Eric Searle Seminar Series, Friday 18 May. Speaker: Lorraine Michael

On Friday 18 May, Lorraine Michael (Psychodramatist) is the speaker for the Eric Searle Seminar at St Vincent's Hospital.  She will be talking about her work conducting 'The Theatre of Life' in this public hospital.  For those who want to have lunch, please arrive by 12 o'clock.  The talk starts at 12.30 p.m sharp and concludes at 1.30 p.m.

Where? 2nd Floor, Psyche Building, 46 Nicholson St, Fitzroy.

Lorraine is also writing about her work and we've published one article in this newsletter (See to the right under the section on 'Writing').  You may leave comments for Lorraine and also if you have writing yourself and would like to see it published on the blog, let us know. 

Lorraine Michael

Announcing the forthcoming...

WORLD PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS 2012 – PRAGUE, OCT 17^TH-21^ST

Lorraine Michael is proud to announce that the 2 abstracts she had written for this conference, have been accepted.

The themes of the Conference are Access, Quality & Humane Care.

For those of you who are interested to know more about the papers that Lorraine is presenting at the conference she is only too happy to discuss her abstracts.

Title 1: The 11^th commandment: ‘Thou shalt not have any clinical role with this client’.

Title 2: ‘Providing access to quality clinical service within an acute public psychiatric setting: A fundamental principle of humane care’.

Details of Abstracts:

Title 1: The 11^th commandment: ‘Thou shalt not have any clinical role with this client’.

Aims/Objectives

This paper examines the functions of professional autonomy and multi-disciplinary teams, as they relate to clinical decisions around client-centred practice. Through the illustration of a vignette, the author demonstrates how she responds to a directive to discontinue clinical work with a client. Using her core roles of Clinician (Psychodramatist; Systems Thinker), Sociometrist, and auxiliary role of Double, she orchestrates a meeting with the organization’s executive management. A discussion paper is presented to them to generate discussion around the core systemic issues implicit in such a directive, and in this, broader ethical implications for access, quality and humane care – both clients’ and clinicians’ (a parallel process). This paper aims to illuminate the importance of prizing humanistic principles, particularly in mental health; not as some ideal held in isolation, but as an ethic to continually strive for and be committed to as a living tenet. It is in this spirit that this paper is presented.

Method

Psychodramatic Framework

Results

A strong mandate for clear and informed clinical decision-making processes within the context of multi-disciplinary teams.

Conclusion

This paper celebrates human-centred values in our work and relationships with people.

Educational Objectives:

At the end of this presentation, participants will have an increased understanding of:

1.    a systems perspective to effecting change;

2.  the issues of access, quality and humane care as ethical dimensions in clinical practice.

  

References:

1.    Chopra, D. (2010). The soul of leadership: Unlocking your potential for greatness. USA: Harmony Books.

2.    Jones, D. (2001). Sociometry in team and organisational development. The British Journal of Psychodrama and Sociodrama, 16, 69-78.

3.    Moreno, J. L. (1959). Psychodrama and group psychotherapy, Vol. 2. USA: Beacon House Inc.

Title 2: ‘Providing access to quality clinical service within an acute public psychiatric setting: a fundamental principle of humane care’.

Aims/Objectives

     Psychotherapy, at the best of times, is seen as a luxury for the ‘elite few’, the ‘worried well’. In acute psychiatry, such an area of speciality is deemed a futile endeavour given clients’ ‘manic’or ‘psychotic’ states. This paper argues that if we are to promote a humanising element within the field, the core function of attending to fundamental concerns of humane care needs to be prioritised and mirrored in the provision of treatment options like psychotherapy – particularly, as people with acute mental health issues are often unlikely to afford such a service elsewhere within the system. The author describes how in one acute public psychiatric setting in Victoria (the only to date), Psychodrama and clinical formulations from a Psychodramatic perspective reaffirm our ‘warm-up’ to the person that is in the forefront of the work together, not some ‘case’.

 Method: Psychodrama

Results:  The intervention and formulations emphasize a person’s humanity not their illness; ‘understanding explaining’ not ‘explaining understanding’; learning how a person copes, survives, and that we all have an innate capacity to thrive.

  

Conclusion

This paper celebrates the importance of relating mutually as people in the ‘here-and-now’ –it  is this that is deeply healing and promotes change.

Educational Objectives:

At the end of this presentation, participants will have an increased understanding of:

1.  How psychodramatic formulations can offer a unique epistemological        dimension to the care and treatment of acutely unwell people;

2.    The importance of the ‘human element’ in acute psychiatry.

References:

1. Breggin, P. R., & Stern, M.E. (Eds.). (1996). Psychosocial approaches to deeply disturbed persons. The Hawthorn Press, Inc.

2.  Deikman, A., & Whitake, L. (1979). Humanizing a psychiatric ward: changing from drugs to psychotherapy. Psychotherapy theory, research and practice, 16(2), 204-214.

3.  Moreno, J. L. (1959). Psychodrama and group psychotherapy, Vol. 2. USA: Beacon House Inc.