The Nine Dynamics of Mutual Aid and Their Implications for Practice

Mutual aid is often misconstrued as either “sympatico” behavior (i.e., commiseration) or the exchange of advice. As the literature reveals, however, mutual aid is a much more elaborate process than either the expression of sympathy or the giving of advice. It has many facets and embraces many types of interaction, including those that might at first glance appear less than helpful.