Reassurance Therapy

What to Say to Symptomatic Patients with Benign Diseases

  1. JOSEPH D. SAPIRA, M.D., F.A.C.P.
  1. Birmingham, Alabama

    Abstract

    Reassurance therapy consists of six, sequential obligatory steps: [1] eliciting a detailed description of the symptom, [2] eliciting the affective meaning of the symptom, [3] examining the patient, [4] making a diagnosis, [5] explaining the symptom to the patient, and [6] reassuring the patient. The omission of one or more of these steps results in ineffective reassurance.

    Article and Author Information

    • * The various theoretical and conceptual bases underlying this form of psychotherapy are not dealt with in this essay.

    • ▸From the Division of Behavioral Medicine of the Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, University of Alabama in Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Ala.

    • ▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to Joseph D. Sapira, M.D., 1919 7th Ave. South, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Birmingham, Ala. 35233.

      • Received April 24, 1972.
      • Received June 28, 1972.
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    This Article

    1. Ann Intern Med October 1, 1972 vol. 77 no. 4 603-604
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