ABSTRACT
K. I. Platonov's work is typical of a great deal of Soviet writing in the field of psychotherapy in its heavily Pavlovian emphasis. Although Platonov is opposed to psychoanalysis, his clinical suggestions show certain striking resemblances to psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy. The description of the technique of persuasion is similar to Albert Ellis's rational-emotive psychotherapy. However, the emphasis on direct authoritative suggestion would seem to be directly opposed to the methods of Jay Haley as described in the preceding selection. The formula of the verbal suggestion must be not only very clear, but also properly aimed. By virtue of the extensive functional mosaics of the cerebral cortex the physician can influence by verbal suggestion only certain cortical dynamic structures without affecting the enormous number of the other structures. Indirect suggestion is sometimes extremely valuable in psychotherapeutic practice when direct verbal suggestion proves ineffective.
