The aim is to explore important perspectives and structures that can inform leadership in a therapeutic environment based on psychodynamic principles.
The experiences of the author as Director of the Mulberry Bush (1991‐2001) are used as a focus for inquiry into the challenges and issues that emerge in relation to leadership.
It was found that certain key features of leadership when exercised – attending to beginning and endings, emotional containment and holding in mind, “holding the line” and tolerating uncertainty – more reliably ensure the continuity of a healthy therapeutic environment.
Leadership informed by a psychodynamic perspective and reflections can assist the leader, the team, the residents and the entire organisation to focus on not only creating but also sustaining a way of living and learning together that will produce learning, changing, growing and “going”.
The exploration of the subject of leadership in this context contributes to broadening and deepening understanding in the sector of the significance of leadership and how best to engage with its challenges in a way that more reliably ensures the continuity of going on being and growing that is needed at the heart of a therapeutic environment.
