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Empathy as a Determinant of Therapeutic Outcomes in Mental Health

Empathy as a Determinant of Therapeutic Outcomes in Mental Health. Palmer Reg Orovwuje Consultant Forensic Social Worker & Professional Leader Forensic Mental Health Service Wellington, New Zealand Reg.Orovwuje@ccdhb.org.nz. Empathy definition. Conflicts with bio-medicine. Scientific

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Empathy as a Determinant of Therapeutic Outcomes in Mental Health

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  1. Empathy as a Determinant of Therapeutic Outcomes in Mental Health Palmer Reg Orovwuje Consultant Forensic Social Worker & Professional Leader Forensic Mental Health Service Wellington, New Zealand Reg.Orovwuje@ccdhb.org.nz

  2. Empathy definition

  3. Conflicts with bio-medicine • Scientific • Clinical distance • Detached and measured • Objective medical decisions • Protects clinicians from being overwhelmed • Protects patients from professional bias BUT this conflicts with human relationships and experience subjective aspects of reality

  4. Psychiatric assessment

  5. Empathy spectrum

  6. Forensic mental health services • Non-white / indigenous people • Globalization, colonization and mass immigration • “triple jeopardy”: non white, mentally ill, offending • Excluded from society • Racism • High negative statistics • Conflicting values and belief systems • Diverse populations • Women offenders • Learning difficulties

  7. Conflict in forensic mental health service

  8. Index offence: murder Sentence: not guilty by reason of insanity Patient “Bob” case study

  9. Background- early years

  10. Background – teenage years

  11. Index offence • Head on collision - driving fast, overtaking, hallucinations, alcohol, cannabis • Killed other driver • Not guilty by reason of insanity • Admitted to medium secure unit • Demanding Pacific staff as main key worker

  12. Patient: empathy from Pacific staff was main reason for change

  13. Role of forensic social workers • Empathy=central legacy of social work • Uniquely placed • Interface of legal and service systems • Work across many professional boundaries • Advocates in clinical practice • for Empathy • against Empathy Erosion

  14. Conclusion • Understand how society works • Law, systems • Recognise and understand differences • Build adaptable services • Responsive • With empathy

  15. Empathy as a Determinant of Therapeutic Outcomes in Mental Health Palmer Reg Orovwuje Consultant Forensic Social Worker & Professional Leader Forensic Mental Health Service Wellington, New Zealand Reg.Orovwuje@ccdhb.org.nz

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