Psychodynamic treatment for adolescents with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders

This workshop will present work from the psychodynamic milieu therapy model of the Danish Dyssegaarden. Dyssegaarden is a psychiatric residential treatment institution for adolescents suffering from schizophrenia and other... [ view full abstract ]

This workshop will present work from the psychodynamic milieu therapy model of the Danish Dyssegaarden. Dyssegaarden is a psychiatric residential treatment institution for adolescents suffering from schizophrenia and other severe psychotic disorders, as well as from Autism Spectrum Disorders and personality disorders (with psychotic symptoms), and from severe OCD. The adolescents often also suffer from eating disorders, self-harm, depression and suicidality.

The workshop will focus on presenting a psychodynamic way of understanding and working with the difficulties of these adolescents. The primary focus will be on understanding the defensive aspect of psychotic symptoms, and how to work therapeutically to contain and transform psychotic experiences and defenses. Other foci include the relation between psychotic symptoms and traumatic experience, as well as the importance of understanding the affect-regulative function of different behaviours and symptoms.

The psychotherapeutic and milieu therapeutic work at Dyssegaarden, and the understanding of the functions of psychotic symptoms, is grounded in object relations theory, attachment theory and mentalization-based approaches as well as incorporating methods from CBT approaches to psychosis.   

Different aspects of the work will be illustrated with case examples from the psychotherapy of adolescents diagnosed with schizophrenia.