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In this short response to the papers appearing in this special issue (Technology, AI Bots and Psychotherapy After Covid), psychotherapist and author Aaron Balick draws on the variety of themes that have arisen within the contributed papers to reflect on the wider issue of computer mediated human relations. In it he makes a distinction between the papers that focus on the therapeutic process mediated by technology and those that look more broadly at the paradigm of therapy practice in this context. Framing technology as a tool, the author pulls together both strands to explore what psychotherapy research may say about the broader issues of societies mediated by technology and how therapeutic research may contribute to these larger social issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper outlines the theoretical and empirical basis for compassion focused therapy (CFT) for psychosis, the gaps in the current knowledge and research, as well as some of the challenges for addressing gaps. It will guide the direction of future work and the steps needed to develop and advance this approach. Method: This paper reviews evidence of how evolutionary models such as social rank theory and attachment theory have greatly contributed to our understanding of psychosis and provide a clear rationale and evidence base for the mechanisms of change in CFT for psychosis. It reviews the evidence for outcomes of compassion training more generally, and early feasibility evaluations of CFT for psychosis. Results: The process evidence shows that people with psychosis have highly active social rank and threat systems, and the benefits of switching into attachment and care systems, which can support emotion regulation and integrative mind states. The outcomes evidence shows that compassion training impacts not only psychological outcomes, but also physiological outcomes such as neural circuits, immune system, and the autonomic nervous system. Within the psychosis field, outcomes research is still in the early days, but there are good indications of feasibility and a clear path forward for the next steps. Conclusions: CFT for psychosis is an approach that integrates biopsychosocial processes, an integration that's evidenced across each aspect of the model, from theoretical foundations (evolution‐informed) to interventions (e.g., body/breath training and relational techniques), to evaluation. Future RCTs are required to understand the effects on biopsychosocial outcomes for people with psychosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports follow-up findings for an Mentalization based treatment (MBT) parenting intervention delivered to a community mental health sample. Parents completed the 12-week version of the Lighthouse Parenting Program (LPP) and were evaluated on parenting practices, parent-child relationships, parental mental health indicators, and child problem behaviour levels. We evaluated the extent to which improvements in mentalizing at follow-up mediated changes in parenting, parental adjustment, mental health, and child outcomes. Results included a reduction in parental coercive behaviours and child problems, improved parent-child relationship, and better parental psychological adjustment and mental health. Improvement in self-focused mentalizing were observed. Self-focused mentalizing mediated the changes in most outcomes from baseline to 3-month follow-up. These results provide strong preliminary evidence that the LPP improves parent and child outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotionally-based school avoidance (EBSA) is an important driver of persistent school absenteeism and may have worsened in the context of COVID-19. This paper describes the development of a brief parent-focused psychosocial intervention with the goal to address the lack of accessible early interventions for EBSA. The developmental process used a person-based approach with two phases. In Phase 1, qualitative data were collected about intervention preferences and priorities from N = 10 parents and N = 7 practitioners in a series of co-design workshops. Phase 2 refined an intervention blueprint based on iterative consultations with N = 4 parents and N = 3 practitioners. Framework analysis was used to organise findings around key intervention parameters, including relevant mechanisms, content, and delivery methods needed to provide effective, acceptable and feasible support for families affected by EBSA. The resulting blueprint incorporates three online modules to be delivered over three weeks with each module consisting of psychoeducational videos, self-completed learning tasks and a corresponding coaching session. Respective module content includes: (i) self-care strategies to increase parent wellbeing and self-efficacy; (ii) parenting strategies to change behavioural patterns that maintain child distress and avoidance of school; and (iii) strategic communication strategies to increase the quality of home-school relationships. The blueprint has been developed into a full prototype for a forthcoming feasibility study. Plain language summary: Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a noticeable increase in children missing school. One significant contributor to this rise in absences is Emotionally-Based School Avoidance (EBSA). EBSA refers to a situation where a child stays home from school due to feelings of anxiety and distress about attending. Accessing timely support for children with EBSA can be difficult due to lengthy waiting lists for child and adolescent mental health services. This paper outlines the creation of a new, brief psychosocial intervention aimed at helping parents support their child experiencing EBSA. The development process involved two phases. In the first phase, we collaborated with 10 parents and 7 practitioners to gather ideas about the kind of support families require, what should be included in the intervention, and how to make it practical for families to use. Based on these discussions, we formulated a plan for the new intervention. The second phase refined this plan of the intervention to ensure its suitability for families. The intervention is called ISAAC: Intervention for School Anxiety and Absenteeism in Children. ISAAC consists of three online modules to be completed by parents over a three-week period. Each module includes videos, reflection activities and homework tasks which help the parent learn a new skill or try a different way of responding to their child's anxiety about attending school. Parents are also supported by a coach. The first module encourages parents to take care of their own wellbeing and manage stress. The second module helps parents to learn new ways to respond to their child's distress related to school attendance, while the third module provides guidance on effective communication with the child's school. The next step for this intervention is to see whether it is agreeable to parents and practical to deliver in the real-world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: According to the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), children and adolescents represent 41% of all forcibly displaced individuals. They have to deal with conflicts, violence, and the many difficulties of flight and resettlement during a critical stage of their emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development. They are more likely to experience mental health problems during migration. Despite the several known risk factors, it is frequently challenging for refugees and asylum seekers to get mental health care. In this paper we review available studies on interventions aimed at promoting mental health and at preventing common mental disorders in immigrant adolescents and children. Methods: The relevant PubMed, Scopus, PsychINFO and Web of Science databases were searched for papers published until March 21, 2023, using ("immigrants" OR "migration" OR "asylum seekers" OR "refugees") AND ("promotion" OR "prevention") AND ("mental health" OR "mental disorders" OR "psych*") AND ("children" OR "adolescents" OR "young adults") as search string. Fourteen articles qualified for the detailed review. Results and Conclusions: The majority of available interventions, although highly heterogeneous in format and content, showed significant improvement in several psychopathological dimensions, including trauma-related symptoms, psychological stress, anxiety, depressive and cognitive symptoms. Available studies on interventions for the prevention of mental disorders and the promotion of mental health in refugees and asylum seekers children and adolescents indicate that provided interventions were associated with a global improvement for participants. Implementation strategies to improve their scalability are highly needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: While co‐occurring mental health conditions are the norm in eating disorders, no testable protocol addresses management of these in psychotherapy. Method: The literature on managing mental health conditions that co‐occur with eating disorders is outlined and reviewed. Results: In the absence of clear evidence to inform managing co‐occurring mental health conditions, we