The motivation to cooperate with the psychiatric system is one of the greatest challenges in the psychiatric field. Very few people want to be "treated" – they are more likely to seek advice or support. The primary goals of those affected are often social and not symptom/diagnosis-related, and over 50% of those affected do not take advantage of the recommended treatment options.
In order to work together on the concerns of service users, an understanding of evolving and constantly changing motivational states is necessary. Based on the clinical situation and the current motivation for change, different treatment focuses can be described. We explicitly assume that fundamental psychological principles also apply in states of psychosis.
Treatment focuses represent a helpful conceptual model for therapy planning in a variety of cllinical settings.
We chose the term "focus" because it symbolizes what we are primarily concerned with: developing a common perspective on a common goal (shared reality) and define it as follows:
- Extent of shared reality related to the therapeutic concern
- Varies over time and setting, possibly also across team members
- Independent of symptom severity and phase of illness
- Requires tailored interventions – determines the interventions
The Workshop will present theoretical input about the empirical rational behind our model and will give practical implications for different clinical settings, which will also be illustrated by case examples and practical applications.