Disability Psychotherapy

Disability Psychotherapy explores the growing practice of working psychotherapeutically with people with disabilities. Over three parts, the book explores the history of disability psychotherapy, working as a disability psychotherapist and applications of disability psychotherapy. The contributors, representing a range of approaches, describe the practice of disability psychotherapy through clinical material, discuss their experiences of working in the field and reflect on their learnings. The book also considers the contributions of the Institute of Psychotherapy and Disability, and how relational attachment work with patients, colleagues, research and clinical writing creates a thriving community. Disability Psychotherapy will be of interest to experienced and student psychotherapists, psychoanalysts, counsellors, educators, carers, parents, advocates and anyone who is concerned about widening access for people with disabilities and their networks to high quality psychotherapy treatment.

Angelina Veiga, DProf Psych Psych, is a child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapist, adult psychotherapist, disability psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, researcher and visiting lecturer. A disability psychotherapist for over 20 years, she is a longstanding trustee of the Institute of Psychotherapy and Disability (IPD) and a founding member of Disability Psychotherapy Ireland. Valerie Sinason, PhD is a poet, writer, lecturer, largely clinically retired adult psychoanalyst and President of the IPD. Having specialised in disability and trauma for 40 years, she has published or edited 25 books and over 250 papers and chapters. She was given the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) Life Achievement Award in 2017 and the 2022 Innovative Excellent Award from the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC).

Disability Psychotherapy: What It Is and Why It Matters Angelina Veiga and Valerie Sinason SECTION A: History of Disability Psychotherapy 1. Implications for Training: How the Principles of Disability Psychotherapy Can Be Integrated Into Mainstream Psychotherapy Training David O'Driscoll 2. Three Magnificent Women and One Lovestruck Man: The Professionalism of Disability Psychotherapy Brett Kahr 3. How Working with Disabled People Can Make Us Better Psychotherapists Shula Wilson SECTION B: Working as a Disability Psychotherapist 4. Du sei wie Du about Love and Passion Johan De Groef 5. Seeking Custody, Post Custody: Applying Disability Psychotherapy Thinking in the Criminal Justice System Richard Curen 6. The Respond Model of Disability Psychotherapy: The Attachment-Based Systems Approach Noelle Blackman, Jess Lammin, Jasmine Hill, and Rosie Creer 7. From Trauma to Creative Integration: Disability Psychotherapy and the Evolution of a Systemic Model of Trauma Treatment for Vulnerable Children and Adults Eimir McGrath 8. Becoming a Disability Psychotherapist Angelina Veiga SECTION C: Applications of Disability Psychotherapy 9. Understanding the Effects of Trauma in People with Intellectual Disability: Looking at Diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Georgina Parkes 10. Relationship, Imagination, Justice and Hope: Throughlines in Child Psychotherapy, Trauma, Learning Disability and Social Exclusion Tasmin Cottis 11. In Search of Eclecticism as a Means to Navigate the Complexities of Disability Psychotherapy Nancy Sheppard 12. Treating Psychosis with Respect: Including the Contribution of Dr Phoebe Caldwell Elspeth Bradley 13. Therapy with Dr Alan Corbett François Marshall and Marvin Marshall-Springer Epilogue Valerie Sinason