advocate for use of an iterative, session‐by‐session measurement to guide practice and research. We identify three data‐driven treatment approaches (focus solely on the eating disorder; multiple sequential interventions either before or after the eating disorder is addressed; integrated interventions), and the indications for their use. Where a co‐occurring mental health condition/s impede effective treatment of the eating disorder, and an integrated intervention is required, we outline a four‐step protocol for three broad intervention approaches (alternate, modular, transdiagnostic). A research program is suggested to test the usefulness of the protocol. Discussion: Guidelines that provide a starting point to improving outcomes for people with eating disorders that can be evaluated/researched are offered in the current paper. These guidelines require further elaboration with reference to: (1) whether any difference in approach is required where the co‐occurring mental health condition is a comorbid symptom or condition; (2) the place of biological treatments within these guidelines; (3) precise guidelines for selecting among the three broad intervention approaches when adapting care for co‐occurring conditions; (4) optimal approaches to involving consumer input into identifying the most relevant co‐occurring conditions; (5) detailed specification on how to determine which adjuncts to add. Public significance: Most people with an eating disorder also have another diagnosis or an underlying trait (e.g., perfectionism). Currently no clear guidelines exist to guide treatment in this situation, which often results in a drift away from evidence‐based techniques. This paper outlines data‐driven strategies for treating eating disorders and the accompanying comorbid conditions and a research program that can test the usefulness of the different approaches suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex and enduring mental health problems require greater treatment resources, usually in the form of multidisciplinary support, including providing psychological therapies. This paper reports on an NHS, tertiary-level specialist psychotherapy service offering Psychodynamic therapies with longer-term, exploratory transdiagnostic approaches to support complexity and sustained personality functioning. This paper adopts a naturalistic study design evaluating the effectiveness of Psychodynamic therapy using pre- and post-outcomes across a 10-year period. A total of n = 474 participants self-report pre- and post-outcome measures were used as the marker of effectiveness along with therapist assessments during intake and engagement. The findings showed that Psychodynamic therapy was effective in reducing psychological distress based on service-user self-report and therapist assessments. While intake scores varied by socio-demographic factors, the rate of change across most groups was similar. There were several limitations relating to data quality and completeness which reflect the naturalistic design. Despite the limits of a naturalistic design, this study provides evidence of support for the place of Psychodynamic therapies within NHS mental health care, catering to those with complex and enduring mental health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of Analytical Psychology's latest issue features a variety of papers with academic and clinical relevance, as well as an interview with Warren Colman, a previous editor and regular contributor to the Journal. The papers cover topics such as the personal and transpersonal psyche, anima projection, embodied metaphors, and power dynamics in Jungian theory and practice. Additionally, the issue includes reviews of books and journal articles, as well as an announcement of the winner of the Michael Fordham Prize. The Journal also invites submissions from authors and plans to hold workshops on different topics. [Extracted from the article]

The very existence of truth, let alone its worth, is currently under attack from many quarters. In the wider culture, disinformation and other forms of misrepresenting the truth spread far and wide, as information conduits proliferate. This paper suggests some reasons for the "anti-truth" trend. Mainstream media have played a role, as have theoreticians from fields as diverse as philosophy, psychoanalysis, science, and literary criticism. "Anti-truth" trends are having a serious impact on psychological treatment, affecting its content and the conception of its goals. This paper suggests some problematic outcomes of this phenomenon for practitioners and patients in various forms of psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1993, the British Journal of Clinical Psychology published my paper titled ‘Defence and safety: Their function in social behaviour and psychopathology’. The paper highlights that to understand people's sensitivity to threat, we also need to understand their ability to identify what is safe. This paper offers an update on these concepts, highlighting distinctions that were implicit but not clearly defined at the time. Hence, the paper seeks to clarify distinctions between: (i) threat detection and response, (ii) safety and safety seeking, (iii) safeness and (iv) their social and non‐social functions and forms. Threat detection and response are to prevent or minimize harm (e.g., run from a predator or fire). Safety checking relates to monitoring for the absence and avoidance of threat, while safety seeking links to the destination of the defensive behaviour (e.g., running home). Safety seeking also relates to maintaining vigilance to the appearance of potential harms and doing things believed to avoid harm. Threat‐defending and safety checking and seeking are regulated primarily through evolved threat processing systems that monitor the nature, presence, controllability and/or absence of threat (e.g., amygdala and sympathetic nervous system). Safeness uses different monitoring systems via different psychophysiological systems (e.g., prefrontal cortex, parasympathetic system) for the presence of internal and external resources that support threat‐coping, risk‐taking, resource exploration. Creating brain states that recruit safeness processing can impact how standard evidence‐based therapies (e.g., exposure, distress tolerance and reappraisal) are experienced and produce long‐term change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the UK a polarised and politicised discourse exists that attempts to pitch transgender identities in opposition to discourses on sexual orientations. This suggests that interventions assisting clients in their understanding of one, would be detrimental on exploration of the other i.e., to be affirming of gender identity is to cause conversion of sexuality and vice versa. This paper attempts to address some of the problems with this oppositional critique and solve some of the practical problems that the theorist and/or clinician may encounter while attempting to help their clients within the realm of psychological therapies. It does so through Deleuzian ontologies of difference, coupled with Bhaskarian critical realism. We aim to present a (re)consideration of the biopsychosocial model of Health. The recent publication of the International Classification of Diseases 11th Edition and its reclassification of trans aetiology as a Disorder of Sexual Development has presented a conceptual shift from gender dysphoria towards a gender incongruence model (WHO 2022). The aim of this article therefore is to develop practice by enhancing the conceptual toolbox of the clinician and therapist working with Gender Sex and Relationship Diversities (GSRD). Thereby enabling them to better approach a wider diversity of clients safely. This paper explores current conversations and ideas around the phenomenon of trans gender identities and minority orientations. It aims to present an ethical model which can inform the clinical practice of therapists and is underpinned by a critical realist interpretation of biological, psychological and sociological aspects of the mind and body. Overall, the paper acts as a call to action against conversion practices which aim to position trans experience and sexual attraction in opposition to each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional neurological disorder (FND), formerly called conversion disorder, is a condition characterized by neurological symptoms that lack an identifiable organic purpose. These signs, which can consist of motor, sensory, or cognitive disturbances, are not deliberately produced and often vary in severity. Its diagnosis is predicated on clinical evaluation and the exclusion of other medical or psychiatric situations. Its treatment typically involves a multidisciplinary technique addressing each of the neurological symptoms and underlying psychological factors via a mixture of medical management, psychotherapy, and supportive interventions. Recent advances in neuroimaging and a deeper exploration of its epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical presentation have shed new light on this disorder. This paper synthesizes the current knowledge on FND, focusing on its epidemiology and underlying mechanisms, neuroimaging insights, and the