The young Jewish revivalist: a therapist's dilemma.

This article presents and discusses: (a) some of the diagnostic and psychotherapeutic problems which emerged when dealing with extremely religious Jewish young men; and (b) conscious ethical questions and unperceived counter-transference reactions to religion and religious patients which may overburden the therapist's helping capacity, thereby curtailing the beneficial extent of his intervention. The setting of the therapeutic process is an open intensive care unit. The possible implications and effects of carrying out institutional therapy with this particular kind of patient are also analysed.