Psychologically Informed Environments and Trauma Informed Care

Interview with Peter Cockersell

Resumen

This interview was conducted with Peter Cockersell. He has a professional doctoral degree in Psychotherapy and is a UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy) -registered Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist with almost 20 years post-qualification experience in the NHS (National Health Service of UK), voluntary and private sectors. He has worked in homelessness for over 20 years, specializing in complex needs, latterly as a consultant and trainer with Intapsych Ltd; as Chief Executive of Community Housing and Therapy, a charity providing residential rehabilitative communities for people experiencing severe and prolonged mental distress, and previously as Director of Health & Recovery for St Mungo’s. He also has qualifications in adult education and leadership.
Peter was one of the originators of the Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) approach and a co-author of the DCLG-published national guidance (UK Department of Communities and Local Government); he is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrist’s committee on Enabling Environments, a founding member of the Faculty of Inclusion and Homeless Health, and a Director of The Consortium of Therapeutic Communities. He has a long track record in delivering services focusing on recovery, client involvement, and psychologically informed approaches to working with people with complex needs and experiencing social exclusion.
He was editor and one of the authors of the book Social Exclusion, Compound Trauma and Recovery: Applying Psychology, Psychotherapy and PIE to Homelessness and Complex Needs. He has written several articles such as: PIEs five years on, Homelessness and mental health: adding clinical mental health interventions to existing social ones can greatly enhance positive outcomes, More for less? Using PIEs and recovery to improve efficiency in supported housing, Intercultural psychotherapy, intracultural psychotherapy, or just good psychotherapy?, among others.
The interview centers on Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE) and Trauma Informed Care (TIC), the two main topics of his book, that has just been release, in October of 2024, also edited by Sione Marshall: Implementing Psychologically Informed Environments and Trauma Informed Care: Leadership Perspectives. In this publication Peter Cockersell explains that PIE and TIC were developed from an increasing understanding of the role of unresolved trauma in social and healthcare problems, and of the importance of building and sustaining environments that respond appropriately. Both provide frameworks which can increase the probability of providing person-centered services, preventing that services retraumatize already wounded individuals by denying the social contexts of trauma, and acknowledging their own parts in those. The interview was recorded on video with the authorization of Peter Cockersell; after transcription, adjustments and translation, the version was also approved by the interviewee.