differentiation of FND from feigning or malingering. This review highlights the phenotypic heterogeneity of FND and the diagnostic challenges it presents. It also discusses the significant role of neuroimaging in unraveling the complex neural underpinnings of FND and its potential in predicting treatment response. This paper underscores the importance of a nuanced understanding of FND in informing clinical practice and guiding future research. With advancements in neuroimaging techniques and growing recognition of the disorder's multifaceted nature, the paper suggests a promising trajectory toward more effective, personalized treatment strategies and a better overall understanding of the disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the empathic nuances of the therapeutic process with a person experiencing ongoing psychosis associated with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, and with a history of severe relational trauma. Incorporating the self psychological principles of working with the therapist's and client's forward edge, utilizing experience-near empathic attunement, and the somatic psychotherapy essential for kinaesthetic conversation were essential elements for the ongoing integration of the client's self. This work demonstrates the development of a nuanced understanding of pathological accommodation with its internal self-organizing dynamics as well as offering examples of forward edge movement. Interweaving vignettes from a two-year period with the subjective and intersubjective somatically animated experiencing of the therapist, the puzzle of how to work with all parts of the client unfolds gently and carefully. This paper outlines how connections were made between the two participants, in a clinical sense and within the client, creating a sense-making structure within the nuclear self experience of the client. Real life clinical experiences of what somatic psychotherapy, undertaken within a relational, intersubjective psychodynamic process, looks and feels like are in short supply. The presentation of this case hopes to remedy that by demonstrating the body mind integration required to work this way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We aimed to assess the impact of Tai Chi interventions on individuals with essential hypertension and to compare the effects of Tai Chi versus control in this population. Background: Tai Chi has been extensively utilized in the prevention of essential hypertension. Nevertheless, there is a lack of consensus regarding its benefits for treating essential hypertension. Design: A systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted. Data Sources We conducted a systematic literature search of the Medline, Scholar, Elsevier, Wiley Online Library, Chinese Academic Journal (CNKI) and Wanfang databases from January 2003 to August 2023. Review Methods: Using the methods of the Cochrane Collaboration Handbook, a meta‐analysis was conducted to assess the collective impact of Tai Chi exercise in controlling hypertension. The primary outcomes measured included blood pressure and nitric oxide levels. Results: The participants consisted of adults with an average age of 57.1 years who had hypertension (mean ± standard deviation systolic blood pressure at 148.2 ± 12.1 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure at 89.2 ± 8.3 mmHg). Individuals who practiced Tai Chi experienced reductions in systolic blood pressure of 10.6 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure of 4.7 mmHg and an increase in nitric oxide levels. Conclusions: Tai Chi can be a viable lifestyle intervention for managing hypertension. Greater promotion of Tai Chi by medical professionals could extend these benefits to a larger patient population. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Hypertension is the primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease.Essential hypertension accounts for 90% of the overall prevalence of hypertension.Tai Chi has been employed for the prevention and treatment of essential hypertension. What this paper adds: The study reveals that the efficacy of 24‐style Tai Chi intervention in combating hypertension surpasses that of traditional aerobic exercises and conventional drug therapy.The statistical significance of anti‐hypertensive effects is notably higher when practicing middle‐intensity 24‐style Tai Chi for 1 h. Implications of this paper: The findings suggest that 24‐style Tai Chi holds clinical significance for patients, nurses and healthcare decision‐makers involved in the prevention and treatment of hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper raises and addresses issues to do with leadership and child psychotherapy, beginning with a report on a systematic review of papers about leadership in the Journal of Child Psychotherapy (JCP). The authors establish that leadership is expressed implicitly rather than as an important issue in its own right with relevance to clinical work, service development and the ongoing viability of psychoanalytic child psychotherapy. When reviewing the limited literature available, the authors classify them into five types of article: tribute to leaders past; clinical leadership; threat to survival and call to action; organisational leadership; and exemplary papers describing professional leadership. The authors query why the leadership literature is sparse and inexplicit and respond by using the theme of 'dual citizenship' to explore the issue from a psychoanalytic and organisational perspective. The psychoanalytic perspective explores tensions and barriers that may be profession-specific in relation to leadership. The organisational perspective explores the wider literature on leadership, starting with the concept of 'wicked problems and clumsy solutions'. The authors introduce and describe a 'leadership stance' that is compatible with psychoanalytic practice in context. This requires opening up leadership activity to the same scrutiny and reflective practice as clinical work, which provides ways of containing organisational and career anxieties and perplexing clinical problems. This paper is a call to action in regard to integrating leadership into the training and the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The utilization of Between‐Session Homework (BSH) holds a longstanding tradition in the field of psychotherapy. Significantly, it serves as a pivotal catalyst for change within behavioral and cognitive‐behavioral therapies, and has also garnered endorsement within psychodynamic and humanistic‐experiential therapies. While our current conceptualization of BSH is characterized by assimilation and integration, diversity prevails in how BSH is incorporated into the treatment plan, spanning various therapy stages, thus necessitating a customized therapist‐client interpersonal dynamic. Far from being a panacea, the employment of BSH emerges as a highly sophisticated and intricate clinical methodology, demanding a high degree of therapist proficiency and competence to facilitate client engagement. Methods: In this introductory paper, we present an issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session that exemplifies the diverse modalities through which BSH can be integrated into clinical practice across various client demographics and within distinct psychotherapeutic paradigms. We place specific emphasis on the pivotal role of BSH and its interplay with proposed mechanisms of change throughout the course of treatment. Results: Initially, we provide an overarching view of the subject and expound on empirical research substantiating the efficacy of BSH in psychotherapy. Subsequently, we delve into strategies for adeptly integrating and monitoring BSH within clinical practice. Conclusions: Our primary objectives encompass affording readers a more lucid comprehension of (1) the content and nature of homework; (2) the influence of BSH on treatment outcomes; and (3) the ways through which therapists can foster client engagement with BSH. Finally, we introduce the six papers comprising this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a survey exploring people's understandings and experiences of Spiritual Abuse (SA) in a Christian faith context. The online survey was completed by 1591 individuals from the UK, 1002 of whom identified as having experienced SA. Inclusion criteria were: membership of the Christian faith, being or having been, a Church attender or member of a Christian organisation and having heard of the term SA. Participants detailed features of an effective response to disclosures of SA, many of these are directly relevant to counselling and psychotherapy practice. The findings echo calls in previous research for including discussions of religion and faith in training and CPD for counsellors and psychotherapists. Finally, the paper suggests the establishment of a network of counsellors with training and knowledge about SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychotherapy is widely used to treat different mental health disorders and emotional difficulties. The main objective of psychotherapy is to help clients become aware of and have control over their thoughts, moods, feelings and behaviours, as well as create healthy strategies