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Preparing the Open Dialogue Approach for Implementation in the U.S.

Check out our newly released first version of The Psychotherapy-Focused Fidelity Chapter entitled ““.��The intent of this document is to help support the development of an Open Dialogue practice and way of relating in teams that can be used for “self-reflection” by an individual practitioner or whole team participating in Open Dialogue meetings, for supervision and training purposes, and for helping in systematic research. ��Please send your comments and feedback to��Dialogic.Practice@umassmed.edu.

A multi-disciplinary team at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), led by Drs. Douglas Ziedonis (PI) and Mary Olson (Co-I) of the UMMS Department of Psychiatry, is collaborating with Dr. Jaakko Seikkula and his colleagues at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, to prepare the Finnish “Open Dialogue” for adaptation and implementation in the U.S.

Open Dialogue (OD) is an innovative, language-based, network approach to acute psychiatric crises developed by Jaakko Seikkula, Birgitta Alakare, Jukka Aaltonen and their multi-disciplinary team at Keropudas Hospital in Tornio, Finland. This psychosocial intervention has two components: (1) a community-based, integrated treatment system that engages families and social networks, and (2) a distinct and unique form of dialogues within open psychiatric meetings. The approach has been effective in reducing symptoms of psychosis, leading to fewer and shorter hospitalizations, reduced neuroleptic medication dosage, greater improvements in functioning and improved likelihood of employment (Seikkula et al. 2006).

There is a strong convergence between��Open Dialogue and recovery-oriented principles��and practices. Both embrace recovery as a genuine process of revival and resiliency, which is grounded in hope, empowerment, and a supportive network. Open Dialogue creates democratic partnerships between professionals and the people they serve to restore productive and meaningful lives. Both the recovery perspective and Open Dialogue are reinforced by the knowledge that people with mental health and addiction problems can and do persevere and play meaningful roles in society.

Research Infrastructure Development Project:

Launched in September 2012 and funded by the��, the UMMS/Finland OD initiative will develop practical tools for clinicians, program leaders, and researchers in the United States – and throughout the world – who hope to further investigate the OD approach.

The collaboration will produce several products to help with adaptation of the Open Dialogue model, including:

1.�� A psychotherapy-focused manual and fidelity tool for clinical interactions with individuals and families

2.�� A system-focused manual and fidelity tool for assessing program/organizational implementation.

Related links��
��– Dr. Jaakko Seikkula speaks about Open Dialogue��
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Related references��

Aaltonen, J., Seikkula, J., & Lehtinen, K. (2011). Comprehensive open-dialogue approach I: Developing a comprehensive culture of need-adapted approach in a psychiatric public health catchment area the Western Lapland Project.��Psychosis, 3,��179 – 191.

Seikkula, J., Aaltonen, J., Alakare, B., & Haarakangas, K. (2006). Five-year experience of first-episode nonaffective psychosis in open-dialogue model.��Psychotherapy Research,��16(2), 214-228.

Seikkula, J., Alakare, B., & Aaltonen, J. (2011). The comprehensive open-dialogue approach(II). Long-term stability of acute psychosis outcomes in advanced community care: The Western Lapland Project.��Psychosis, 3,��1–13.

Seikkula, J. & Olson, M. (2003). The open dialogue approach: Its poetics and micropolitics.��Family Process, 42,��403-418.

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Project Team��
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Makenzie Tonelli, BA

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For more information on the UMMS Open Dialogue global collaboration project, please contact��Makenzie E. Tonelli, Project Coordinator, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, S7-734, (p) 508-856-8641|(f) 508-856-6621.

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