilot workshops also identified the experiential…

The peer self-help group approach used by Alcoholics Anonymous can be a model for other types of adult learning. The group's power, solidarity, experience sharing, and values clarification can provide positive social and educational experiences to others such as the chronically unemployed, illiterate adults, and high school dropouts. (SK)

Recently, interest has increased in self-help groups, lay referral networks, social support networks, natural helpers, and others which may be placed under a single conceptual umbrella--socially indigenous help--because they all deal with the issue of how people use other people, social groups, and lay institutions to alleviate problems in living,…

Describes a project undertaken at Florida State University to index the contents of its career library on a microcomputer. The Career Key provides easy access to materials and promotes information-seeking skills as a strategy for solving decision-making problems. (JAC)

Provides a model of how hypnosis might be integrated into existing college counseling center programs. Describes a six-session skill building self-hypnosis group. (RC)

This paper explores a model of self-supervision for professional school psychologists which maximizes the amount of supervisory resources available. The history and current status of supervision in school psychology is reviewed. One model of self-supervision for professional school psychologists, the supervisory pool concept, is described and…

Used a general systems model to evaluate a self-help support group for medical students (N=26). Results showed most medical students sought out support groups to fulfill social affiliation needs and gain better self-understanding. Members shared many leadership functions and generally found the groups meaningful. (JAC)

The Rural Institute: Center for Excellence in Disability Education, Research, and Service, is one of sixty-four Centers for Excellence in Disability Education across the nation. It is an inter-disciplinary organization that promotes full participation in rural life for individuals with disabilities. The Rural Institute accomplishes this goal by…

Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs), developed by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), are best-practice guidelines for the treatment of substance use disorders. CSAT draws on the experience…

This paper describes the Elder Program, a 3 year Model Demonstration Program designed to strengthen neighborhood support systems for older persons through an educational program emphasizing information, resources, and skill development. A discussion of basic assumptions and the theoretical background of the model focuses on the principles of…

This professional development program is designed to assist managers and professionals in meeting job demands while maintaining individual skill and expertise. This volume contains an introduction to the program, developed by the Prairie View, Kansas, Mental Health Center, and is divided into three sections. The first section describes the program…

Obesity is one of the most prevalent health concerns currently facing industrialized nations. Psychological, social and emotional problems result from excess weight, and those who fail in their weight-loss efforts become extremely depressed. The obsession to be thin, particularly in the United States, is a boon to weight-control programs, both…