to respond to challenging situations. Since the existing psychotherapy approaches and other methods of treatment are not always effective in treating mental health disorders, there is still space for new approaches to fill this gap. In this paper, we provide information about internal cohesion psychotherapy, which is a new integrative approach. This paper presents a new approach to eclectic psychotherapy, focussing on four detrimental aspects of human functioning through different time perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In 2021, an opportunity arose to place four counselling and psychotherapy (C&P) students in three care homes across Greater Manchester as part of a 6‐week interprofessional education (IPE) care home scheme. Whilst, due to ethical concerns around confidentiality, the C&P students could not participate in interprofessional activities as intended, they still undertook their clinical placement in the home to provide accessible therapy support for care home staff. This paper aims at reporting on the varied factors that influenced the implementation of C&P student placements in care homes. Methods: At the start and end of their placement, four C&P students were interviewed about their experiences. We draw on data from these eight interviews and two reflective vignettes: one from a C&P student and the other from the C&P programme coordinator (C&PPC). Results: The data were thematically analysed, and two key themes and six subthemes were constructed. They broadly unpack the factors that facilitate and challenge the implementation of C&P student placements in care homes. Conclusion: This paper highlights the value of utilising care homes as placement sites for C&P students. We propose four key recommendations for future practice: (1) it is important to establish clear lines of communication, support and collaboration; (2) a dual‐space supervisory approach supports student learning in this "new" placement environment; (3) preplacement supportive frameworks are important to clarify initial role uncertainties within the care home; and (4) opportunities to provide therapy services should be well defined and referral processes put in place before the student arrives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acupuncture treatment (AT) of depressive insomnia by traditional Chinese medicine has the advantages of fewer side effects, quicker results, and lower prices compared to medication and psychological and cognitive therapy. Clinicians often select multiple acupoints, such as Bai Hui (GV20), San Yin Jiao (SP6), and Shen Men (HT7), for combined treatment in a single AT session to improve sleep quality. Since the ancient literature on AT often only records the general order of acupoints, there needs to be more discussion on the influence of the multiple acupoint sequence on the priority of efficacy for a specific disease. At the same time, determining the ranking of acupoints in-patient treatment in clinical practice is mainly dependent on the treatment experience of practitioners, and there is no transparent quantitative model or evaluation method for generating credible acupoint sequences from a small and limited scale of cases. Therefore, it is essential to explore the optimization of the order of multiple acupoints in treating depressive insomnia by Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture both for the symptom relief of depressive insomnia patients and for the efficient use of national health care resources. This paper proposes a reinforcement learning-based method for optimizing the acupoint sequence for depressive insomnia AT to address these issues. This paper provides a post-AT EEG signal prediction model with related interpretable models to construct a reinforcement learning framework to represent the state transfer of the AT environment and a quantitative EEG signal-based AT efficacy model to represent the reward function. Finally, 30 patients with depressive insomnia were recruited to collect EEG signals during AT for depressive insomnia, and the case data were used to quantify the efficacy of AT and to model the post-AT EEG signal prediction. The above two models were applied to optimize the acupoint sequence based on reinforcement learning. Satisfactory results were obtained, verifying the effectiveness and feasibility of the method proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document introduces a special issue on technological applications in mental health and mental health services research. The advancements in computer technology have allowed for innovative applications in collecting and analyzing data related to mental health. The use of personal electronic devices and the internet provides a rich stream of data that can offer insights into individuals' mental health. The special issue includes papers on topics such as video therapy, measurements in daily life, and automated coding of psychotherapy sessions. These papers highlight the potential of technology in improving mental health outcomes and expanding the accessibility of mental health services. [Extracted from the article]

AbstractSurvivors of sexual violence often experience short-and long-term mental and physical health conditions due to the victimization. Rape Crisis Centers are community-based advocacy organizations that provide free supportive services to survivors of sexual assault, such as 24-hour crisis hotlines, medical advocacy, individual and group therapeutic services, and victim advocacy services for those with cases within the criminal justice system. However, the efficacy of these services in assisting survivors is not well known, often due to researchers’ lack of access to clients. In this paper, we investigate the experiences of survivors directly from the survivors receiving psychotherapy services from a Rape Crisis Center in an urban jurisdiction in the Midwestern United States. We qualitatively interviewed nine survivors who attended individual and/or group therapy. In-depth analysis showed that four themes emerged regarding their experiences. Two themes pertain to positive outcomes—emotional processing and group therapy dynamics. One theme concerns obstacles. The final theme relates to suggestions for service improvement. The discussion includes summaries of the reflective findings and recommendations for future practice. This research contributes to informing and improving practices and policies to better serve survivors of sexual assault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, such as large language model chatbots, is likely to have a significant impact in psychotherapy and counselling in the future. In this paper we consider the current state of AI in psychotherapy and counselling and the likely evolution of this field. We examine the ethical codes of practice for counselling in four countries in different parts of the world, namely the UK, the USA, Australia and Malaysia, and identify aspects of these codes that will need enhancement to reflect good AI governance. Using the Model Artificial Intelligence Governance Framework as an example, we have identified how the key elements of the AI framework relate to the core elements of the ethical codes, as a pointer to how such ethical codes will need to be enhanced if generative AI systems are to be adopted by the counselling profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine the effectiveness of brief reminiscence‐based psychosocial interventions in alleviating psychological distress in cancer patients. Background: Cancer patients suffer tremendous psycho‐spiritual pain, which affects their quality of life. Brief reminiscence‐based psychosocial interventions have demonstrated positive effects on the mental health of cancer patients; however, the efficacy of these interventions has been inconsistent. Design: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Methods: This review was conducted and reported in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 checklist provided by the EQUATOR network. The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and Scopus databases were systematically searched from inception to 27 November 2022 to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in English. Results: Twenty studies involving 1744 cancer participants were included. The meta‐analysis showed statistically significant effects of brief reminiscence‐based psychosocial interventions on hope, anxiety and depression at post‐intervention. A separate analysis revealed that brief reminiscence‐based psychosocial interventions had a sustainable effect on hope, spiritual well‐being, anxiety and depression at 1 month after the intervention. However, no statistically significant effect on quality of life was found in our study either immediately after the intervention or at 1 month. Conclusions: Brief reminiscence‐based psychosocial interventions can significantly reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms and improve hope and spiritual well‐being in cancer patients. Relevance to Clinical Practice: This study further supports that brief reminiscence‐based psychosocial interventions should be incorporated into the routine care of cancer patients to address their psychosocial distress. Patient or Public Contribution: All authors of this article contributed to the study conception and design. All authors of the included studies provided original data for this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression, frequently associated with cancer, significantly impacts health outcomes, necessitating effective treatments. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to synthesize and critically evaluate the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for the efficacy of nurse-led psychological interventions in managing depression among adult cancer patients. It focuses on the unique contribution of these interventions to improving depression management in oncology care, an underrepresented area in the existing literature. We conducted a comprehensive search in databases including Scopus, Medline, CINAHL, and PsycINFO, applying strict criteria to select RCTs assessing nurse-led psychological interventions for depression in cancer patients. We used the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool to assess study quality. Out of 425 screened abstracts, nine papers describing seven distinct interventions involving 1463 participants were selected. The overall effect size estimate of −0.75 (95% confidence interval: −1.23 to −0.27) indicates significant effectiveness of these interventions in reducing depression compared to treatment as usual. Additionally, the calculated prediction interval highlights the variability in effectiveness across different settings, suggesting that contextual factors play a crucial role in the success of these interventions. The findings advocate for the integration of nurse-led psychological interventions into standard cancer care, highlighting their efficacy in improving depressive symptoms in adult cancer patients. These interventions show promise but require further refinement and research to optimize their effectiveness across diverse patient groups and healthcare settings. This review underscores the potential of nurse-led psychological interventions in enriching oncology care and addresses a critical gap in the existing body of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) is a term representing the psychopathological implications of exposure to chronic, inter‐personal trauma. These include the main symptoms of PTSD, as well as changes in identity, emotion regulation, and inter‐personal relationships. Self‐harm and dissociation (i.e., disintegration of mental processes) are also quite common in CPTSD. Considering this complex and often severe clinical picture, mental health professionals often find it difficult to effectively treat CPTSD. In this paper, we present an integrative approach to the treatment of CPTSD based on a combination of techniques from several psychotherapy approaches. The case described here illustrates the need for therapeutic flexibility and eclecticism when treating individuals exposed to chronic trauma. We show the advantages of flexible therapeutic attunement, which enables the therapist to respond to the changing need of the patient, as well as her fluid clinical picture and symptom manifestation. The case also illustrates how interventions taken from psychodynamic therapy, Dialectical behavior therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing may be applicable in various stages of treatment, alleviating the patient's distress in several psychological and physical domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveMethodResultsConclusionThe present paper focuses on therapist responsiveness during the initial therapy session with clients with borderline personality disorder (BPD), aiming to analyze therapist responsiveness at short intervals during the initial session and determine if it can predict therapeutic alliance from both therapist and client viewpoints.A sample of 47 clients participated in the study for 10 sessions of therapy. Therapeutic alliance from therapists’ and clients’ perspectives was rated after each session; external raters assessed therapist responsiveness during the initial session. Multiple linear regression models and linear mixed models with backward variable selection based on AIC were run to analyze whether specific therapist behaviors during session one predicted therapeutic alliance rated from therapists’ and clients’ perspectives.The results indicate that therapists normalizing and validating clients’ experiences during the first session are crucial for establishing therapeutic alliance for BPD clients; however, for therapists, the increase in variability of emotions verbalized by clients during the initial session negatively impacts therapeutic alliance.The study contributes to further understand the impact of therapists’ behavior at the beginning of therapy with BPD clients. Therapist responsiveness is crucial for therapy outcome but is methodologically challenging; therefore, efforts in this direction should be pursued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Technology improves accessibility of psychological interventions for youth. An ecological momentary intervention (EMI) is a digital intervention geared toward intervening in daily life to enhance the generalizability and ecological validity, and to be able to intervene in moments most needed. Identifying working mechanisms of the use of ecological momentary interventions might generate insights to improve interventions. Methods: The present study investigates the working mechanisms of the use and acceptability of an ecological momentary intervention, named SELFIE, targeting self-esteem in youth exposed to childhood trauma, and evaluates under what circumstances these mechanisms of use and acceptability do or do not come into play. A realist evaluation approach was used for developing initial program theories (data: expert interviews and a stakeholders focus group), and subsequently testing (data: 15 interviews with participants, a focus group with therapists, debriefing questionnaire), and refining them. Results: The SELFIE intervention is offered through a smartphone application enabling constant availability of the intervention and thereby increasing accessibility and feasibility. When the intervention was offered on their personal smartphone, this enhanced a sense of privacy and less hesitance in engaging with the app, leading to increased disclosure and active participation. Further, the smartphone application facilitates the practice of skills in daily life, supporting the repeated practice of exercises in different situations leading to the generalizability of the effect. Buffering against technical malfunction seemed important to decrease its possible negative effects. Conclusions: This study enhanced our understanding of possible working mechanisms in EMIs, such as the constant availability supporting increased accessibility and feasibility, for which the use of the personal smartphone was experienced as a facilitating context. Hereby, the current study contributes to relatively limited research in this field. For the field to move forward, mechanisms of use, and acceptability of EMIs need to be understood. It is strongly recommended that alongside efficacy trials of an EMI on specific target mechanisms, a process evaluation is conducted investigating the working mechanisms of use. Trial registration: The current paper reports on a realist evaluation within the SELFIE trial (Netherlands Trial Register NL7129 (NTR7475)). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper regards Seneca's practical philosophy as ancestor to psychoanalytically informed psychotherapy and as a progenitor of ongoing contemporary praxis in applied ideas of mind. Facing forward into the Anthropocene, as psychoanalysis encounters Artificial Intelligence, the convergence with contemporary psychoanalytic psychotherapy of value concepts developed from Antiquity is discussed. Drawn from Seneca's Letters on Ethics, constellations of significant ideas present in ancient practical philosophy resonate with similar configurations developed two millennia later, and central to the practice of contemporary psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift towards remote or online therapy was compelled by the Pandemic. Many colleagues, who neither had practice using this modality, nor had ever considered it as a possibility, ultimately adopted it. This experience brought with it a substantial expansion of online therapy beyond that moment of emergency. It opened up new prospects of intervention, but at the same time it required a greater measure of reflection in order to understand how to inhabit this new therapy space. Setting aside provisory, intermittent, or emergency situations, which temporarily transfer therapy into a "field of tents" (Bolognini, 2021), the author proposes to consider how online psychotherapy redefines an important element of the psychoanalytic setting—the issue of the space. This is no longer the therapist's place of work, envisaged and organized by him/her/them, fixed in time, and contrived only to welcome the therapeutic relationship—one of the crucial aspects of the external setting, which together with the temporal dimension, fulfills the therapy ritual. Assuming the framework to be essential to the psychoanalytic process, this