MILIEU THERAPY

Gunter Ammon, after Ernst Simmel in the twenties the pioneer of psycho analytic milieu therapy in Germany and for a long time working at the Menninger Foundation (USA), presents in a condensed form the essential s of the milieutherapeutic concept. Milieu therapy to him does not mea n an isolated method, but a part of an intensely interwoven therapeuti c system in the group-dynamic field of an institution which includes s taff and patients. Milieu therapy is recommended for patients with sev ere borderline, psychosomatic and psychotic illnesses; it enables them to replace acting out by verbalization. Nonverbal therapies (as e.g. dance, music, painting and theatre therapy) are especially indicated i n the case of patients with difficulties of verbalization. The author shows paradigmatically the approach of integrating verbal and nonverba l diagnostic and therapeutic methods in the Hospital Menterschwaige (M unich). He emphasizes the necessity of continuous supervision of the t herapeutic team, its ability to cooperate and communicate being crucia l for the successful outcome of therapy. Thereby, a constructive group -dynamic and social-energetic field can be developed which plays an es sential role in the efficacy of milieu therapy.