Integrative Psychotherapy for Schizophrenia: Its Potential for a Central Role in Recovery Oriented Treatment

Research has affirmed that recovery from serious mental illnesses (SMI), such as schizophrenia, is a common outcome and often involves subjective changes in the experience of self, one's identity, and one's sense of agency in the world. Although many different interventions have been developed and validated, efforts to consider how those interventions should be integrated to assist people to direct their own recovery have been limited. This article considers the 5 case reports of psychotherapy presented in this special issue that have sought to integrate scientifically valid approaches within a recovery frame work. Exploring shared themes, this article suggests that a common set of processes exists between these examples of integrative work. These include therapist acceptance of a vulnerable stance in the face of uncertainty, which rejects stigma and remains open to knowing the person. This ultimately allows the kinds of meaning to be made jointly between the therapist and client that promote recovery.