In an informal sense, psychotherapy can be said to have been practiced through the ages, as individuals received psychological counsel and reassurance from others. Philosophers and physicians from the Hellenistic schools of philosophy and therapy practised psychotherapy among the Ancient Greeks and Romans from about the late 4th century BC to the 4th century AD.<ref>"''[http://books.google.com/books?id=ryqW330yYCUC&pg=PA80&dq&hl=en#v=onepage&q=&f=false Which psychotherapy?: leading exponents explain their differences]''". Colin Feltham (1997). p.80. ISBN 0-8039-7479-5</ref> The Greek physician [[Hippocrates]] (460– 377 BC) viewed mental illnesses as phenomena that could be studied and treated empirically.<ref>"''[http://books.google.com/books?id=vnMBQiOyTn0C&pg=PA4&dq&hl=en#v=onepage&q=&f=false Persuasion and healing: a comparative study of psychotherapy]''". Jerome D. Frank, Julia B. Frank (1993). p.4. ISBN 0-8018-4636-6</ref> Purposeful, theoretically-based psychotherapy was probably first developed in the Middle East during the 9th century by the Persian physician and psychological thinker, [[al-Razi|Rhazes]] (AD 852-932), who was at one time the chief physician of the Baghdad hospital.<ref> | In an informal sense, psychotherapy can be said to have been practiced through the ages, as individuals received psychological counsel and reassurance from others. Philosophers and physicians from the Hellenistic schools of philosophy and therapy practised psychotherapy among the Ancient Greeks and Romans from about the late 4th century BC to the 4th century AD.<ref>"''[http://books.google.com/books?id=ryqW330yYCUC&pg=PA80&dq&hl=en#v=onepage&q=&f=false Which psychotherapy?: leading exponents explain their differences]''". Colin Feltham (1997). p.80. ISBN 0-8039-7479-5</ref> The Greek physician [[Hippocrates]] (460– 377 BC) viewed mental illnesses as phenomena that could be studied and treated empirically.<ref>"''[http://books.google.com/books?id=vnMBQiOyTn0C&pg=PA4&dq&hl=en#v=onepage&q=&f=false Persuasion and healing: a comparative study of psychotherapy]''". Jerome D. Frank, Julia B. Frank (1993). p.4. ISBN 0-8018-4636-6</ref> Purposeful, theoretically-based psychotherapy was probably first developed in the Middle East during the 9th century by the Persian physician and psychological thinker, [[al-Razi|Rhazes]] (AD 852-932), who was at one time the chief physician of the Baghdad hospital.<ref> |