DEVELOPING A NON-AVERSIVE INTERVENTION STRATEGY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF AGGRESSION AND VIOLENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING-DISABILITIES USING NATURAL THERAPEUTIC HOLDING

This paper builds upon a previous piece of research regarding the deve lopment of 'natural therapeutic holding' as a non-aversive alternative to control and restraint (C and R) in managing aggression and violenc e in people with learning disabilities. This paper represents aspects of an ongoing programme of research and explains the aims and values w hich underpin natural therapeutic holding by describing the theory, ai ms, values and practical application. The concepts of individual risk management and pro-active intervention strategies are discussed with i llustrations of practical application given by means of a case study. The case study shows that over a relatively short period of time, an i ndividual with severe learning disabilities who is aggressive and viol ent, learns alternative coping strategies to aggression and violence t hrough the application of natural therapeutic holding. The article con cludes that natural therapeutic holding is a very effective interventi on strategy in the management of violence in people with learning disa bilities from two perspectives: (a) it provides staff with safe, profe ssional and ethical skills with which they can manage aggressive and v iolent clients and (b) as a therapy, natural therapeutic holding gives clients the opportunity to learn coping strategies which are more eff ective than violence.