DIALOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
Genuinely humanistic dialogue should be at the heart of good mental health care. A vast body of research attests to the central role of relationship in helping people experiencing mental health difficulties, yet this human level of connection takes time and effort for clinical staff to cultivate – especially after years of playing the often remote role of “professional.” In his column, Dr. Russell Razzaque – a UK based psychiatrist – discusses mindfulness and other related practices that help clinicians connect with themselves, in order to then more authentically connect with others. Working in this way opens up possibilities for new ways of working, such as Open Dialogue and other social/network based approaches to care, which Russell also researches and explores in the column.