The Soviet Psychiatrist: His Relationship to His Patients and to His Society

The distinctive features of Soviet psychotherapists include informality, availability, and activity. There is no standard psychotherapeutic hour; sessions may vary from a half hour to two hours or more. A patient or former patient may see the therapist at any time he feels the need without advance appointment. The therapist is highly active, freely dispensing advice and manipulating the patient's social environment, if necessary. The author interprets these features as a reflection of the psychotherapist's place in a collective society.