Fountain House

The concept of a community-working and living together-as therapeutic milieu for those with mental illness is one that has stood the test of time. After falling out of fashion for a period with the demise of the state hospital system, therapeutic communities are now coming back, providing not only the medications and therapies crucial for treating mental illness but also a sense of belonging ('the need to be needed') and identity which are equally vital. For nearly a century, Fountain House has been at the forefront here, and its model has influenced institutions around the world. This book, rooted in a historical perspective, illuminates the principles and practices that have guided Fountain House since its beginnings. It is a document, above all, of hope. -- Oliver Sacks In this important book, the authors explore John Beard's unique contribution to Fountain House, showing the reader how the idea of therapeutic community works and thrives within this landmark organization. The book makes a significant contribution to the literature on clubhouse, drop-in, and milieu-treatment centers. In their formulation of 'working community,' the authors give shape and definition to what it means for people in recovery to be in and with community, a deeply human concern that has been under-theorized in contemporary clinical literature. -- Matthew Spitzmueller, University of Chicago Fountain House has been transforming the lives of seriously mentally ill people for more than a half century. until now, however, little detailed analysis of the key ingredients that explain why its approach has been such a success has been done. Alan Doyle, together with his colleagues Kenneth J. Dudek and Julius Lanoil, fills that gap with a wonderfully readable account of the Fountain House model of social practice. The approach has at its heart the tenets of milieu therapy, yet builds upon these to create a physical and emotional environment in which people feel needed and empowered through coaching relationships with staff emphasizing strengths, choice, and self-determination. This is a book that should be read by all mental health practitioners and is essential for anyone who wants to understand community as a therapeutic methodology. -- Thomas Jamieson-Craig, president, World Association for Social Psychiatry Fountain House is a book long due. Metapsychology