(Boukydis 1984)

Title: Chapter 15: Changes: Peer-Counseling Supportive Communities as a Model for Community Mental Health

DOI or Website Link:

Publication: Teaching Psychological Skills: Models for Giving Psychology Away, Dale Larson 1984

Date: 1984

Affiliation(s): Center for Client Centered Theropy

Abstract:

The Changes program, presented by Boukydis, is the vehicle for giving the shills of focusing and listening away to members of a supportive peer-counseling community. Boukydis shows how mutual-support groups can be developed and sustained with little financing and administration and how specific psychological skills can help such groups develop into a supportive and healing milieu. Most important, the peer-counseling, mutual-help model breaks down the distinction between helpers and helpees and gives individuals the responsibility and skills not only for coping with their own lives but for helping others as well.

Topic Area:

(In which field / sector / perspective was this study conducted?)

- general public
- community mental health

Definition:

(How was empathy defined?)

empathy not used but the processes are empathy based

Benefits:

(Were any benefits of empathy mentioned?)

Methods:

(What were the methods used to train empathy?)

The Changes Group model

- 1. Focusing
- 2. Listening
  - listening turns
  - Being listened to
  - Empathic Listening
- 3. Interpersonal processing
- 4. Listening in Groups:
  - Peer to peer
  - Pairs, 3, 4, 5 etc. in groups

Meeting Outline

- Intro to Changes
- 1 hr. Presentations
- Announcements
- Socializing

Small Groups 1 hour - listening/focusing

Target Group:

(Who participated in this study / training?)

General public and community

Measurements:

(About the assessment: How was the change in empathy measured before/after the intervention/method?)

Result:

(What was the result?)

Posted By: Edwin Rutsch

Notes:

Empathy in not mentioned but is the core of the process

References: