166. John Adlam and Chris Scanlon. Psycho-Social explorations of Trauma, Exclusion and Vilence
Today's conversation is with Chris Scanlon and John Adlam. Chris and John are both psychotherapists and they worked together at the Henderson Hospital which was sadly and unjustly defunded in 2008. They prefer to think of themselves as working and thinking as inter-professional and trans-disciplinary. They have worked together for about twenty years and written a number of papers around the theme of the unhoused mind. In 2022 they published the highly praised book ‘Psycho-Social Explorations of Trauma, Exclusion and Violence: Un-housed Minds and Inhospitable Environments’ Christopher Scanlon is a psycho-social consultant/researcher and consultant psychotherapist in forensic and adult mental health. He is a training group analyst and the Institute of Group Analysis and the Irish Group Analytic Society, and founder member of the Association for Psychosocial Studies. John Adlam is a group psychotherapist and independent researcher, working mainly in the National Health Service, UK. He is a founder member of the Association for Psychosocial Studies and a former Vice President of the International Association for Forensic Psychotherapy. https://www.routledge.com/Psycho-social-Explorations-of-Trauma-Exclusion-and-Violence-Un-housed/Scanlon-Adlam/p/book/9780367893316 Key points from the conversation. 1. The conversation is focused on themes from a book that explores social, political, and individual dynamics. 2. The authors emphasize the use of parable, storytelling, poetry, myth, and allegory to convey their ideas. 3. They discuss the need to avoid using other people's stories and instead focus on lived experiences and conversations. 4. The conversation touches on the current state of ruling powers and the potential for a depressing exploration of societal issues. 5. The authors discuss the benefits of working together on projects and the importance of collaboration and multidisciplinary approaches. 6. They mention the need for psychologists and psychotherapists to engage more with the world outside of their consulting rooms and to work together with other professionals. 7. The authors express a sense of passion and hope in addressing societal issues, despite the potential for suffering. 8. The conversation concludes by highlighting the rewarding nature of the book and the depth of its ideas.