Reflections on the interaction between milieu therapeutic and psychotherapeutic approaches to young people with severe psychiatric illness

Abstract

This article is based on our professionel experience and thoughts on the recent developments that we have observed at a social psychiatric, milieu therapeutic residentiel institution for young people with severe and complex, psychiatric difficulties. Within the last decades we have witnessed a growing tendency towards very early discharges of young people from psychiatric hospitals. Many of the young people who are living at our institution are thus arriving in a severely critical psychological state f.x. with very severe eating disorders, psychotic states and severe levels of selvharm. This brings forth continuous reflection on the implications for the milieutherapeutic and psychotherapeutic treatment.