Theory and Practice of Democratic Therapeutic Community Treatment

Dr Steve Pearce was a Consultant Psychiatrist and Programme Director for personality disorder services in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. He was Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Therapeutic Communities, Chair of the NHS England Residential Personality Disorder Clinical Reference Group, Past President of the British and Irish Group for the Study of Personality Disorder, and Past Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Quality Network for Therapeutic Communities. Rex Haigh is a Consultant Psychiatrist for personality disorder services in East Berkshire. He is also Honorary Professor of Therapeutic Environments and Relational Health in Nottingham University's School of Sociology and Social Policy. He is Founder and Past Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Quality Network for Therapeutic Communities, Founder and Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Enabling Environments Network and Past President of the Association of Therapeutic Communities.

• Acknowledgements. Preface. Section One: History. 1. A history of therapeutic communities. Section Two: Concepts. 2. Why therapeutic communities? 3. Therapeutic community-specific theory. 4. Belongingness. 5. Responsible agency. 6. Social learning. 7. Emotional progression and narrative. 8. The use of psychodynamic theory and techniques. 9. Group analytic influences and theories. 10. Group processes and systems. 11. Evidence for therapeutic community effectiveness. 12. General approach and principles. Section Three: Practice. 13. Phases and timing. 14. Assessment and selection. 15. Democratic therapeutic community structure. 16. Boundary maintenance. 17. Quality of relationships and therapeutic method. 18. The use of psycho-educational and humanistic methods. 19. Anti-therapeutic processes. Section Four: Organisational Aspects. 20. Organisational relationships. 21. Organisational development. Section Five: Training. 22. Training - introduction. 23. Experiential training for working in therapeutic communities. 24. Supervised clinical practices. Appendices. Further Reading. References. Index.

This superb and important book, written by two of the most knowledgeable and experienced proponents of Therapeutic Communities, tracks their history, theory and detailed workings from assessment to treatment. It is a book that teaches us emancipating approaches which holds the key to a more humanised psychiatry.