Therapeutic Atmospheres

ongoing

"Mental health challenges represent one of the most pressing issues of 21st-century science, with an estimated 9% of the population currently experiencing a mental disorder and 25% expected to face one at some point in their lives. As these challenges become increasingly prevalent, the importance of understanding what contributes to effective healing cannot be overstated. While existing research recognizes that the environment in which therapy occurs—such as the layout, lighting, sound, and furniture of a room—can significantly influence therapeutic outcomes, there remains a notable gap in the literature regarding how these therapeutic spaces affect individuals and shape the course of psychotherapy. The ""Therapeutic Atmospheres"" (THERASPHERES) project seeks to address this gap by exploring how the experience of affective atmospheres within therapeutic settings impacts the effectiveness of therapy, particularly in forming therapeutic alliances and fostering significant therapeutic change events. The primary objectives of this project are threefold: (1) to map the various interpretations of 'atmosphere' within the literature on phenomenological psychiatry and situated affectivity, (2) to assess how the experience of atmospheres in consultation rooms influences therapeutic change processes, and (3) to refine existing conceptualizations of 'atmosphere' within the field of phenomenological psychiatry and situated affectivity and explore their application to other research domains. By employing a novel method that integrates phenomenological interviews with the analysis of video recordings, THERASPHERES will systematically assess the role of affective atmospheres in therapeutic processes. Ultimately, this project aims to enhance our understanding of how to create spaces that foster better mental health outcomes. "