title: [Christa Kohler's "communicative psychotherapy" as an integrated psychotherapeutic concept and its biographical, scientific and historical context].
abstract: "Communicative psychotherapy" was developed in the 1960s by the East German psychotherapist and psychiatrist Christa Kohler (1928-2004) for the treatment of "neuroses". Similar to established present-day psychotherapeutic methods, such as cognitive behaviour therapy, it combined diverse therapeutic approaches into an integrated treatment programme. This included individual and group therapy, exercise, work and occupational therapy. In contrast to modern psychotherapeutic practice, communicative psychotherapy was based on a firm system of values, namely socialist ideals. According to this system, psychological breakdown was viewed and treated ideologically. In addition, any lack of conformity with the East German system was likewise regarded as a psychopathological deviation, which should be subjected to psychological treatment. The latter concept requires a critical analysis from a current-day perspective. For the first time, this paper concentrates on Kohler's work on neuroses and the theory and practice of her communicative psychotherapy, albeit without neglecting Kohler's other scientific works, her biographical information and her Stasi documents.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universität Leipzig, Archiv für Leipziger Psychiatriegeschichte, Leipzig.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steinmetz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Himmerich
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Steinberg
mesh_terms: D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003142:Communication; D005858:Germany; D005859:Germany, East; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D009147:Music Therapy; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000266:history*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000266:history*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012950:Socialism