paper will focus on the methodology of online therapy. The author will describe the contributions of the neurosciences, to provide a deeper understanding of the distinctive characteristics of sharing in an online vs. an offline space. Online therapy should be assessed for its distinguishing qualities within a complete theoretical, technical, and clinical reflection specific to each case. Proceeding as if it were a mere relocation of an in-person analysis would enhance the seductiveness of a therapy that is easily accessible with any laptop anywhere, anytime, and in which one could mistake an online connection for a deep connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the process of modeling in science and the process of encountering and working with a client in clinical psychotherapy overlap. In briefer terms: what makes a good therapist is much like what makes a good scientific modeler. Both modeling and psychotherapy are iterative processes, requiring careful observation, generation and testing of hypotheses. Both processes also face similar epistemic and pragmatic trade-offs. Heuristics and biases can shape both practices, for better and worse. Implications are considered for both training in clinical psychotherapy, and for larger debates concerning evidence-based methods in assessment of mental health care, and categorical v. dimensional approaches to diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principles of CBT emphasize the interactions among cognition, emotion, and behavior. CBT's origins lie in Stoicism philosophy and share similarities with the ideas of Confucianism, Taoism, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in China. The idea of mind–body regulation in traditional Chinese culture has laid a cultural foundation for the promotion of CBT in China. This paper analyzes the applicability and challenges of CBT in China based on the current development of CBT in mainland China and the learning and practice of CBT therapists. It also explores the potential further development of CBT in China and the integration of CBT with the Chinese culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused concern regarding suicide risk mitigation while requiring many clinicians to transition to telehealth. We hypothesized that this transition would increase suicide intent, suicide desire, and depressive symptom ratings from pre-COVID-19 to peri-COVID-19. Patients at a southeastern US outpatient psychotherapy training clinic reported on suicide risk and depressive symptoms before and after the transition to telehealth treatment. Additionally, the effect of continuation of treatment on suicide risk was also analyzed. Suicide risk levels (n=39) and depressive symptoms (n=25) did not increase following the transition to telehealth. Self-reported suicide desire ratings significantly decreased from pre- to peri-pandemic assessments. Findings suggest that telehealth, among other sociocultural factors, became somewhat of a "port in a storm," such that it may have provided protections from exacerbations of mental health concerns and further vulnerabilities towards increased suicide risk. This paper concludes with relevant implications and suggestions for community health clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although Ireland has one of the highest levels of well‐being in Europe, having a health condition has been found to have a direct negative impact. The aim of this study is to evaluate the current situation and the experiences of patients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a rare genetic skin disease, and their relatives living in Ireland, with a focus on burdens and helpful practices. Methods and Measures: In a mixed‐methods design, a series of standardised questionnaires were combined with open‐ended questions. Via an online survey, data from n = 59 EB patients and relatives of EB patients living in Ireland were collected. Results: EB affects both the patients and their relatives. Burdens were found in relation to the visibility of EB, the degree of severity, the current health status, reduced mobility, the financial impact of EB, the psychosocial impact and personal and social resources. The paper also analyses existing resources and highlights opportunities for support and needs of improvement. Conclusion: Quality of life with EB is influenced by somatic symptoms and the psychosocial burden. Individual helpful practices in dealing with this rare disease can be considered as mediators, but they need to be supported by structural and healthcare improvements. Patient or Public Contribution: The perspective of EB patients, their relatives and EB experts were taken into account in the development of the study design via two feedback loops with the EB patient organisations DEBRA Ireland and DEBRA Austria. The design was adapted accordingly. Additionally, by including open‐ended questions, patients and relatives could contribute their individual perspectives and add insights into their lives with EB that might not have been captured with the structured online survey alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescence is a critical period for social emotional development. The need to focus on social emotional competencies is exacerbated by the COVID 19 pandemic. Objective: This systematic review paper provides a collective account of mindfulness interventions conducted exclusively with adolescent students in an educational setting (mean age 11 to 18) with the sole focus on social emotional and behavioral competencies primarily as outlined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (Safe and sound: an educational leader's guide to evidence-based social and emotional learning programs, Author, Chicago, IL, 2003, 2011). Method: Mindfulness literature in the past 15 years, i.e., Jan 2008–Feb 2023 was reviewed. Additionally, the type of intervention implemented, dosage, delivery, measures used, and targets of intervention were examined. All the articles were also assessed for their methodological quality using the EPHPP quality assessment tool for quantitative studies (Effective Public Health Practice Project in Quality assessment tool for quantitative studies, Effective Public Health Practice Project, Hamilton, ON, 1998. https://merst.ca/ephpp/). Results: With less than one third of the 30 included studies rated as strong, there appears to be moderate evidence for the effectiveness of MBIs on adolescent social emotional competencies. Overall, there appears to be mixed evidence for the effectiveness of MBIs on adolescents' self-awareness, social awareness, social skills, with relatively more consistent evidence that MBIs positively impact their self-management (e.g., emotional regulation). We classify broader characteristics of the MBIs that could help explain some of the differences in effectiveness into three categories: intervention implementation related (e.g., dosage), method related (e.g., psychometric properties), and participant related (e.g., age and gender). Conclusion: Future work on MBIs in schools needs to consider the quality of and factors known to impact effective implementation and resultant social emotional outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meta-analytic research has suggested that, although there are two forms of power that can be problematic in a psychotherapy context, they are rarely considered in interaction. One form, cultural power, influences the ways clients, therapists, and systems interact in relation to social identities, communities, and ascribed cultural statuses, and the other, professional power, is held by therapists by virtue of their training and the authority ascribed to them. Both formsmay limit clients' ability to be empowered in therapy. As many feminist multicultural researchers and task forces have thoughtfully explicated strategies for responding to cultural power, this paper focuses predominantly on processes for addressing professional power, which have been less well explicated. Although there is a rich body of humanistic therapy literature on maximizing clients' agency, these core processes have rarely been framed in relation to concepts of power. This reframing contributes to prior work by feminist multicultural-humanistic therapy (FMHT) scholars by examining central humanistic principles to identify specific strategies that attenuate the misuse of this form of power. For instance, therapists teach clients to symbolize inchoate experiences (often resulting from cultural or interpersonal oppression eroding trust in oneself or one's community), to confidently self-reference (developing resistance to stigma), and to maximize their agency within the change process (empowering them to guide their own development). Integrating these humanistic therapy principles into FMHT enhances ethical practice and holds relevance across therapies, supporting therapists' competence, clients' agency, and a multidimensional understanding of power in therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Routine outcome monitoring (ROM), including the use of feedback, has become a much vaunted method in psychological therapies but is little used in university/college counselling and mental health services, perhaps because its adoption