Carl Rogers in Psychiatry: How to be acceptantly and empathically with psychotic clients, and how to do that in the relative controlling, directive and corrective atmosphere of an ordinary psychiatric hospital. Click the links below.
A handbook
Sommerbeck, Lisbeth (2003): The Client-Centred Therapist in Psychiatric Contexts: A therapists’guide to the psychiatric landscape and its inhabitants. PCCS Books.
Pretherapy
Pretherapy developed by Garry Prouty. A form of client centered therapy Beyond psychotherapeutic reach? An introduction to Pre-Therapy By Lisbeth Sommerbeck, Bornholm Psychiatric Center, Denmark
Many of the most disturbed clients in the backyards of psychiatry have traditionally been regarded as "beyond psychotherapeutic reach". They are apparently unable to cooperate in an ordinary course of therapy (of any orientation). The reasons for this are most often listed as insufficient interest in, or capacity for
- Keeping a sustained focus
- Communicate understandably to the therapist
- Relate critically to themselves and their situation
- Receive input from the therapist
The psychiatric diagnosis of these clients can vary, but they are most often diagnosed with some form of psychosis or the other, frequently schizophrenia. Sometimes, however, they suffer instead from severe dementia or mental retardation. Whatever their diagnosis, they seem to have one thing in common: They are experienced as being "out of contact." Rarely do others have any idea of what goes on in them, or the experience is that nothing goes on in them, at all. read more
Websites
Pre-Therapy International Network
Books
Pre-therapy: Reaching Contact Impaired Clients
This book presents the most complete and up-to-date formulation of Pre-Therapy philosophy, theory and practice. Previously only available in German, this important work has been updated and translated. It has been virtually impossible to get hold of any substantial writing on Pre-Therapy in the UK and this book rectifies the situation. Developed by Garry Prouty and his associates over 30 years, Pre-Therapy is a method for anyone wanting to work with people whose ability to establish and maintain psychological contact is impaired temporarily or permanently, by illness or injury, whether of organic or psychological origin. Pre-Therapy has changed the practice of psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, social workers, counselors and carers in mainland Europe; now this book introduces its revolutionary ideas to English-speaking readers.
