The concept of the self-help clearinghouse: The Israeli experience

Throughout most of the western world, self-help clearinghouses have evolved primarily as an attempt to meet the growing needs of the self-help movement. However, in Israel the situation is quite different; organized self-help is a relatively new phenomenon. There is only one self-help clearinghouse, which has been operating for less than ten years. The present paper attempts to document and analyse the operation of the Israeli Self-Help Clearinghouse since its establishment. Interesting differences emerge among lay people and professional callers regarding their types of predicaments, forms of contact with the clearinghouse, and the services provided. While specifically related to the Israeli context, the data support generally accepted ideas in the self-help literature. As such, the paper utilizes both Israeli and universal frameworks in confronting current trends in the self-help movement.