Applying recovery-oriented cognitive therapy framework and procedures to energize the therapeutic milieu and promote flourishing

This interactive session will illustrate procedures expressly designed to transform inpatient and community-based psychiatric residential facilities in order to promote recovery for the most challenging individuals (those with... [ view full abstract ]

This interactive session will illustrate procedures expressly designed to transform inpatient and community-based psychiatric residential facilities in order to promote recovery for the most challenging individuals (those with severe negative symptoms, aggressive behavior, extreme self-injury, constant hallucination, recalcitrant delusions, or profound disorganization). Presenters will initially discuss the basic psychological formulation based on modes -- adaptive vs. regressive -- to promote understanding of how to develop and foster successful and sustained progress. Using this understanding as a basis, the workshop leaders will demonstrate techniques and policies to energize patient care and the treatment milieu, while overcoming iatrogenic factors endemic to psychiatric residential facilities. The workshop will include an experiential exercise of a recovery-oriented treatment team meeting, methods of integrating the treatment plans into milieu programming, communicating plans across three shifts, and organizing shifts by specific recovery mission. The workshop will also include an experiential exercise to develop milieu programming that contains a variety of social roles, meaningful group action, and a recovery-promoting role for staff. Additional discussion topics will include documenting activities and ways to measure effectiveness of recovery efforts on the milieu.