The Experiential Therapist

The Experiential Therapist steps outside of the medical model to explore alternative ways of thinking about mental health disorders. Peter D. Ladd argues that successful treatment results from an informed understanding of a patient’s experience, not an ability to name and categorize difficult experiences as classical disorders.

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In The Experiential Therapist: Phenomenology, Trauma-Informed Care, and Mental Health, Peter D. Ladd steps outside of the medical model to explore alternative ways of thinking about mental health disorders. Through case studies and analyses of current methods and research, Ladd stresses the importance of incorporating trauma-informed care, phenomenological insights, and empowerment methods in daily practice. By analyzing issues such as collaboration, wisdom, momentum, dialogue, and necessary suffering, Ladd highlights the importance of engaging with a patient’s mental health experience and its impact on her family, a consideration that is often sidelined in favor of a focus on a patient’s physiology. Ladd argues that successful treatment results from an informed understanding of a patient’s experience, not an ability to name and categorize difficult experiences as classical disorders.