What happens in the therapy process of the Psychotherapy of Direct Confrontation is that the therapist gets involved in a communicative interaction with the schizophrenic. In the majority of the cases, it is necessary for the therapist to force the interaction with the patient. Through this, the therapist attempts to establish an interpersonal relationship with the patient that leads to a therapeutic alliance. The therapist tries to persuade the schizophrenic to abandon his psychotic symptomatology and the characterologic disorder and to learn more effective and more appropriate mechanisms for a positive life. This generally does not happen without an intense struggle between patient and psychotherapist.
Schizophrenia is considered to be a survival mechanism thus the schizophrenic won t give it up.
Therefore, the therapist s direct confrontation in a supportive environment, forces the patient to face the same problems that have made him seek refuge in the world of madness. In schizophrenia, the psychotherapy should not be contingent on the comprehension of the etiology. Rosberg believes that many factors may cause schizophrenia. He does not deny the possibility of it being organically based. It s not that important to know the causality, but for the therapist to be able to and wish to help the schizophrenic live a reasonable, meaningful and productive life.