The use of leisure activities in a therapeutic community

This paper is concerned with the use of social and leisure activities as part of nursing work in a therapeutic community. It describes this element in the therapeutic programme of the Cassel Hospital. There is a brief introduction to the general principles of the therapeutic community and then to the nurses' role at the Cassel Hospital. The work in the sphere of social and leisure activities is seen as consistent with these principles. The structures enabling social and leisure activities to be integrated into the work of the hospital are described. Therapeutic opportunities are outlined, which arise when nurses work alongside patients in the course of such activities. This also serves to illustrate therapeutic community practice. There follows a discussion of the clinical significance of the voluntary element in this area of practice and of the related problems. Jacques' conceptualization of work and resistance to work are used at a number of points to link issues raised in the paper to existing psychodynamic theory.