Social recovery therapy
Social Recovery Therapy (SRT) is a cognitive behavioural therapy which targets young people with early psychosis who have complex problems associated with severe social disability.
Social recovery therapy is a cognitive-behavioral intervention designed to help restore a more capable mental state to young people with first-episode or longer-term psychosis by improving social and vocational skills and encouraging more participation in social activities. The goal is to help people, especially those in the early stages of psychosis, increase the amount of time they spend actively involved in social settings to thrive in their community, rather than merely survive as “outsiders,” thereby preventing long-term social disability and/or the development of schizophrenia or other related psychiatric disorders.
Social recovery therapy, or SRT, was developed by psychologist David Fowler, who posits that directly targeting social and occupational withdrawal and/or avoidance can allow those with psychosis to find meaning and the drive to reengage with society. SRT focuses on identifying the patient’s social and/or occupational goals and the obstacles to achieving them, then uses behavioral and cognitive strategies to help patients overcome avoidance and develop a sense of hope about their future.
Fowler, D., Hodgekins, J., & French, P. (2018). Social recovery therapy in improving activity and social outcomes in early psychosis: Current evidence and longer-term outcomes. Retrieved from: bit.ly/4cTTJAe
Psychology Today. Social Recovery Therapy. Retrieved from: bit.ly/4ugU7A3