The recent renaissance of the concept of the Therapeutic Community acts as a challenge to orthodox psychiatric management. It propounds a radical group-based therapeutic approach which is fundamentally opposed to many current policies and approaches, such as the reliance on medication for containment of distress. This volume, which describes and develops the theory behind the concept of Therapeutic Communities, emphasizes the caring aspect of psychiatric work, and explores the question of what is therapeutic and antitherapeutic about care in institutions. The book focuses on the historical and social background to the communities; good practice for those working in them; the different types of community; and future developments in this growing area.