(Received and published "as is" by Luca. Translation by ChatGPT)
Dear colleagues and friends of the forum,
Here I am again to update you on the ongoing development of the outreach project for Open Dialogue and humanistic approaches in psychiatry, as promised in my previous post.
My commitment to this project continues steadily, and I’m pleased to share with you the progress made and the next steps ahead.
Personal Training and Research
This initial phase is focused on personal training. I am deepening my understanding of Open Dialogue by studying key texts:
- I am currently reading Dialogical Psychiatry: A Handbook for the Teaching and Practice of Open Dialogue by Russell Razzaque. It’s a valuable resource for understanding the foundations of this approach.
- I will then move on to Why Does Dialogue Heal? by Jaakko Seikkula and Husserl’s Phenomenology by Dan Zahavi. These books provide a solid foundation for me to begin phenomenological research. My goal is to bring to light meaningful elements from our patients’ hospitalization experiences, a crucial aspect for increasingly person-centered psychiatric care.
These texts lay the groundwork for starting phenomenological research that can highlight significant elements from our patients’ hospitalization experiences.
Speaking of Russell Razzaque, I recommend his interesting vlog on relational psychiatry. The first episode is available here: https://vlog-ep1.grwebsite.co.uk/. You can access subsequent episodes by simply changing the final number in the URL from 2 to 17: https://vlog-ep1.grwebsite.co.uk/vlog-ep2
Once I have assimilated these foundational concepts, I intend to propose an introductory meeting on phenomenology for my colleagues. I believe this is a key step in opening new perspectives in our daily clinical practice.
Awareness and Dissemination
Alongside my studies, I continue—cautiously but steadily—my awareness-raising efforts with psychiatry residents. The aim is to introduce them to alternative approaches to psychiatric care, encouraging critical reflection and sparking interest in different horizons.
Another important opportunity will come in September, when I will give a lecture to students of the Master’s Program in Pediatric Nursing. It will be a unique chance to offer an in-depth reflection on the course of contemporary psychiatry, integrating my own experiences with the knowledge I’ve acquired.
Next Steps
The project is constantly evolving, and I am confident that these initiatives—from personal study to sharing with colleagues and students—will help us explore and disseminate more effective and human-centered practices.
As always, I warmly invite you to share your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas on how we can continue to spread and integrate these approaches.
And since real change takes time, I’ll update you again in six months, on January 4th, 2026.
Warm regards,
Luca