["It has become clearer where it is unsteady, where it is stable" - Lessons to learn from the restrictions of the therapeutic environment in the Covid-19-pandemic for in-patient psychotherapy].

Abstract

The therapeutic environment was fundamentally changed during the Covid-19 pandemic. How did this affect the experience of patients and staff members, and what can we learn about the functioning of the therapeutic environment?Qualitative content analysis of 37 guideline based interviews with patients (n=19) and staff (n=18) of a psychosomatic university clinic.The restrictions of the therapeutic environment is experienced as an additional burden. A supportive, appreciative and solidarity environment in which participation and responsibility are encouraged was experienced by patients and staff members as elementary for coping with individual stress in times of crisis.The results highlight the central importance of the therapeutic environment in the implementation of therapeutic content in the clinical context and call for further studies into the effectiveness of participatory approaches.