Meeting Vincent: reconnections from behind the wall – Pre-Therapy in a psychiatric unit context

Abstract

This paper focuses on one example of the potential benefits of offering Pre-Therapy in a psychiatric setting. The paper focuses on the very beginning phase of therapeutic work taking place with one client. The example is drawn from a wider therapy project, categorised by the National Health Service (NHS) Information Services Division as a “Pre-Therapy Orientated, Wilderness Therapy.” The project size is small, one Person-Centred Counsellor contracted for one and a half days per week, offering therapeutic engagement using “Pre-Therapy” principles alongside the benefits gained from offering a therapy which is based in nature. Although small, this way of offering moments of therapeutic engagement does seem to be able to have a very clearly identified role in the work of psychiatric care for adults with severe and enduring mental health issues.

Vincent treffen: sich mit „hinter der Mauer“ verbinden - Prä-Therapie im Kontext einer psychiatrischen Abteilung

Dieser Artikel konzentriert sich auf ein Beispiel der möglichen Vorteile, wenn man Prä-Therapie in einem psychiatrischen Setting anbietet. Der Artikel konzentriert sich auf die allererste Anfangsphase der therapeutischen Arbeit mit einem einzelnen Klienten. Das Beispiel stammt aus einem größeren Therapieprojekt, das beim National Health Service (NHS) Information Services Division registriert ist und zwar als eine Wildnis-Therapie, die sich an Prä-Therapie orientiert.

Das Projekt ist klein. Ein Personzentrierter Berater mit einem Pensum von anderthalb Tagen pro Woche bietet therapeutisches Engagement an, indem er im Rahmen einer Therapie, die die wohltuenden Auswirkungen der Natur nutzt, auch Prä-Therapie-Prinzipien anwendet. Auch wenn dieses Angebot klein ist - diese Art, Momente therapeutischer Verbindungen anzubieten, scheint eine sehr klar identifizierbare Rolle zu haben, wenn es um die psychiatrischen Betreuung Erwachsener geht, die an schweren und dauerhaften psychischen Problemen leiden.

Encontrándose con Vicente; reconexiones desde atrás de la pared – Preterpia en el contexto de una unidad psiquiátrica

Este escrito se enfoca en un ejemplo de los potenciales beneficios de ofrecer pre terapia en un ámbito psiquiátrico. Se enfoca en la mismísims fase del comienzo del trabajo terapéutico de un solo consultante/paciente. Fue elegido de un proyecto mucho mas amplio registrado con la división de servicios de información del servicio nacional de salud como “una mas “salvaje/primitiva” orientada a la pre terapia”.

El tamaño del proyecto es pequeño, un Counselor centrado en la persona contratado por un día y medio por semana ofreciendo compromiso terapéutico usando los principios de la ‘pre terapia’ a la vez de los beneficios obtenidos de ofrecer una terapia que esta basada en la naturaleza.

A pesar de ser pequeño, esta manera de ofrecer momentos de conexión y compromiso terapéutico, verdaderamente parece tener un rol claramente identificado en el trabajo terapéutico de cuidar adultos con problema mentales de salud severos y permanentes.

A la rencontre de Vincent. La pré-thérapie dans le contexte d’une unité psychiatrique : se reconnecter depuis l’autre côté du mur

Cet article présente un exemple des bénéfices potentiels de la pré-thérapie exercée dans un contexte psychiatrique. Il se focalise sur la toute première phase d’un travail thérapeutique entamé avec un client. L’exemple est issu d’un projet thérapeutique plus large inscrit au « National Health Service (NHS) Information Services Division » en tant que « Thérapie dans la nature sauvage s’appuyant sur la pré-thérapie ».

Il s’agit d’un projet de petite taille. Un counsellor centré sur la personne s’engage à offrir un lien thérapeutique durant une journée et demie par semaine, en utilisant les principes de la pré-thérapie en même temps qu’il tire bénéfice d’une thérapie menée dans la nature.

Bien que modeste, cette manière d’offrir des moments d’engagement thérapeutique apparaît en mesure d’avoir un rôle clairement identifié dans les soins psychiatriques avec des adultes confrontés à des problématiques de santé mentale sévères et de longue durée.

Ao encontro de Vincent: Novas ligações nos bastidores – a Pré-Terapia no Contexto de uma unidade psiquiátrica

Este artigo debruça-se sobre um exemplo que demonstra os potenciais benefícios obtidos quando se disponibiliza a Pré-Terapia num contexto psiquiátrico. Nele é abordada uma primeira fase do trabalho terapêutico realizado com um cliente. O exemplo apresentado é retirado de um projeto terapêutico mais alargado, registado na Divisão dos Serviços de Informação do Serviço Nacional de Saúde sob a designação de: «Terapia Natural de orientação baseada na Pré-Terapia». Trata-se de um projeto de pequena dimensão, no qual se contrata um Counsellor Centrado na Pessoa, um dia e meio por semana. Este técnico promove uma ativação terapêutica através do recurso aos princípios da Pré-Terapia, combinados com uma terapia baseada na natureza. Apesar da sua pequena dimensão, esta forma de disponibilizar a ativação de momentos terapêuticos parece ter um papel claramente identificado no trabalho desenvolvido no contexto dos cuidados psiquiátrico para adultos com doença mental severa e permanente.

Keywords:

• Pre-Therapy
• Wilderness Therapy
• psychiatric rehabilitation service
• therapeutic alliance

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rab Erskine

Rab Erskine began working therapeutically in the mid-1980s at a residential therapeutic community (list G) school. He initially trained in counselling in 1992 at Heriot Watt University where he completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Counselling. Fired up by this training, he moved to Strathclyde University where, in 1993, he completed a Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling. During this 8-year period he took part in, and gained qualifications in, various “outdoor activity” courses. Since 1994, alongside running a counselling service in a local health centre, he has been involved in developing wilderness/nature-based therapeutic outings. His contracts have always been to work with individuals who for different reasons were not able to work with what the services had to offer. In 2004 he was commissioned to develop a nature-based therapeutic project for NHS Borders Adult Mental Health Community Psychiatric Rehabilitation Team. The team offers a service to adults usually with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizo-affective disorder or bi-polar affective disorder. The way of working that he has been developing with individuals and groups consists of offering nourishing, enriching, and elementally anchoring experiences that invite individuals to re-connect with relationship in a fundamental way. He currently lives in the Borders Region of Scotland with his wife, four children and lots of animals.