MILIEU THERAPY
Introduction
A therapeutic milieu is a 24 hour environment designed to
provide safety for individuals whose capacities for coping with reality have
deteriorated
The therapeutic milieu gives them opportunities to acquire
adaptive coping skills
Functions
·
Provides pleasant, attractive, sensory
stimulation to clients
·
Educate clients and their families about
adaptive, effective coping
·
Protects clients physically from maladaptive
behaviors
Characteristics/Elements
·
Individual treatment program
·
Self-Governance
·
Progressive levels of responsibility
·
A variety of meaningful activities
·
Links with the client's family
·
Links with community
·
Effective working relationships among mental
health team members
Components
·
Comfortable, secure physical facilities
·
The mental health team
·
Therapeutic milieu program
Approach
Milieu therapy is a group therapy approach that uses a total
living experience- recreational, occupational, psychosocial, psychiatric,
nursing, and medical therapies, plus mental health team- client relationships-
to accomplish therapeutic objectives
Nurses Role
·
Use nursing process to provide comprehensive
care
·
Administer medication and give medication
teaching
·
Provide psycho-social care
·
Provide mental health teaching
·
Encourage clients to help and support each other
individually and as a group
·
Assist clients to understand each other's
feelings and problems
·
Conduct community meetings
·
Participate freely in milieu activities
COMMENTS