Systemic Community Psychiatry

Abstract

The introduction of systemic practices to community mental health settings provides an opportunity to expand the role of psychiatrists beyond the limitations of strictly individual, biomedical views and interventions. Serving primarily economically disadvantaged Black and Latino individuals and families, the approach described in this article draws upon systemic and postmodern conceptual frameworks and acknowledges complexities of mental health service delivery beyond medication management. Suggestions are included for integrating systemically based interaction with clients, families, and colleagues using a language grounded in an understanding of the culture of traditional medical settings.

Editors’ note: First published in 2005, American Family Therapy Academy Monograph Series.

Editors’ note: Although this chapter was written in 2005, we see little change from Dr. Pakman’s assertions about so-called “modern” psychiatry and the lack of systemic or poststructural approaches within psychiatry.