Therapeutic Environments and the Religious Society of Friends

The work of members of the Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, in therapeutic environments has often been commented on but not discussed in detail. While several of the pioneers of planned environment therapy, therapeutic education and therapeutic communities have discussed their Quaker faith in the context of their work, very little of the practical role of Quaker governors and trustees for therapeutic environments has been written about. This paper aims to explore some of the reasons why therapeutic environment work and Quaker principles are compatible, and how Quakers and non-Quakers have been able to work together to establish and maintain effective social-based methods of therapy and management.