Therapeutic Accompaniment, An Indispensable Tool

Psychologists have certain tools that allow them to deal with the different problems, discomforts or mental illnesses that can affect their patients. One of these tools, which we will talk about today, is therapeutic accompaniment.

The therapeutic accompaniment is carried out, as this thesis indicates, “in the usual environment of the subject”. This means that the psychologist will be present on the street, at home or in any other space that could trigger a crisis situation in the patient.

This is only carried out when everything that can be done in the consultation, such as different exercises, is insufficient and does not work. It is the psychologist who realizes that if it is not integrated into the patient’s daily life, it will not improve.

Therapeutic accompaniment is a facilitator

Therapeutic accompaniment is a facilitator that allows people with different limitations to overcome the barriers that prevent them, for example, from leaving their home or visiting certain places.

With this tool, they are allowed to improve their autonomy, develop their social skills and interact with their environment in a healthier way. This can be very effective in people who suffer from social anxiety, for example.

However, for therapeutic accompaniment to be successful, certain attitudes and qualities that the psychologist must possess must be taken into account. We will discuss all of them below based on Carl Rogers’ La relation d’aid e:

• Presence : the psychologist must be with the patient, share situations and moments with him.
• Active listening : it is essential that the patient express himself by giving him the necessary time to do so.
• Respect : the psychologist must show respect in every way and have an open posture.
• Empathy : understanding will be essential, as well as not judging.
• Authenticity : the psychologist must show himself as he is, although he must be professional at all times.

A case of psychosis

The study Therapeutic accompaniment: practice and clinic in a psychiatric hospital  describes the case of a 66-year-old woman who had been admitted to a Mental Health Center for 7 years due to the diagnosed puerperal manic-depressive psychosis.

Since the pharmacological treatment had no effect, the possibility of therapeutic follow-up was raised. At first the patient was excited, until her fears began to surface. What you do, then, is walk around the plant and around the hospital with her.

In this case, the intervention of the family was also important. The patient began to be able to walk around the city, away from that safe environment that was the center for her. At first he showed rejection of the therapist and only said “I want to go home.” But, as the months passed, this changed.

She began to make brief home visits until she acquired certain responsibilities such as taking care of her daughters and taking medication. The process was gradual, but it gave very good results.

This patient was admitted because containment was impossible at home. She was aggressive with her family members and manifested manic episodes that were difficult to control. However, the therapeutic follow-up stabilized his symptoms, which allowed him to be able to re-integrate into his family nucleus.

A tool for difficult situations

As we have seen, therapeutic monitoring is a tool for complex situations  in which its treatment in consultation is not enough. We have seen a real case, but there are many others in which it is necessary to put this tool into practice.

People who suffer from agoraphobia, who find it difficult to walk on a crowded street, or who find it difficult to enter a supermarket, can benefit from therapeutic accompaniment. The psychologist will be by your side, providing support, listening to what the patient is feeling, observing how they act and helping them avoid flight or escape behaviors.

As we can see, this warm technique encourages many people to come out of isolation and destroy the barriers that limit them in their daily lives, allowing people to make profound changes in their lives and to improve their quality of life.