ABSTRACT

The institution is united in a shared vision for improving mental health and emotional well-being, a vision that places its emphasis on “the importance we attach to social experience at all stages of people’s lives. Three conceptual vertices—the developmental, relational, and social vertices—cut across the differences and inform clinical services and training activity. The developmental model that informs the work is inherently relational, since it subscribes to a view that the mind develops in and through our relationships from birth onwards. It provides a framework for understanding the complex relationship between early experience, social environment, genetic inheritance, and psychopathology. Alongside the developmental-relational vertices is the social vertex. The social vertex acts as an essential corrective to the belief that psychotherapy is sufficient to make a difference to people’s lives. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.