Ecosystemic consultation in the kibbutz: social process and narrative in two cases of community "epidemic"

This paper emphasizes working with the social component of the biopsychosocial model. A dual approach for "renarrating" dysfunctional community narratives and for changing the social process is described. This approach was applied to two cases of "epidemics" allegedly cased by mysterious environmental agents that occured on kibbutzim. The collective adoption of irrational beliefs is analyzed by using concepts from sociology and crowd psychology. The suggestive effects of the emotional contagion and of the preoccupation with a persistent belief are examined by applying the concept of monoideism. The epidemics were resolved by working in collaboration with the community. The intervention programs mobilized inner resources by helping the kibbutzim to adopt a more unified approach to their presenting problems, and by challenged them to face previously avoided more fundamental dilemmas.