Psychiatric Times Vol 20 No 7

I have been following the ongoing dialogue regarding the Falun Gong movement, and I have been pleased to find that Alan Stone, M.D., is the first psychiatrist to write something approaching the truth about the Falun Gong group (November 2002 Psychiatric Times, p1; April PT, p9).

Now that the HIPPA compliance deadline has passed, it seems as though Congress is no closer to reaching a solution to the issue of patient privacy. What should physician groups such as the American Psychiatric Association be doing to support patient privacy, and are they doing enough?

Erotic transference can be one of the most difficult issues to work through in psychotherapy. What is the history of the understanding of erotic transference, and what factors may play into its emergence in therapy?

Poetry of the Times

With the advent of computer technology, new forms of therapy have emerged that can help patients. How can a virtual reality environment enable patients to overcome panic disorder and agoraphobia, and what are the advantages to such forms of therapy?

One of the more difficult aspects of treating children and adolescents is the issue of aggression. An expert consensus panel convened by the Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health at Columbia University and the New York State Office of Mental Health has released a new set of treatment guidelines that should help physicians give the best care possible.

The use of supportive psychotherapy, where the clinician acts as a watchful parent, may be of some use to certain patients as opposed to traditional psychoanalysis. This paper gives some examples of cases in which supportive psychotherapy may be more effective.

Once the potential for violent behavior has been identified in a patient, how should it be dealt with? What steps can the clinician take to ensure the physical and legal safety of themselves and their patients? Furthermore, what are the clinician's legal and ethical responsibilities if the patient does commit a violence act?

Although the prospect of online mental health care raises obvious questions, it also offers an opportunity to make cost effective services available to many who may not otherwise have access. By understanding issues such as confidentiality, emergencies and lack of face-to-face contact, psychiatrists can determine if this area of treatment is right for them.