Silva in Psychiatry

Silva in Psychiatry

The Silva Method and the Psychiatric Patient

This research was done to measure the effects of the Silva Method amongst seriously disturbed psychiatric patients.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1980

Clancy D. McKenzie, M.D., Director of Philadelphia Psychiatric Consultation Service, Attending Psychiatrist, Philadelphia Psychiatric Center.

Lance S. Wright, M.D., Senior Attending Psychiatrist, Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital, Associate Professor of Child Psychiatry, Hahnemann Medical College.

Summary

In November 1970 we attended a Silva Method class in Philadelphia because we were curious about some of their claims.

The Silva Method provides the patient with an enhanced ability to use the mind and apply himself to whatever therapy he is in.

Psychotics have been helped so dramatically (at least when the patient is in treatment and the psychiatrist understands the course) that Dr. McKenzie now insists all his psychotic patients attend, while under his care and supervision.

Because of the dramatic improvement in most of the disturbed individuals, and because the training can be applied to large groups at once, the authors foresee an application as an ancillary form of treatment in the hospital setting.

The course was found to be safe and potentially beneficial for neurotics. it was relatively safe and definitely beneficial for the highly disturbed individual, when under the care of a psychiatrist familiar with the program. Both clinical and objective psychological data show that the benefits far outweigh any negative effect.

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