Sanctuary and Spirituality: Holistic Approaches in Community 2 x 45 minute sessions- Sanctuary in the Forest: An Australian Peer-led Respite for Post-Psychosis Integration Using a Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Approach - Louisa Dent Pearce, MSW (Masters of Social Work)
- Proposed Mechanisms for Spiritual Coping in Psychosis: A Realist Review - Ola Skudlarska, Bsc, MSW (Pending)
Sanctuary in the Forest: An Australian Peer-led Respite for Post-Psychosis Integration Using a Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Approach - Louisa Dent Pearce, MSW (Masters of Social Work)The Sanctuary in the Forest is an Australian respite model for people who have experienced psychosis, mania or non-ordinary states of consciousness. The service was inspired by the presenter’s own lived experience of psychosis, her early career in peer support, and trauma-informed models of care such as Dr Sandra Bloom’s Sanctuary Model.
Australia’s mainstream treatment for psychosis focuses on stabilisation of symptoms while often minimising or denying a person’s personal meaning and spiritual aspects of the experience, hence the healing opportunity may be truncated and the person may be left with unresolved trauma, unanswered questions, unprocessed emotions and internalised stigma.
This respite offers a post-psychosis integrative experience where participants can explore worldviews of psychosis and mania, reflect on personal meaning, share stories in conscious ways, process emotions, learn grounding skills, and reduce internalised stigma.
We use an adapted bio-psycho-social-spiritual framework, along with Intentional Peer Support, the Hearing Voices Approach, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, somatic therapy, and grief and loss theory. We also use non-psychoactive spiritual and shamanic practices, appropriate to the participants’ worldviews.
We created a healing map called The Connected Self which invites deeper connection to six domains: self/body; nature/earth; family/friends; community/society; ancestors/guides; and God/Universe. The map can be adjusted for different worldviews and language preferences.
Our design logic uses embodied participation within the therapeutic milieu of a rainforest setting, with scaffolding activities such as discussion, teaching, story-telling, ceremony, creative arts and celebration.
Participants and peer facilitators report significant improvements in motivation, insight and confidence in personal choices and values, and a reduction of negative emotions and thoughts related to their experiences of psychosis/mania. This respite may provide a learning template for other such services or research which seeks to bridge the gap between mainstream mental health and broader cultural and spiritual views of non-ordinary states of consciousness.
Proposed Mechanisms for Spiritual Coping in Psychosis: A Realist Review - Ola Skudlarska, Bsc, MSW (Pending)A mad realist review of the literature covering spirituality and psychosis provides a set of proposed mechanisms explaining the role of spirituality in coping with psychosis. Three mechanisms are highlighted, Spiritual Meaning Making in the form of Oneness, Spirituality Guiding Narrative Insight and Spiritual Community Building. The practical clinical and community implications and applications are discussed in order to consider a spiritually inclusive engagement with people experiencing psychosis.
or sign up with email →
Create a custom schedule.
Take it with you on mobile.
Get listed in the directory.
