Citation

Gale J, Sanchez B. Br. J. Psychother. 2011; 27(2): 175-192.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1752-0118.2011.01231.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper addresses fundamental aspects of the notion of tradition in order to try to understand the foundations of the therapeutic community by drawing on the philosophy of Hans-Georg Gadamer and the psychoanalytic thought of Jacques Lacan. The authors argue that, although a Kleinian reading of the therapeutic community has been dominant, a hermeneutic approach can enrich our understanding through its emphasis on language, community and dwelling. This leads to a discussion ? with the use of case examples drawn from the authors' work in therapeutic communities for the severely mentally ill ? of memory, community and remembering, full speech, and the intersubjective nature of being (Heidegger's Mitsein) which situates us not just within tradition but within a specific set of traditions.

Keywords

full speech; Gadamer; intersubjectivity; Lacan; therapeutic community; tradition