Personal empowerment is a guiding philosophy of many mental health service programs, but there has been little empirical research on the empowerment process in these programs. The authors examine social processes and consumer orientations within a self-help drop-in center for individuals with psychiatric disabilities, using intensive interviews…

This paper describes a project that focuses on youth themselves as resources in meeting the problem of maltreatment of adolescents. The 4-part program consists of a youth-staffed hot line, a self-help group, an information pamphlet for recognizing maltreatment and a public awareness campaign. (Author/SE)

Advocates employing former mental patients to staff mental health centers. Reveals evidence that patients can help each other. Reviews the special contributions that former patients can make (e.g., offering a consumer point of view, making appropriate demands, and being a role model). Identifies problems that may be expected. (DMM)

Fictional correspondence between counselor and client indicate how counselors can steer their clients into self-help programs. (HMV)

Argues that small-group mutual aid organizations are successful voluntary associations that attract members even in our individualistic and commodity-driven culture because they provide valuable collective benefits that can only be enjoyed in common. Small groups as a source of social capital have implications for the study of helping…

The nature of the processes involved in the phenomena of psychological change and self-development as related to the concept of self-help and mutual aid are examined in this paper. Awareness, motivation, and self-actualization are seen as part of a fundamental process of growth and development. It is suggested that a parallel to the personal…

People seeking help for personal problems usually turn to family, friends, and relatives first and then to sources such as neighborhood support systems, self-help groups, and community helpers such as physicians and clergy. These natural support systems need to be used and supported more by mental health professionals. One relationship which could…

This paper demonstrates how the professional and self help groups can cooperate in offering direct client assistance. The author discusses the potential uses of the self help group by the professional counselor, and then examines these three dimensions of organized self help groups which should be considered: (1) their basic posture with respect…

Offers some insight and understanding of the stress-producing components of counseling practice. Discusses some of the physical symptoms of burnout and examines why the syndrome is prevalent in the human services. Proposes the development of mutual aid groups as one solution to prevent or minimize burnout. (Author/RC)

As self-help groups have grown in number, mental health professionals have found themselves increasingly involved in such groups. This study examined how mental health professionals viewed the appropriateness of a variety of roles sometimes assumed by mental health professionals when they work with self-help groups. Social workers, psychologists,…

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,…

Designed for use with accompanying videotapes as single presentations or as a series for professionals or laypeople, or as supplementary modules in academic courses in psychology, marriage and family, health occupations, etc., these four learning modules focus on common phases of dying and grief as part of the normal cycle of living. The modules…

The college and university counseling center traditionally employs standard techniques in helping students, faculty, and staff in overcoming problems of mental stress (Berman, 1972). A technique suitable to both individual and group sessions, but rarely utilized is Re-Evaluation Co-Counseling or R.C. For the past twenty years, R.C. has gained an…

"Parent to Parent" is a telephone-contact self-help group for families of special needs children. Support parents are recruited and trained to provide counseling to other parents. Professionals lead the training course, which focuses on listening, understanding, and action planning. Parents carry out the support group's administrative…

Trends and countertrends abound around the basic question, "Who can be a helper?" This article deals with the characteristics of effective helpers and draws together a broad range of recent thought on questions concerning professionalism, status, and counseling competencies. (Author)