Current claims

   1. (Currently Amended) A method of providing mental therapy for reducing fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings caused by a prior adverse interpersonal interaction, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) causing to be visibly displayed to, or perceived by, a first person an image closely resembling a second person, said first person having, in respect to said second person, because of a prior adverse interpersonal interaction between said first person and said second person, an initial level of fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings as to which said first person desires therapy to reduce the initial level;

(2) causing to be visibly displayed to, or perceived by, said first person an image of a potentially harmful object;

(3) causing said image of [[an]] a potentially harmful object to touch, become located within, or become near said image of said second person in a manner such that said potentially harmful object appears to harm said second person; and

(4) making a determination whether to repeat the third step, said determination comprising determining, based [[at least in part]] on user-derived input, whether, or to what extent, a reduction of the initial level of fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings of said first person has occurred.

   2. (Original) The method of claim 1 wherein, prior to step 1 of claim 1, said first person has a first state of mind, said first state of mind characterized by thought patterns constituting or representative of fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings; and wherein said method further comprises transforming said first state of mind of said first person to a second state of mind of said first person, said second state characterized by thought patterns constituting or representative of a reduction of said fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings.

   3. (Original) The method of claim 1 wherein prior to step 1 of claim 1, said first person has a first state of mind, said first state of mind characterized by a negative cathexis with respect to said second person; and wherein said method further comprises transforming said first state of mind of said first person to a second state of mind of said first person, said second state characterized by an at least partial discharge of said cathexis.

   4. (Original) The method of claim 3 wherein said method further comprises transforming said first state of mind so that in said second state of mind said first person comes to feel that he or she has imposed retribution or vengeance on said second person, said transforming occurring without said first person consciously believing that his or her conduct has actually caused said second person to suffer a physical injury.

   5. (Original) The method of claim 1 wherein at least one step is carried out by a machine.

   6. (Original) The method of claim 5 wherein said image of a second person and said image of an object are each located on a computer display visible to said first person, said computer display operatively coupled to a programmable processing unit operatively coupled to a memory, said memory storing a computer program for carrying out said method of claim 5.

   7. (Original) The method of claim 6 wherein said image of an object is embodied in an animated graphics file, said file embodying an audiovisual work that is performed on said computer display when said first person engages in a prespecified action on an input device operatively coupled to said processing unit.

   8. (Original) The method of claim 6 wherein said image of an object is translated on said display so that said image of an object appears to touch or penetrate said image of said second person, and then said image of said second person is transformed so that said second person appears to be bleeding or sustaining a mutilation.

   9. (Original) The method of claim 6 further comprising:

a step of logging on to the Internet; and

an Internet-implemented step of causing a payment to be made to a vendor; and

wherein at least one step of said method comprises transmitting a signal over the Internet between the first person and the vendor.

   10. (Original) The method of claim 6 wherein at least one step of said method is preceded, accompanied, or followed by an audible rendition of a predetermined phrase, mantra, or incantation.

   11. (Original) The method of claim 10 wherein said predetermined phrase, mantra, or incantation is selected with regard to helping overcome negative feelings caused by said prior adverse interpersonal interaction between said first person and said second person.

   12. (Original) The method of claim 1 wherein at least one step of said method is preceded, accompanied, or followed by an audible rendition of a predetermined phrase, mantra, or incantation that is selected with regard to helping overcome negative feelings caused by said prior adverse interpersonal interaction between said first person and said second person.

   13. (Previously Presented) A method for providing mental therapy for a victim of spousal abuse, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) causing to be visibly displayed to, or perceived by, a first person an image closely resembling a second person, said first person a victim of spousal abuse by said second person, said first person having, in respect to said second person, feelings of fear, powerlessness, vulnerability, or anger caused by said spousal abuse;

(2) causing to be visibly displayed to, or perceived by, said first person an image of a potentially harmful object; and

(3) causing said image of an object to touch, become located within, or become near said image of said second person in a manner such that said object appears to harm said second person;

wherein, during or after said third step, said first person undergoes a transformation of mental state, said transformation comprising a reduction of said feelings of fear, powerlessness, vulnerability, or anger.

   14. (Original) The method of claim 13 wherein at least one step is preceded, accompanied, or followed by an audible rendition of a predetermined phrase that has been selected for mental therapy use in regard to a victim of spousal abuse, said phrase selected with regard to helping to alleviate feelings of fear, powerlessness, vulnerability, or anger caused by spousal abuse.

   Claim 15. (Canceled)

   16. (Previously Presented) A machine adapted for use in a therapy for alleviating anger or negative thoughts or feelings of a first person with respect to a second person, said machine comprising:

a person display unit for causing to be visibly displayed to, or perceived by, a first person an image closely resembling a second person, said first person having, in respect to said second person, because of prior adverse interpersonal interactions between said first person and said second person, fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings, or a negative cathexis, as to which said first person desires therapy;

an object display unit for causing to be visibly displayed to, or perceived by, said first person an image of an object potentially harmful to said second person; and

a translator unit for causing said image of an object to touch, become located within, or become near said image of said second person, in a manner such that said object appears to harm said second person;

said person display unit, said object display unit, and said translator unit adapted to cooperate to influence a reduction of said fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings, or an at least partial discharge of said negative cathexis.

   17. (Original) The machine of claim 16 further comprising a determination unit for determining whether said first person has undergone a reduction of said fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings, or a reduction of said negative cathexis, and for again actuating an operation of said translation unit unless a reduction of said fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings, or a reduction of said negative cathexis has occurred.

   18. (Original) The machine of claim 16 further comprising a processing unit operatively coupled to a memory in which is stored a computer program for operating or effectuating said image display unit, said object display unit, said translator unit, and said determination unit.

   19. (Original) The machine of claim 18 further comprising a sound system operatively coupled to said processing unit and, operatively coupled to said processing unit, an incantation unit for causing said sound system to make a predetermined phrase, mantra, or incantation audible during at least a portion of a time when said machine is operated.

Claim 20. (Canceled)

   21. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1, comprising the following additional step after the fourth step: (5) returning to the third step and reiterating the third and following steps until it is determined that a specified reduction of the initial level of fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings of said first person has occurred.

   22. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1, wherein at the time that the fourth step is currently iterated said first person has a current level of fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings, said method comprising the following additional step after the fourth step:

(5) returning to the third step and repeating the third and following steps until a time comes when it is determined that the current level of fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings of said first person at said time is not such that a specified reduction of the current level of fear, anger, or negative thoughts or feelings of said first person when the fourth step was last previously iterated has occurred.