The rise and fall and rise again of the therapeutic community

Abstract

Purpose

Therapeutic communities (and many other residential services) have been effectively marginalised in recent years with the increasing popularity of community-based outpatient responses to a variety of social issues including addiction, learning difficulties, mental health issues, etc. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This has inevitably led to a low profile and has resulted in a lack of knowledge about therapeutic communities and how the methodology differs significantly from other approaches.

Findings

This situation is beginning to change in a number of fields and it is important that the therapeutic community movement adapts its methodology to the needs of their respective client groups and clarifies its approach (and the efficacy of that approach) to funders and service commissioners.

Originality/value

This paper is a personal contribution.

Citation

Yates, R. (2017), "The rise and fall and rise again of the therapeutic community", Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities, Vol. 38 No. 2, pp. 57-59. https://doi.org/10.1108/TC-05-2017-0014