The opening phase of psychotherapy of hypochondriacal states

People presenting with hypochondriacal complaints are commonly regarded as difficult to engage in psychotherapy. The clinical experiences described here indicate that when therapists communicate their empathic understanding of the patient's distress, the patient's suffering is decreased and it is possible to engage him or her in treatment. These results are demonstrated with regard to eight patients. Treatment failures using this method are demonstrated in a case where its application was delayed and in cases of hysteria and schizophrenia, where the method is not applicable. These clinical results can be conceptualized using ideas of self-psychology.