raises questions for many practitioners and service leaders. There is a need for both clinical‐ and research‐based statements to clarify the reasoning and rationale for ROM. This paper aims to present and respond to common challenges of and reservations about using ROM in student counselling and/or mental health services. Method: The article poses 15 questions and issues about the adoption of ROM drawn from the literature on this topic and further refined by practitioner‐ and researcher‐members of a consortium comprising service leads, practitioners, and researchers working in the field of student counselling in the UK. The questions address nine themes: (1) the purpose and yield of ROM; (2) the burden of measurement; (3) the impact on clients and process of therapy; (4) consistency with therapeutic theory; (5) client groups and settings; (6) concern from practitioners; (7) equality, diversity, and inclusion; (8) implementation; and (9) relationship with the paradigm of practice‐based evidence. Findings: Responses to each of the 15 questions are provided from a methodological, evidence‐based, and clinical perspective. Conclusions: The responses provide practitioners with the necessary information to enable them to make informed decisions as to the value, or otherwise, of adopting ROM, including feedback, in the delivery of counselling interventions, and generating evidence created from clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing in many areas of healthcare, including mental healthcare. The automated nature of such technologies has the potential to be developed to work with large numbers of people. This paper examines the way that student therapists experience using an interactive text‐based machine client as a training tool. Methodology: Chatbot technology has been used to develop an emotionally responsive interactive client (ERIC). This introduces individuals to concepts of person‐centred therapy (empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard) by using a series of pre‐programmed scenarios. Twenty‐eight student therapists evaluated ERIC's potential as a learning tool. Individuals were recruited from one university from a postgraduate and an undergraduate counselling programme. Findings: Feedback was generally positive, with all reporting that they enjoyed engaging with ERIC as a learning method. ERIC helped individuals consider their understanding of counselling skills in a non‐judgemental environment. Participants felt the scenarios were realistic and engaging, with many reporting that they felt they were engaging with a real client/person due to ERIC's ability to express emotions. Discussion: ERIC is at the proof‐of‐concept phase. From the feedback presented here, it is evident that it can be a useful learning tool. Further development of ERIC with feedback from a larger sample is, however, required. ERIC is currently a text‐based client, and further development would like to see the intervention be voice‐activated to enhance the experience. ERIC can be further enhanced and adapted to be a useful learning platform for student therapists, as well as for students in other (healthcare‐related) disciplines, whereby a client or patient is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Film therapy, the therapeutic use of movies in psychological therapies, is a growing area of interest to therapists and researchers. This paper discusses the benefits of film therapy and presents a method, the MOVIE model of film therapy, a widely applicable, trauma‐informed framework for individual or group therapy, counsellor education and self‐help. Film or cinema therapy is a highly accessible and relatable method for many diverse groups. The benefits identified include emotional processing, greater ease of dialogue, increased empathy, interpersonal learning, new perspectives and learning skills. Following the model's reflective steps, clients mindfully observe and voice their emotional and psychological responses to movie‐watching; identify how the imagery, characters, themes and story symbolise personal experience; and consider any new possibilities that emerged for their own lives. The model is informed by a practice‐focussed review of literature and draws on methods from mindfulness and experiential and narrative therapies. The steps are widely applicable in a range of settings and can be adapted across counselling modalities. Further research to consider the outcomes of using the model, alongside qualitative research on clients' experiences of working this way with film, is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tic disorders in children often co-occur with other disorders that can significantly impact functioning. Screening for quality of life (QoL) can help identify optimal treatment paths. This quality improvement (QI) study describes implementation of a QoL measure in a busy neurology clinic to help guide psychological intervention for patients with tics. Using QI methodology outlined by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, this study implemented the PedsQL Generic Core (4.0) in an outpatient medical clinic specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of tic disorders. Assembling a research team to design process maps and key driver diagrams helped identify gaps in the screening process. Conducting several plan-do-study-act cycles refined identification of patients appropriate to receive the measure. Over the three-year study, electronic health record notification tools and data collection were increasingly utilized to capture patients' information during their visit. Over 350 unique patients were screened during the assessment period. Electronic means replaced paper measures as time progressed. The percentage of patients completing the measure increased from 0% to 51.9% after the initial implementation of process improvement, advancing to 91.6% after the introduction of electronic measures. This average completion rate was sustained for 15 months. Using QI methodology helped identify the pragmatics of implementing a QoL assessment to enhance screening practices in a busy medical clinic. Assessment review at the time of appointment helped inform treatment and referral decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to parenthood, or the addition of another child to the family system is a life altering event for both mothers and fathers that can affect both parents individually and their relationship. For some parents, this includes perinatal suicidal ideation. Despite the prevalence of perinatal mood disorders, there are no systemic models designed specifically for couples who are at risk for suicide. This paper reviews the literature on the prevalence of perinatal suicidal ideation and proposes an integrative treatment model using aspects of Collaborative Assessment of Suicidality (CAMS), Attachment based family therapy (ABFT), and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aimed at understanding and improving psychological therapies as they are conducted in clinical routine, practice-oriented research (POR) is now a well-established approach to the scientific foundations of mental health care services. Resting on the accumulation of a wide range of practice-based evidence related to treatment outcome and process, as well as factors associated with the participants of psychotherapy and its context, POR is ripe for new developments – regarding what to investigate and how to investigate it. This paper is the introduction of a series devoted to recent advances and future directions of POR as their pertained to routine outcome monitoring, technologies and artificial intelligence, the integration of constructs and methods from program evaluation and implementation science, and the investigation of populations with limited financial resources across various regions of the world. The series also includes commentaries from two leaders of POR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Youth violence and knife crime is increasing dramatically, so much so it has been described as a global epidemic. The social, economic and political forces fuelling this rise mean that minority groups are particularly affected. Aim: This paper reviews the literature primarily from a UK perspective, and illustrates the disparate factors that are influencing the rise in youth violence and knife crime and illustrates the complexities of integrating the perspectives of different disciplines into coherent intervention strategies. Method: We conducted a systematic review of the literature that explores both the causes of increasing youth violence and knife crime as well as some of the interventions that have attempted to deal with the problem. Results: A complex interplay of social, economic, mental health and political factors underpin the increase in youth violence and knife crime. An uneasy tension exists between a traditional criminal justice system-based approach based upon deterrence and punishment, and a more liberal preventative model focusing on adolescent mental health. None of the interventions thus far have been particularly effective. Conclusion: Youth violence and knife crime is a global social issue that causes untold suffering to individuals, families and communities as