CONTEXTUALIZATION AND AIMS
Casa de Alba
A New Therapeutic Community For Severe Mental Health Problems In Rural Portugal AUTHOR
João G. Pereira, DCPsych
Correspondence
[email protected]
Casa de Alba is the property of Romão de Sousa Founda on, an ins tu on recognized in Portugal by the Ministry of Health as working for the “Public Benefit”. The aim of Casa de Alba is to help individuals and families affected by severe mental health problems, making use of Therapeu c Community theory and a range of psychosocial interven ons to create an environment where thought and reflec on can replace unprocessed pain and ac ng out.
METHODS OF TREATMENT
Our method grew out of humility and curiosity as well as the responsibility that working with complex mental health issues demands. This set of values led to the implementa on of a rela onal-integra ve way of working that puts emphasis on the group and the therapeu c alliance as vehicles for transforma on.
Under the basis of developmental psychology, neuroscience and mentaliza on a number of indoor and outdoor ac vi es were designed to form a comprehensive therapeu c program.
EVALUATION TOOLS
Systema c and regular collec on of qualita ve and quan ta ve data informs the treatment con nuously (e.g. CORE1), SAPAS2) and PANNS3)).
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
We expect transforma on beyond symptom remission; changes in “Internal Working Models” of rela onships will hopefully lead to greater emo onal regula on and to more sa sfying and fulfilling lives. 1)
Clinical Outcomes in Rou ne Evalua on
2)
Standardized Assessment of Personality – Abbreviated Scale
3)
The Posi ve and Nega ve Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia
