Exchange, Balance, and Formal Organization in Psychotherapeutic Interactions

Psychotherapeutic interactions in crisis situations are analyzed in terms of the “sociodynamic” concepts of exchange, balance, & formal organization. It is argued that psychodynamic interpretations of crisis intervention therapy tend to be incomplete and nonsystematic thus failing to produce adequate predictions, explanations & controls of psychotherapeutic outcomes. Small-group principles & methods are applied to selected crisis cases to illustrate gains in predictions & control of approaches.