well as fear that reverberates through society. Interventions have often been devised through the lens of particular disciplines or ideologies. Integrating these perspectives into a coherent approach that is actually effective demands greater co-operation, dialogue and mutual understanding between disciplines and agencies, as well as a robust framework for the evidence-based assessment of outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefits of expressive writing have been explored since at least the 1980s. The effect of expressive bereavement-related writing has been studied primarily in college students, yielding inconclusive results. Nonetheless, recent effective, integrated psychotherapy protocols, targeting complicated and prolonged grief, include writing assignments, typically in the form of letters. The present paper explores how and why letter writing might be effective and meaningful as a therapeutic tool in the context of grief psychotherapy. It describes how working with letters, addressed to the deceased, might help facilitate self-disclosure, promote exposure to what is avoided, confront unfinished business, encourage continuing bonds, and help achieve a coherent narrative around experiences with the loss. As a therapeutic tool, letter writing has the potential to be helpful to many bereaved people, as it is a simple, effective, and meaningful way to access and work with relevant clinical material in the context of psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to advance a theoretical and clinical perspective on the developmental origin and role of omnipotence in early object relations, and a differentiation of the adult sequelae of these maturational dynamics. The focus is on negative omnipotence as inherent in the constitution and impact of the psychotic part of the personality. The case history of the psychoanalytic psychotherapy of a man with a psychiatric diagnosis of obsessive–compulsive disorder illustrates the self and treatment defeating impact of negative omnipotence. Diplomatic therapeutic engagement, based on the understanding that these negative therapeutic dynamics represent unfinished maturational processes, is presented as enabling treatment to progress and facilitate gradual beneficial modification in the use of omnipotence intra‐psychically and inter‐personally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This book review discusses "Transforming Infantile Trauma in Analytic Work with Children and Adults: The Clinical Writings of Alessandra Cavalli," a collection of papers by Alessandra Cavalli, a Jungian-trained analyst. The book explores Cavalli's work with severely traumatized children and adults, focusing on the impact of early infantile trauma on the developing self. The review highlights Cavalli's dedication to establishing meaningful emotional connections with her patients and her persistence in trying to communicate with highly defended children. It also mentions Cavalli's exploration of intergenerational trauma and her consultancy work with a staff team at a home for street children in Mexico. The reviewer recommends the book to child and adult psychotherapists. [Extracted from the article]

Adopted children are often at a risk of experiencing several neurobiological and psychosocial difficulties. Adoptive parents must support these difficulties whilst managing their own idiosyncratic challenges. Family-based psychotherapeutic interventions which promote adoptive family functioning, environments and relationships can mediate these difficulties for adopted families. This review synthesises evidence exploring family-based psychological interventions for adoptive families, appraises the literature's strengths and weaknesses, and reports characteristics of promising interventions. Included studies recruited domestically adoptive families receiving psychotherapeutic interventions delivered to at least one adoptive parent and child. The authors searched seven electronic information databases, four grey literature databases, two journals and five relevant websites up to 12.12.2022. The quantitative Risk of Bias in Non-Randomised Studies of Interventions tool and the qualitative Critical Skills Appraisal Programme checklist assessed risk of bias. The narrative synthesis presents 20 papers detailing 18 studies involving at least 729 adopted children and 829 adoptive parents. Findings provide preliminary support for integrative interventions which include aspects of sensory activities, attachment-based play, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing with Therapeutic Input provided to adopted children and adoptive parents separately, alongside the adoptive family. However, risk of bias was high, limiting the conclusions. Future research should examine the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of integrative therapeutic approaches for adoptive families to further direct clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introductions: Psychosis is a condition of severe mental disorder characterised by the presence of disability in assessing reality. Schizophrenia is the most common psychotic disorder. It is also associated with long-term disability. ACT is one of the newest psychological interventions for psychotic patients. This paper aims to describe ACT as the newest psychotherapy intervention and its advantages for psychotic patients. Review: The management of psychosis is a combination of the use of antipsychotics, psychotherapy, and psychosocial therapy. ACT is one of the newest psychological interventions for psychotic patients that aims to increase the patient’s psychological flexibility through six core processes of therapy: acceptance, cognitive defusion, being present, self as context, value, and committed action. ACT does not target symptom reduction. Therapists help patients recognise and reduce unnecessary struggles with psychological content so that patients can develop an accepting attitude and be able to move towards the values they hold. Conclusions: The use of third-wave behavioural therapy based on mindfulness and acceptance showed good results in patients with psychotic disorders. ACT aims to help individuals accept things that are beyond their control and commit to actions that can improve their lives. Research on the clinical adaptation of ACT for psychosis has shown good initial results in reducing distress due to psychotic symptoms, better regulation of emotions, and reducing relapsing rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A gay identity offers a perspective outside heteronormative narratives characterized by exclusion as well as a radical position of difference. Being a psychotherapist, too, holds complex implications for identity. This paper explores the lived experience of gay male psychotherapists, a group whose voice is seldom heard. Based on interviews with six White South African gay male psychotherapists, a narrative analysis explores their experience of identity and voice. This paper highlights the ways in which the journey to occupying oneself as gay and the journey of becoming a therapist are intertwined. The complex power relations evoked in this experience are explored, and the position of the gay male therapist as "outside looking in" is interrogated as a position of marginality that both excludes and provides a unique vantage point from which to challenge exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to present an integrated methodology for identifying trends in a particular subject area based on a combination of advanced text mining and expert methods. The authors aim to test it in an area of clinical psychology and psychotherapy in 2010–2019. Design/methodology/approach: The authors demonstrate the way of applying text-mining and the Word2Vec model to identify hot topics (HT) and emerging trends (ET) in clinical psychology and psychotherapy. The analysis of 11.3 million scientific publications in the Microsoft Academic Graph database revealed the most rapidly growing clinical psychology and psychotherapy terms – those with the largest increase in the number of publications reflecting real or potential trends. Findings: The proposed approach allows one to identify HT and ET for the six thematic clusters related to mental disorders, symptoms, pharmacology, psychotherapy, treatment techniques and important psychological skills. Practical implications: The developed methodology allows one to see the broad picture of the most dynamic research areas in the field of clinical psychology and psychotherapy in 2010–2019. For clinicians, who are often overwhelmed by practical work, this map of the current research can help identify the areas worthy of further attention to improve the effectiveness of their clinical work. This methodology might be applied for the identification of trends in any other subject area by taking into account its specificity. Originality/value: The paper demonstrates the value of the advanced text-mining approach for understanding trends in a subject area. To the best of the authors' knowledge, for the first time, text-mining and the Word2Vec model have been applied to identifying trends in the field of clinical psychology and psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]