The Art of Therapeutic Inquiry: Understanding the Minds of Individuals Who Have Committed Violent Acts

🔎Therapeutic inquiry requires a careful and thoughtful approach to understand the minds of individuals who have committed violent acts.

🧠The impact of the Holocaust and real-life violence influenced Dr. Gwen's interest in understanding how people come to do terrible things.

💼Dr. Gwen's career in forensic psychiatry began in South London and later at Broadmoor hospital, where she worked with individuals who have committed violent acts.

💭Therapy sessions with individuals who have killed are similar to therapy sessions anywhere, but require a sensitive and gradual approach to discussing the crimes.

🚪Getting admitted to Broadmoor hospital requires having committed violent acts that are disturbing and frightening to others.

Do people who have killed go into detail about the crimes they've committed?

—In Dr. Gwen's experience, people who have killed often do not provide much detail about the crimes initially, as talking about it can be distressing and can trigger traumatic memories.

What types of patients does Dr. Gwen typically work with at Broadmoor hospital?

—Dr. Gwen typically works with individuals who have killed family members while experiencing mental illness. She also set up a therapy group for individuals who have killed.

Do individuals who have killed experience feelings of guilt?

—Yes, many individuals who have killed experience intense feelings of guilt, especially when their actions have had a significant impact on the lives of others, including victims' families and their own families.

Are individuals who have killed stigmatized and hated?

—Yes, there is often a stigma around individuals who have killed, and they can experience feelings of being hated. This can be challenging for them to live with and can affect their sense of self.

Do people who have killed develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?

—Yes, it is not uncommon for individuals who have killed to develop PTSD as a result of the traumatic memories and experiences surrounding the act of killing.

00:00Therapeutic inquiry requires a careful and thoughtful approach to understand the minds of individuals who have committed violent acts.

03:36Dr. Gwen's interest in understanding how people come to do terrible things was influenced by the impact of the Holocaust and real-life violence.

05:05Dr. Gwen began her career in forensic psychiatry in South London and later at Broadmoor hospital, where she worked with individuals who have committed violent acts.

08:06Therapy sessions with individuals who have killed are similar to therapy sessions anywhere, but require a sensitive and gradual approach to discussing the crimes.

13:16Getting admitted to Broadmoor hospital requires having committed violent acts that are disturbing and frightening to others.