PRIMER ON THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY

WHAT IS TC?

The Therapeutic Community (TC) is an environment that helps people get help whilehelping others. It is a treatment environment: the interactions of its members aredesigned to be therapeutic within the context of the norms that require for each to play thedual role of client-therapist. At a given moment, one may be in a client role whenreceiving help or support from others because of a problem behavior or whenexperiencing distress. At another time, the same person assumes a therapist role whenassisting or supporting another person in trouble.

HOW DOES TC LOOK LIKE?

The operation of the community itself is the task of the residents, working under staff supervision. Work assignments, called “job functions” are arranged in a hierarchy,according to seniority, individual progress and productivity. These include conducting allhouse services, such as cooking, cleaning, kitchen service, minor repair, serving asapprentices and running all departments, conducting meetings and peer encounter groups.The TC operates in a similar fashion to a functional family with a hierarchicalstructure of older and younger members. Each member has a defined role andresponsibilities for sustaining the proper functioning of the TC. There are sets of rulesand community norms that members upon entry commit to live by and uphold.

WHAT ARE THE SALIENT FEATURES OF TC?

1.The primary “therapist” and teacher is the community itself, consisting of peers andstaff, who, as role models of successful personal change, serve as guides in therecovery process.2.TC adheres to precepts of right living: Truth/honesty; Here and now; Personalresponsibility for destiny; Social responsibility (brother’s keeper); Moral Code; Inner person is “good” but behavior can be “bad”; Change is the only certainty; Work ethics; Self-reliance; Psychological converges with philosophical (e.g. guilt kills)3.It believes that TC is a place where: One can change - unfold; the group can foster change; individuals must take responsibility; structures must accommodate this; Actas if - go through the motion.