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Milieu-Therapy with Children: Planned Environmental Therapy in Scandinavia

Editor : Hans Kornerup

Reviews and Endorsements

Milieu-therapy are regarded as the most complex form of treatment existing. At the same time, when carried out in a sufficiently deliberate manner it can also be the most effective form of psychotherapy available for dealing with some of the most intractable developmental issues and conditions. The chapters are written by licensed milieu-therapists and clinical psychologists all with associated to the treat-ment home Nebs Møllegård, the first of its kind in Denmark, founded in 1949. The reason for publishing in English is a desire to communicate to colleagues in English speaking countries the milieu-therapeutic thinking and practices that have been dominant in Scandinavia for many years. Despite differences in context and organizational frameworks from country to country, it is the intention of the book to be a stimulus for further deepening the reader's own understanding of his or her present practice with emotionally disturbed children irrespective of country.

Of the 15 chapters in the book 12 have previously been published in book form as collections of articles in Danish and in Norwegian, which have been widely studied in Scandinavian countries and have proved valuable especially in creating a dialogue between practitioners in the field, as these publications also are mandatory reading at various high-schools
and universities.

The book is divided in three sections describing the milieu-therapeutic Praxis, the Process and finally the Procedure underlying some aspects of the milieu-therapeutic arrangement.

'The well-developed theoretical base and practice presented here helps expand our appreciation of the importance and effectiveness of Residential Child Care as 'therapy in and through the environment'. Understanding the importance of theory for Residential Child Care the authors show how we must continually re-evaluate practice, bringing forwards a heightened conscious level of reflection that informs the tasks we are arranging, organizing, sharing and developing tasks with young people.

Such observations made in a different national context from a group of colleagues working day-today with common elemental feelings, thoughts and behaviours will expand established English orthodoxy on Time, Task and Territory and in doing so enhance the current dialogue that is seeking to connect European and English theoretical and practical traditions of residential work with young people.'
- Jonathan Stanley, Manager, National Centre for Excellence in Residential Child Care and Children's Residential Network, National Children's Bureau