Nemes János: Healing Budapest - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1993)
The Famous Pető Institute
Royal guests at the Pető Institute given up on. I cannot describe the method even briefly, of course (it is taught for four years at college and it takes a further ten years practice to master!). It must be said, however, that it does not attempt to cure symptoms, but it teaches the patient to co-ordinate maximally all possible life-functions. Medical, psychological and pedagogical methods are used simultaneously to mobilize the mental and physical reserves of the patients aged from 1 to 14. The patients’ interest is aroused, their personality is activated. Conductive pedagogy is an interesting mixture of game, gymnastics (gyógytorna), psychotherapy and medical treatment. This is, of course, just some general, superficial information on an extremely complex method that is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. Those interested may obtain further information at the Institute or from the records of First Conductive Pedagogical World Conference. Conductive pedagogy is extremely popular, due to the fact that it can achieve up to an eighty percent improvement with its patients. This, of course, does not in all instances mean full recovery, but it does mean that patients become capable of leading a normal social and private life. They can join the community and often lead an independent life. The training is a process requiring a good deal of 46