Application of Kohut in Public Mental Health: Understanding Fatima

In the current Australian public mental health system, in which scarce resources result in a ‘revolving door’ system, pharmacological intervention conveniently takes precedence over its psychological counterpart. Although there is limited capacity for psychodynamic psychotherapy intervention in the...

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Main Author: Julia Jamaludin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia 2017-08-01
Series:Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.59158/001c.71180
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author Julia Jamaludin
author_facet Julia Jamaludin
author_sort Julia Jamaludin
collection DOAJ
description In the current Australian public mental health system, in which scarce resources result in a ‘revolving door’ system, pharmacological intervention conveniently takes precedence over its psychological counterpart. Although there is limited capacity for psychodynamic psychotherapy intervention in the public mental health system, I believe many patients could be understood and better managed through psychotherapy, even if it is adapted as an adjunct to biological psychiatry. This case report illustrates the applicability of Kohut’s self psychology principles in approaching psychopathology in the public setting. It is based on the experience of a psychiatry registrar in a public acute inpatient mental health unit which cares for more severe psychiatric patients. It aims to demonstrate the importance of empathic understanding and exchanges within therapeutic relationships, as argued by Kohut, especially in those forced and compromised by involuntary treatment orders, as with most patients encountered in the public setting, exemplified by the case of Fatima.
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spelling doaj-art-41541955ee2549f7a8f2ba09ef823bb42025-08-20T03:22:21ZengPsychotherapy and Counselling Federation of AustraliaPsychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia2201-70892017-08-015110.59158/001c.71180Application of Kohut in Public Mental Health: Understanding FatimaJulia JamaludinIn the current Australian public mental health system, in which scarce resources result in a ‘revolving door’ system, pharmacological intervention conveniently takes precedence over its psychological counterpart. Although there is limited capacity for psychodynamic psychotherapy intervention in the public mental health system, I believe many patients could be understood and better managed through psychotherapy, even if it is adapted as an adjunct to biological psychiatry. This case report illustrates the applicability of Kohut’s self psychology principles in approaching psychopathology in the public setting. It is based on the experience of a psychiatry registrar in a public acute inpatient mental health unit which cares for more severe psychiatric patients. It aims to demonstrate the importance of empathic understanding and exchanges within therapeutic relationships, as argued by Kohut, especially in those forced and compromised by involuntary treatment orders, as with most patients encountered in the public setting, exemplified by the case of Fatima.https://doi.org/10.59158/001c.71180
spellingShingle Julia Jamaludin
Application of Kohut in Public Mental Health: Understanding Fatima
Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia
title Application of Kohut in Public Mental Health: Understanding Fatima
title_full Application of Kohut in Public Mental Health: Understanding Fatima
title_fullStr Application of Kohut in Public Mental Health: Understanding Fatima
title_full_unstemmed Application of Kohut in Public Mental Health: Understanding Fatima
title_short Application of Kohut in Public Mental Health: Understanding Fatima
title_sort application of kohut in public mental health understanding fatima
url https://doi.org/10.59158/001c.71180
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