Working with early trauma and neglect in later life (Hamill, Khan, 2018)

Hamill Michelle Khan Ellen. 

Psychology of Older People: The FPOP Bulletin 2018;(143): 

Available online at this link 

While cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) can be applied to a wide range of psychological problems, it can also help service users in understanding their particular difficulties and set manageable goals to bring about change. The Mental Health Care of Older People services in Newham, Tower Hamlets and Hackney boroughs, East London NHS Foundation Trust (MHCOP ELFT) draw extensively on CAT for work with psychological distress in later life. This article includes the case study of Joe, a man in his late 60s, to illustrate how CAT can helpfully conceptualise the long-term effects of past trauma persisting into later life. In this instance, CAT's lifespan approach has helped in identifying and addressing chronic emotional neglect through childhood that affected Joe's capacity to integrate his experiences, and know his emerging sense of self, while offering an alternative of attending to rather than overlooking feelings.