History of Psychotherapy in Slovakia
History of Psychotherapy in Slovakia

Summary/Abstract: Authors present the history of psychotherapy in Slovakia. The first section refers to the socialrequirements for psychology and psychotherapy development. The history of psychotherapy aloneis analysed in three stages of development. The first stage includes the years 1918–1945, where,related to the activities of the Clinic of Psychiatry and Neurology of the Faculty of Medicine ofComenius University in Bratislava, we come across the first attempts at applying psychothera -peutic approaches in medical practice and in the training of physicians. The second developmentalstage (1945–1989) introduces individuals that significantly influenced the development of psychotherapeutictheories and their application in individual fields of clinical practice. They simultaneouslyshow the contribution of the training school SUR to the development of psychotherapyin Slovakia. The most significant changes in the aspect of domestication and development of psychotherapyin Slovakia happened in the last characterised stage, in the period following the VelvetRevolution in 1989. The previously almost unavailable psychotherapeutic literature became availableand psychotherapy was gradually introduced into the undergraduate and postgraduate educationof physicians and other professionals. The first Slovak Society of Psychotherapy was foundedand became a common ground for professionals in this field. In the final section of this paper, theauthors present current questions and problems of the development, research and application ofpsychotherapy in Slovakia and briefly characterise the influence of legislation changes and reformsin healthcare on the position of psychotherapy.

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