theraputic communities?
 

What exactly are they and what are they for? My care co ordinated mentioned them as a possibility for this year but I have no idea what they are! Any help would be appreciated! X

I'll reply in more detail later hopefully as I'm exhausted and can't string a sentence together but if you get the opportunity to go to one for treatment, seize it and try to make the most of what's offered. NHS provision in therapeutic communities is few and far between.

I know of other member's who've been to a therapeutic community so they may well come along soon and offer more of a detailed/helpful response.

Apologies it's short and sweet.

I had assessments for The Cassel. They were willing to accept me but I wasn't that keen. Anyway my situation changed and I got sectioned so I couldn't go anyway. I think if I had been in the right frame of mind then it would have been a great opportunity. At The Cassel you stay Mon-Fri and go home at the weekends.

I have been in two TC's.

I will only say, if you are offered a placement in any of the houses under the company Community Housing and Therapy (CHT) don't go. If you want more information on these places and why im saying this, then feel free to pm me.

They are supposed to be supported housing with therapy, basically.

Are you okay Ami? x Sorry I have no experience with a TC.

Thanks

Shelley yeah k ended up in ICU/ renal wars for a month due to kidney failure following a poisoning...x

I've been in a couple of therapeutic communities too (one residential and one day-patient). Overall they were both very helpful places, though I found I was able to get a bit more out of the day-patient one, perhaps because I was older and understood more about it all.

Generally, the idea (in the TCs I've been in) is that you learn about yourself through therapy with your peers. Whilst there are trained therapists around to facilitate and keep things contained, the bulk of your development comes through understanding your relationships with others in the group (which give you clues as to past relationships) and learning about how your actions affect others and how others affect you. TCs often have a combination of business meetings which involve the whole community, formal therapy groups (might be small groups, large groups, art therapy and drama therapy, to name a few, and some TCs do individual therapy), and social/activity groups like gardening, cooking etc. Usually community members will be expected to take on jobs in the community, which fosters an atmosphere of competence. These may be small jobs like watering the plants or 'bigger' ones like chairing community meetings.

It doesn't work for everyone, but I've seen people completely turn around their lives in TCs... I feel somewhere in the middle.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Really hope you're doing a bit better following being so poorly - that sounds very scary.