The limitations of insight-based therapy in a prison context are many and various, here are a few of the main ones:
• Drug problems
Existing drug dependency problems in prisoners may interfere with the potential of insight therapy.
• Resistance to engage with a therapist
Prisoners may not have proactively requested insight therapy and therefore may be resistant to it as a treatment. They may start from a point of disbelief - 'why would this be effective?'
• Logistical or practical difficulties
In a prison setting, with its strict timetable and routines, it can be difficult to create a space and time for insight therapy.
What are insight based therapies?
An insight based therapy is one in which a therapist and a patient talk in order to help the patient better understand herself and her motivations.
The idea is to resolve past struggles so that the patient can move on with a clearer and more content mind. For example, a therapist may talk to a patient about how a childhood trauma such as abuse affected their way of seeing the world.