The Cassel Hospital’s inpatient service offers a living learning environment within the framework of a therapeutic community.
Length of treatment
The length of treatment is 9 months.
The structured setting provides containment and opportunities to develop more functional ways of relating to others and reduce destructive behaviours. On completion, and after a break of some months, patients may step down to the outreach programme (if they live within easy reach of London) or to a specialist personality disorder service in their own catchment area. It’s important that patients continue to receive psychological therapy following residential treatment to build on the work and progress made.
The treatment programme includes:
Active participation in community life
Patients take active roles in the running of the community, sharing domestic tasks as well as creative, physical and social activities. Community activities are coordinated at daily meetings chaired by patients.
Psychosocial nursing
Patients work alongside their primary nurse in a timetable of activities, including workgroups and everyday living tasks. Together, they assess areas of difficulty and work on changes in their relationships and behaviour.
Individual psychotherapy
Individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy is offered twice-weekly by senior psychotherapists.
Group psychotherapy
Small group psychotherapy is provided twice weekly by our senior group psychotherapist.
Assessments and reviews
Regular progress reviews with the multidisciplinary team, including external professionals, are led by the lead consultant. Periodic psychometric assessments are carried out by our research psychologist. The first of these reviews, after about six to eight weeks, also forms the conclusion of an initial trial period.
Support forum
A forum co-facilitated by staff and patients’ family members and carers takes place twice a month. These offer help, support and advice to family members and carers as well as an opportunity to meet others in similar situations and share experiences.