Psychotherapy and recovery in schizophrenia: A proposal of key elements for an integrative psychotherapy attuned to narrative in schizophrenia

Persons recovering from schizophrenia often do not see themselves as possessing agency, social worth, or an integrated sense of themselves and their experiences. Integrative psychotherapy, which involves helping clients to construct narratives of their experiences in the context of collaborative nonhierarchical relationships, may prove helpful. Psychotherapy transcripts provided by 8 therapists serving 30 clients were analyzed to identify key elements of integrative psychotherapy. These key elements, which may be compatible with existing therapeutic orientations, are described. This work represents the first step in developing an integrative psychotherapy so that it may be standardized and its feasibility, fidelity, and effectiveness evaluated.