A literature therapeutic group at a psychiatric closed-unit

Abstract

Introduction This lecture will present a therapeutic group that took place at a closed-unit in a psychiatric hospital. The members of this group were patients suffering from psychotic disorders Objectives Patients suffering from psychotic disorders. Methods The patients had difficulty in organizing their thoughts as well as with the expression of their internal-world and emotions. Moreover, they were suspected of the units’ staff members. These circumstances led us to create a theme group that combines a verbal-affective metaphoric instrument - literature. Art, such as literature, represents the mind of its creator and when incorporated into the therapeutic process, can serve as a third-voice - a symbolic language that conveys an idea indirectly and arouses the patient’s personal associations and emotions. The use of literature, while relating to content that aroused from a poem or a short story, led to a connection or an identification with the emotion expressed in the writing stimuli or in opposition to it, and from there to a projection of the internal world of the patient. Results Through the possibility of alternating between proximity and distance, regard the metaphoric instrument, patients could organize their associations and emotions and express them in a more beneficent way – “normalization” of the cognitive and expressive process. Conclusions The analysis of the different group’s sessions, points to the potential of using literature in a therapeutic group with patients in their acute state, at the closed-unit. Examples of verbal reports from different group settings, in which literature was used, will be presented. Disclosure No significant relationships.

Keywords

• Psychotic disorders
• Literature
• Therapeutic Group
• Psychiatric Closed-Unit