Anyone know about The Castle in Richmond?

Canlifegetanyworse? · 14-01-2008, 07:41 PM

Hi guys I was wandering if any of you in the UK know about the Castle hospital in Richmond? I ask this because until a month ago I was waiting to hear about funding for The Henderson but due to the closer of it I am unable and know my psych is talking about The Castle yet I have never heard about it and they haven't told me much about it I wandered if anyone could tell me.

Tig · 14-01-2008, 08:27 PM

Hey,

I have heard of The Castle but I don't have much information about it sorry. What I heard was that it's aims were quite similar to that of The Henderson but I could have been misinformed so sorry if that's the case.
I wish you the best of luck and I hope that they are able to arrange the appropriate help you need and deserve,
x

sopranonut · 14-01-2008, 10:45 PM

Hey i have heard of the cassel, yes. I was actually about to be refered there about 2 years ago, but they didn't have funding for the assesment so said i had to wait till the april time but by that time i was a lot better (which is spose is a good thing).

They did used to have a website but it doesn't seem to be there anymore? I don't know a lot. But i know that it's a therapeutic community and that you stay there for a year and go home on weekends. I think it is particularly good for people with personality disorders and people that self harm.

I have never been to see it but saw some pics on the website that was there and the grounds and stuff looked really nice and it looked like a nice place to stay. Ummmm... can't remember a lot right now but will come back if i remember anything!

tearsofgold · 15-01-2008, 12:40 AM

Hey hon,

i know a bit about the cassel as my thearpist used to work there and i have recently done a project on it themes and ideas.
As sopranonut sait they call themselves a theriputic community rather than a hospital.
The way they differ from an average mental health unit is that patients and staff are all involved in the running of the place. It aims to take away the lables of 'patients' and staff 'staff' and encourages you to see everyone as an equal. Everyone is in need of help at sometime in their life, and there is plenty available, however everyone also havs the ability to achieve and complete 'everyday' tasks, and this is encouraged by patients being involved in decision making and attendance at meetings as well as day to day chores. The point being to bridge the gap between "normal people" and "mentally unstable people", so you see youself as a person able to achieve good things rather than a mental health patient.

I hope this helps!!

Feel free to pm me if you have any questions and i will do my best to answer!!

Take care

Tears
xXx

pixiedust · 15-01-2008, 10:36 AM

Hi,

I was going to go to the Cassel. It's a therapeutic place for people with personality disorders. I think they mainly do psychotherapy there. You can go home at weekends and you've got a bit more freedom than in the average unit. They don't tolerate self-harm there so you have to be prepared to stop.

I hope you get to go if you want to.

Take care xx

15-01-2008, 01:47 PM

sorry to cut into your thread, but I just wanted to ask a quick question. Are most therapeutic communites for people with personality disorders? I have been going to a therapeutic community for about 5 weeks now. Its only one day at the moment, but will go up to three days. We have to help make decisions about the way it is run etc and we mix with the staff, have lunch together. We dont live in its more of a day visit. The reason I ask is because recently I have been thinking I may have a personality disorder and I am even think that others (previous therapists who refered me to the therapeutic community) may have believed I had a personality disorder, but just have suggested it to me. I really want to know what is wrong with me, but I am too scared to mention anything to the people at the therapeutic community.

Canlifegetanyworse? · 15-01-2008, 10:13 PM

thanks guys

UnanimousAnonymous · 15-01-2008, 10:56 PM

It sounds very much like the theraputic community i went to in edgware. You have a say in the running of the hospital, the day to day activities and even the food you have. Every week we had a patients meeting and the patient rep (which was me) would note any problems or comments the other patients had and take it back to the staff. The programme was mainly therapy, i had psychodrama where you act out some of the issues you have and try to work through them and work out other ways of dealing with them. There was also DMT (dance movement therapy), Art therapy, Eating group, Self harm group, Individual therapy, Supper group (to help your cooking skills), there was also a dreams group and acting group which was optional. You also have your chores to help with keeping the place clean and tidy and can ask to go out on your own. There's certainly a lot more freedom than in an acute hospital.
I found the hospital to be a great help, it was very supportive!
hope this helps a little
x