Final answer:
Therapeutic communities aim to reintegrate clients into society by focusing on re-socialization through a structured, collective community living approach, utilizing a variety of therapeutic strategies and professional staff.
Step-by-step explanation:
Therapeutic communities differ from Synanon primarily because these communities aim to reintegrate clients into society. Unlike Synanon, which was a self-help movement, therapeutic communities are structured and often residential, where the focus is on re-socialization and personal responsibility through a hierarchy of controlled environments. They emphasize collective community living as a key agent of change, not just group encounter or individual psychotherapy. Therapeutic communities typically incorporate professional staff and a variety of therapeutic strategies, versus Synanon which was largely peer-driven and founded on the principles of mutual support among recovering addicts.