Liam Mac Gabhann in conversation with Niall Crowley
When we consider much of the recent mainstream news coverage and indeed government bypassing of due process in relation to legislation and the reiteration by psychiatric soap boxes of the need for enhanced coercion in mental health, one might imagine that all notions of personhood, self autonomy, choice and voice by people with mental health challenges are being overridden. Whilst this onslaught against personhood and autonomy is rife, beneath the veneer of media bias and misguided government action, there is clearly a rising tide that seeks to embrace the international mandated paradigm in mental health that overrides and indeed has condemned outdated harmful psychiatric practices to the annals of historic cruelty.
On the cusp of this tidal wave, Open Dialogue as an evidence based human rights based approach to mental health care in therapeutic intervention floats across oceans to many many lands, even Ireland. Most people that may be reading and listening to this will have some idea what we mean by open dialogue and Mad In Ireland have described it elsewhere when publishing on the effectiveness of the West Cork Open Dialogue approach as the service was withdrawn a few years ago. The effectiveness of Open Dialogue Approaches in its purist form and indeed in a more pragmatic dialogical practice form is probably indisputable at this stage, though there are critics who argue for more randomized controlled trials to be sure to be sure.
This is the first of two publications on Open Dialogue over the next few weeks. In this podcast with Senior Psychologist Niall Crowley, we are exploring the potential and actual reality of implementing Open Dialogue approaches within Irish mental health services. Contrary to the backlash of bio-psychiatry against any form of evidence-based practice, not steeped in diagnosis and pharmacological intervention, good practice prevails within services, albeit in pockets and not systemically prevalent yet. Open Dialogue as a model was developed and flourished in West Cork. Although, seemingly as soon as the effectiveness in Ireland became clear HSE management closed the Open Dialogue service, there are other services and teams that have taken up the Open Dialogue mantle and rather than going away, there are indications of dialogical practice seeping into professional practice and community development. Here, Niall ponders the trials and tribulations, though essentially benefits of Dialogical practice in his own mental health service and how it is not necessarily such a challenge for any service to engage in this approach if the will is there.
The Interviewee
Niall Crowley is a senior psychologist interested in enhancing the relationships between people.