COME TO THE PA FOR POST-ELECTION DISCUSSION GROUP AND DRINKS,

FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER — DOORS OPEN 6.45PM, GROUP 7.15PM, ENDS 9pM,

FOLLOWED BY CHRISTMAS PARTY, ALL WELCOME, FREE ENTRY

THE PHILADELPHIA ASSOCIATION was founded in 1965 by R. D. Laing and colleagues in order to challenge established ways of thinking about and treating mental distress. For more than fifty years we have offered an open-minded alternative approach to psychotherapy that is unique in Britain.

ACTIVITIES

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The PA offers THERAPY to individuals, couples and groups. Therapy opens up a space for thinking that is helpful when things go wrong in our lives. The therapeutic relationship unfolds new, creative and liberating perspectives on difficulties outside.

We run two community HOUSES in London. People who are suffering or confused can live with others in these houses for extended periods, using the time spent with each other to reflect on their experiences. More fulfilling lives become possible as a consequence.

The PA runs a STUDY PROGRAMME in psychotherapy. The one-year introductory course provides an overview of our way of working and reflects the importance we attach to philosophy. The one-year experiential course and the one-year diploma both explore the idea of community. The full training programme encourages independent thinking. In the tradition of Laing's objections to the psychiatry of his time, we foster a sceptical view of established institutions and conventional theories.

We organise EVENTS, including discussions and film screenings, and publish a NEWSLETTER.

PHILOSOPHY

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The PA favours a creative approach to therapy that involves being ready to question the social norms that often contribute to someone's unhappiness.

An engagement with philosophy and other fields, including anthropology, spirituality and the practice of art, is a fundamental part of our approach. So is a belief in the value of ordinary ways of living and being together. Community and inclusive conversation have the power to alleviate what disturbs people.

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Once conversation begins, paths open up that lead away from isolation and despair towards dignity and greater freedom.