We are happy to put brief notes about other meetings/conferences etc. that may be of interest to members. Send us your views of events that you have been to.
There was a successful three day Symposium on Group Work and Forensic
Psychotherapy, organised by Estela Welldon, at the 12th Congress
of the International Association of Group Psychotherapy in Buenos
Aires this summer. It included papers in the following areas:
the forensic patient: recognition and voluntary group treatment;
secure units, group treatments and new patterns; training and
research - the European perspective.
Estela Welldon
Also, Chris and I presented a paper at the 21st International Congress on Law and Mental Health in Tromsø, on "Containing containers: psychodynamics of therapy in secure institutions" which was well received. Although the conference was primarily psychiatric, we had chance to make some good contact with psychotherapists and researchers from Scandinavia and Norway in particular.
Peter Gottlieb sent the following about the Danish Association of Forensic Psychiatry:
In May 1995 the Danish Association of Forensic Psychiatry for the first time in its 5 year old history devoted its annual meeting to the subject of forensic psychotherapy. An audience of some 50 psychiatrists attentively listened to the views of Patrick Gallwey on the importance of a solid and resourceful framework if therapeutic work is to be performed at all.
The other presenters were Danish. Psychologist Lars Sorensen presented a theoretical frame for long term therapy of chronically mentally ill offender patients. Senior Registrar Trine Arngrim shared her heavily learnt experience on group therapy with forensic psychiatric inpatients. The group has existed for about one year as a slow open group with about 5 or 6 participants and conducted according to Foulkesian principles. It is still very much alive. Finally, psychologist Birgitte Brun reported on her own therapeutic practice with difficult inpatients at St. Hans Hospital, stressing the necessity of providing a room for the therapy and at the same time be faithful to the interdisciplinary solidarity and teamwork.
In the discussion it was concludingly argued that apart from the
concern of the patients, also the duties of forensic psychiatrists
towards society do necessitate a dynamically therapeutic approach.
Peter Gottlieb
The Royal College of Psychiatry has recently accepted the training of Forensic Psycho-therapy and posts of Senior Registrars will spend 2 years in Forensic Psychiatry and 2 years in Psychotherapy. The Portman Clinic was the first to implement such a training.
Dr Sheilagh Davies put forward to the Royal College of Psychiatrists
a proposal for the inclusion of a Section on Forensic Psychotherapy,
as a new discipline for the Millennium. This was accepted and
will be presented at the winter meeting in January 1996.
Estela Welldon
In January 1989 the first formal discussions of a course in Forensic Psychotherapy took place in London. The group consisted of representatives of the Portman Clinic; psychoanalysts; child, adolescent and forensic psychiatrists and Dr Estela Welldon. The original course of one years duration started in October 1990, leading to a Certificate in Forensic Psychotherapy. This subsequently became Year I of a two year part time Diploma Course - initially awarded this status by the British Postgraduate Medical Foundation and now by University College Medical School, London.
The course provides special experience in psychotherapeutic work with offenders but does not, in itself, constitute a basic psychotherapy training. The target population for the course is all professionals working with offenders in hospitals; special hospitals; secure units; prisons; probation offices; courts; and the community. This may include people from a range of core professional backgrounds: psychologists; psychiatrists; nurses; social workers and other social service professionals; occupational therapists; arts psychotherapists; probation officers; counsellors; and psychotherapists.
The course structure includes small group supervision; interdisciplinary discussion of practice in a variety of work settings; reading and lectures on theoretical and clinical topics; and personal experience in psychoanalytical psychotherapy.
The syllabus requires an understanding of basic developmental and psychodynamic theories and concepts of individual, group and family psychotherapies and their adaptation to the forensic field. It includes an understanding of basic psychoanalytic techniques, adapted to psychotherapy and to the forensic patient within the community, residential hospital, or prison service establishments. The use of personal therapy as a means of enhancing candidates' abilities to offer therapy is also emphasised.
There is continuous written and supervisory assessment as well as examination by dissertation at the end of each year. Progression from Year I to Year II is not automatic, and students are required to have demonstrated a commitment to the work; an ability to engage patients; an adequate academic standard; a capacity for insight in self assessment; as well as a commitment to personal therapy. Progression to Year II is then by competition.
There was a successful meeting of the Alumni of the Portman Certificate and Diploma in Forensic Psychotherapy. There were a number of papers with plenty of time for thought provoking discussion and also time to meet other Alumni and staff teaching on the course. Speakers from the staff on the course included: Elif Gurisik; Rob Hale; David Morgan and Estela Welldon, and from the Alumni: Jo-anne Carlyle; and Jeremy Resnick.
Complete copies of the background and course prospectus for the
Diploma and the Course Director's report to the Advisory Group
(4th July 1995) are available on the Internet (see overleaf) or
by contacting Estela Welldon at the Portman Clinic:
8 Fitzjohn's Avenue,
London
NW3 5NA
UK
'phone: [+44|1] 171-794 8262
'fax: [+44|1] 171-431 8825
Estela Welldon
The Department of Psychology of the University of Bologna with
Dr Luisa Brunori at its head, is in the process of founding a
sister course to the Portman Clinic Diploma in Forensic Psychotherapy,
commencing October 1995.
Estela Welldon