The <i>Recovery Model</i> or the modelling of a cover-up?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1921/gpwk.v20i3.709Keywords:
<i>recovery</i>, <i>well-being</i>, <i>work-lessness</i>, <i>worth-lessness</i>, <i>psycho-social</i>, <i>disease</i>, <i>privatisation</i>Abstract
In this article we present a psycho-social, ‘group-ish’ (Bion, 1961) and philosophically Cynical commentary upon contemporary notions of recovery, well-being and positive psychology. These are, at times, being cynically deployed to address profoundly damaging processes of social traumatisation that give rise to certain forms of mental disease, which we describe as ‘being unwell-ness’, and related psycho-social disease which is being linked to low productivity, under- or unemployment and low social status, and that we describe as worklessness and worth-lessness. We state at the outset of the paper that much excellent work is done by statutory, non-statutory and service user led groups and organisations to engage with these problems. However, in our commentary we will suggest how the language and currency of these initiatives are in danger of being hi-jacked and side-tracked by the vested interests of explicit and tacit political and professional agendas of the in group at the expense of those whom we seek to help.
References
Adlam, J. and Scanlon, C. (2005) Personality disorder and homelessness: membership and ‘unhoused minds’ in forensic settings. Group Analysis, 38, 3, 452-66 (Special Issue: Group Analysis in Forensic Settings) http://www.unicef.org/media/files/ChildPovertyReport.pdf'>http://www.unicef.org/media/files/ChildPovertyReport.pdfnAdlam, J., Pelletier, C. and Scanlon, C. (2010) ‘A Citizen of the World’: Cosmopolitan responses to metropolitan models of social inclusion. Unpublished Conference paper presented at ‘Education and Citizenship in a Globalising World’, Institute of Education/Normal University of Beijing, London, November 2010nBion, W.R. (1961) Experiences in Groups. London: RoutledgenBelsky, J., Barnes, J. and Melhuish, E. (2007) The National Evaluation of Sure Start: Does area-based early intervention work? Bristol: Policy PressnBrooker, A., Lovell, K. and Turner, K. (2011, in press) ‘… and they all lived happily ever after’: Recovery or discovery of the self in Personality Disorder?, Psychodynamic Practice, 17, 3nCharlesworth, S., Gilfillan, P. and Wilkinson, R. (2004) Living inferiority. British Medical Bulletin 69, 49-60nClark, D.M., Layard, R., Smithies, R., Richards, D.A., Suckling, R. and Wright, R. (2009), Improving access to psychological therapies: Initial evaluation of two UK demonstration sites. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 1-11nCooper, A. and Lousada, J. (2005) Borderline Welfare: Feeling and fear of feeling in modern welfare. London: KarnacnCSIP et al, (2007) Recovery: A Common Purpose: Recovery in mental health service. London: Social Care Institute for ExcellencenCuijpers, P., Smit, P., Bohlmeijer, E., Hollon, S.D. and Andersson, G. (2010) Efficacy of cognitive–behavioural therapy and other psychological treatments for adult depression: meta-analytic study of publication bias. British Journal of Psychiatry, 196,: 173-78nCare Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) (2007) Recovery, a Common Purpose: Recovery in mental health services. London: Social Care Institute for ExcellencenDartington, T. (2010) Managing Vulnerability: The underlying dynamics of systems of care. London: KarnacnDeclerck, P. (2006) On the necessary suffering of the homeless. in P. Scholar (Ed.) Divided Cities: The Oxford Amnesty Lectures 2003. Oxford: OUPnDepartment of Health (2006) Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: A new direction for community services. London: HMSOnDepartment of Health (2007). Commissioning a Brighter Future. Improving Access to Psychological Therapies. Positive practice guide. London: HMSOnDepartment of Health (2007). Commissioning a Brighter Future. Improving Access to Psychological Therapies. Positive practice guide. London: HMSOnDepartment of Health (2007) Putting People First. London: HMSOnDepartment of Health (2010) Personalisation through Person-Centred Planning. London: HMSOnDorling, D. (2010) Injustice: Why social inequality persists. Bristol: Policy PressnEhrenreich, B. (2009) Smile or Die: How positive thinking fooled America and the world. London: GrantanEliot, T.S. (1943) Four Quartets. London: Faber & FabernFelitti, V.J., Anda, R.F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D.F., Spitz, A.M., Edwards, V., Koss, M.P., and Marks, J.S. (1998) Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14, 4, 245-58nFisher, M. (2009) Capitalist Realism: Is there no alternative? Winchester: Zero BooksnFoucault, M. (1977) Discipline and Punish: The birth of the prison (A. Sheridan, Trans.). London: Penguin (Original work published 1975)nGelman, T., McKay, A. and Marks, L. (2010) Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT): Providing a focus for time-limited psychodynamic work in the National Health Service. Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy, 24, 4, 347-61nGilligan, J. (1996) Violence: Reflections on our Deadliest Epidemic. London: Jessica KingsleynHutton, W. (2010) Themand Us: Changing Britain – Why we need a fair society. London: Little & BrownnHuxley, A. (1932) Brave New World. London: Chatto & WindusnJordan, B. (1996) A Theory of Poverty and Social Exclusion. Cambridge: PolitynJoseph Rowntree Foundation (2007) Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion. http://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/eBooks/2152-poverty-social-exclusion.pdf'>http://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/eBooks/2152-poverty-social-exclusion.pdfnKaufman, F.R. (2005) Diabesity: The Obesity-diabetes epidemic that threatens America and what we must do to stop it. New York: BantamnLayard, R. (2003). Happiness: Has social science a clue? Lionel Robbins Memorial Lectures 2003. Retrieved from http://cep.lse.ac.uk/events/lectures/layard/RL030303.pdf'>http://cep.lse.ac.uk/events/lectures/layard/RL030303.pdfnLayard, R. (2006) The case for psychological treatment centres. British Medical Journal, 332, 1030-1032nLemma, A., Target, M. and Fonagy, P. (2010) Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT): Providing a focus for time limited psychodynamic work in the NHS. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, 24, 4, 329-346nLynch, D., Laws, K.R., and McKenna, P.J. (2010) Cognitive behavioural therapy for major psychiatric disorder: Does it really work? A meta-analytical review of well-controlled trials. Psychological Medicine, 40, 9-24nPelletier, C. (2009a) Education, equality and emancipation: Rancière’s critique of Bourdieu and the question of performativity. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 30, 2, 137-50nPelletier, C. (2009b) Rancière and the poetics of the social sciences. International Journal of Research and Method in Education, 32, 3, 267-284nPelletier, C. (2011, in press) Beating the barrel of inclusion: Cosmopolitanism through Rabelais and Rancière’, Psychodynamic Practice, 17, 3nRancière, J. (1991) The Ignorant Schoolmaster: Five lessons in intellectual emancipation. (K. Ross, Trans.). Stanford: Stanford University Press (Original work published 1987)nRancière, J. (2004) The Philosopher and his Poor. (J. Drury, C. Oster and A. Parker, Trans.). Durham: Duke University Press (Original work published 1983)nRutter (2006) Is Sure Start an effective preventive intervention? Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 11, 3, 135-141nScanlon, C. and Adlam, J. (2008) Refusal, social exclusion and the cycle of rejection: a Cynical analysis? Critical Social Policy, 28, 4, 529-549nScanlon, C. and Adlam, J. (2009) ‘Why do you treat me this way?’: Reciprocal violence and the mythology of ‘deliberate self harm’. in A. Motz (Ed.) Managing Self Harm: Psychological Perspectives. London: Taylor & FrancisnScanlon, C. and Adlam, J. (2011a, in press) ‘Defacing the currency?’: A group-analytic appreciation of homelessness, dangerousness, disorder and other inarticulate speech of the heart. Group Analysis, 44, 2nScanlon, C. and Adlam, J. (2011b, in press) Cosmopolitan minds and Metropolitan societies: social exclusion and social refusal revisited. Psychodynamic Practice, 17, 3nScanlon, C. and Adlam, J. (2011c, in press) Disorganised responses to refusal and spoiling in traumatised organisations. in E. Hopper (Ed.) Trauma in Organisations. London: KarnacnScheid, T.L. (1994) An explication of treatment ideologies amongst mental health care providers. Sociology of Health and Illness, 16, 668-693nScourfield, J. and Drakeford, M. (2002) ‘New Labour and the Problem of Men’. Critical Social Policy, 22, 4, 619-40nScruton, R. (2010) The Uses of Pessimism and the Danger of False Hope. London: AtlanticnSkinner, B.F. (1948). Walden Two. Indianapolis: Hackett PublishingnUNICEF (2007) An Overview of Child Well-Being in Rich Countries: A comprehensive assessment of the lives and well being of children and adolescents in the economically advanced nations. UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Florence http://www.unicef.org/media/files/ChildPovertyReport.pdfnWilkinson, R. and Pickett, K. (2009) The Spirit Level: Why more equal societies almost always do better. London: Allen LanenWorld Health Organisation (2009). Mental Health, Resilience and Inequalities. http://www.euro.who.int/pubrequest'>http://www.euro.who.int/pubrequestnYoung, J. (1999) The Exclusive Society. London: SagenZizek, S. (1997) The Plague of Fantasies. London: VersonZizek, S. (2008) Violence. London: Profile Booksn
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright lies with the journal. Enquiries regarding reproduction should be sent in the first place to enquiries@whitingbirch.net
