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Abstract: 

In the situation of a therapeutic community, and in particular with members coming directly from imprisonment, self-concept is highly negative: “criminal”. . .“addict”. . .“failure.” A negative selfconcept is not something that can be shifted easily, but such a shift is, in our professional opinion, essential for any expectation or hope of charting a better future. In this article the authors highlight a three-hour session with the entire therapeutic community one winter’s day. The concluding section will return to the concept of shifting the internalized selfconcept as it relates directly to this work.

Keywords: Behavioral modification; trauma-informed approach; residential therapeutic community; self-identity; arc of exploration

Affiliations:  1: Therapeutic Arts Alliance of Manhattan; 2: Marywood University.