William E. Mitchell

Amicatherapy: Theoretical perspectives and an example of practice

Amicatherapy is described as a form of therapeutic intervention whereby laymen volunteers relate in sustained friendship roles to troubled and disturbed persons under the guidance and supervision of professionals. As a form of intervention, amicatherapy is differentiated from psychotherapy in terms of both its rationale and practice and is placed among the milieu therapies. Data are presented on a pilot project involving college student volunteers and local troubled children, upon which the formulation of amicatherapy is based.Amicatherapy is described as a form of therapeutic intervention whereby laymen volunteers relate in sustained friendship roles to troubled and disturbed persons under the guidance and supervision of professionals. As a form of intervention, amicatherapy is differentiated from psychotherapy in terms of both its rationale and practice and is placed among the milieu therapies. Data are presented on a pilot project involving college student volunteers and local troubled children, upon which the formulation of amicatherapy is based.