If they will have me, I think I will stay a while: compassion and containment illustrated by the Ingrebourne Therapeutic Community

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the evolution of discerning compassion and how it was used in the Ingrebourne Therapeutic Community. Design/methodology/approach This paper is derived from a PhD thesis which was researched through interviews and archival research. The fundamental finding was that the therapeutic community approach was almost unique in providing a structured approach to implementing discerning compassion. Practical implication The therapeutic community approach for discerning compassion, in which the response to distress aims to promote flourishing. Social implications This paper offers a model that has implications on how care is delivered in other settings. Originality/value There is little literature that explores the role of compassion in therapeutic communities or in care environments of any form. The approach taken here places compassion in a historical and philosophical setting and contrasts it with the kindness expressed in traditional psychiatric care that promoted “tranquility”.