Abstract
To the Editor
Like Mclean (2011) I was delighted to read the editorial by Jensen (2011) on ‘Why psychiatrists should learn about narrative therapy’. I have also found that narrative therapy ideas have blown a breath of fresh air through my practice. I had a corresponding desire to share this with colleagues and have presented aspects orally in a range of formats. Realizing that I was not going to be able to generate a treatment trial to get these strategies into our evidence-based literature, I collaborated with a colleague to develop a website outlining some of the contributions similar ideas had made to our practice (Stanton and Windelborn, 2011).
I agree with Mclean (2011) that narrative therapy ideas are not the only answer. By the very nature of the challenges in psychiatric practice there is never likely to be an ‘only answer’. I regret the range of potential ‘answers’ I will never hear about because they do not reach the threshold of treatment trials to enable publication in our evidence-based literature.
I congratulate the journal on using the format of an editorial to expose us to this kind of ‘breath of fresh air’. I have often wondered about having a workshop in a conference where psychiatrists present clinical interventions they use and find helpful. We are dependent on treatment trials for guidance in substantive interventions, but they offer limited guidance in the practical details of everyday psychiatric practice, an important part of what some describe as the ‘art’ of psychiatry (Bloch, 2005).