15 March 2021

The work of CNWL’s Art Psychotherapists on Nile and Shannon Wards have today been highlighted in a member email sent out to all members of the National Association of Psychiatric Intensive Care & Low Secure Units (NAPICU).

The email is part of a member spotlight, which shares best practice to other members.

The wards are male and female psychiatric intensive care units at St Charles and provide mental health care and treatment for people whose acute distress, absconding risk, and suicidal or challenging behaviour needs a secure environment beyond that which can normally be provided on an open psychiatric ward.

The email highlights the use of Arts Psychotherapy within the wards as a means of allowing emotional expression and exploration. It has been used in the units since they were set up in the late 1990s.

The Arts Psychotherapists are: Megan Charles, Art Psychotherapist Shannon ward, Pavlina Papadopoulou Music Therapist Nile and Shannon wards, Diane Eagles Art Psychotherapist Nile ward, Michelle Brookes Dramatherapist Caspian ward, Kate Shuttlebrace, Art Psychotherapist Caspian ward.

They say: “We continue to meet as a discipline-specific group and think about Arts Psychotherapy input to PICU settings and ways to embed our contributions to the multidisciplinary team more robustly.”