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Health Check: Crying Therapists

Woman in tears.

01/05/2013

Crying Therapists

BBC World Service - Health Check, Crying Therapists

Why older, more experienced therapists are more likely to shed tears during therapy

Does it help if therapists cry during therapy? Plus, the new test for leprosy developed in Brazil and the health effects of microscopic dust particles in underground railways

An in-depth survey of clinical psychologists and trainees found that almost three quarters of them had cried at some point during therapy and some cried several times a week. The results have recently been published in the journal Psychotherapy and Amy Blume-Marcovici, a clinical psychologist at Alliant International University in the United States, is the lead author.

New Leprosy Test
Leprosy is one of the classic scourges of ancient times. But far from being consigned to history, over 200,000 new cases are reported each year. Although it is easily treated with antibiotics, people living in remote communities often go undiagnosed and are left with permanent damage. Now a new cheap test developed in Brazil and the United States could help doctors stop the disease in its tracks. From Rio de Janeiro, Julia Carneiro reports.

Underground Dust Particles
Could dust in underground railway stations be harmful to our health? New research published in Environmental Science and Technology has found that microscopic dust particles in the air, in underground railways, are quite different to the ordinary everyday dust and that very fine particles - which can get into the lungs - contain surprisingly high levels of metal. Matt Loxham medical biologist and PhD student at Southampton University, analyses samples taken from underground railways.

(Photo: Woman crying. Credit: Getty Images)

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