Abstract
The purpose of this research is to explore the place if any, of psychotherapy in the treatment of schizophrenia within the mental health services. Firstly, this study aims to understand the participant’s perspective of their role in the assessment and process of treating schizophrenia. This study will attempt to explore the professional’s opinion of psychotherapy as a form of treatment of schizophrenia. The health professionals understanding of the experience of schizophrenia from their patient’s perspective will be examined. Finally, this study endeavours to understand the reasons behind the advancement or lack of advancement in the use of psychotherapy in the process of treating a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The main sources of experience and opinion will be gathered from six mental health professionals actively working within the mental health services. The aims of this study requires a research strategy within the qualitative paradigm. Semi-structured interviews will be used to carry out data collection, followed by the use of thematic analysis to analyse the data. The findings will provide an insight into this area of research from an Irish context. This research endeavours to gain greater insight into the reasons behind the mental health services hesitation to fully embrace psychotherapy as a form of treatment in the patient’s recovery. It is hoped that the mental health professional’s perspectives will provide in-depth insight into the process of treatment thus far and the future psychotherapy may have in the process of recovery. Author keywords: Schizophrenia, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis
