Working Group Soteria
Authors: Daniel Nischk and Ludi Van Bouwel of ISPS
[To learn more about Soteria, a very successful psycho-social approach to treating extreme states, go a previous blog which introduces the concept as well as an active Soteria House in Vermont, USA. Click HERE to learn more. A 7 minute vid of the psychiatrist who started Soteria House is available below the article.–from Emma Bragdon]
On May 8th, 2025, the newly established Working Group Soteria was officially launched under the umbrella of the International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis (ISPS). This initiative grew out of the energy and connections sparked by the 40th anniversary celebration of Soteria Berne in 2024, an event that brought together numerous professionals and advocates of the Soteria approach from across Europe. The founding idea was proposed by Walter Gekle and Ludi van Bouwel, who envisioned an international group within ISPS dedicated to supporting and connecting Soteria-inspired efforts globally.
The mission of the group is to disseminate the Soteria philosophy and values, to facilitate collaborative research across borders, to support both emerging and established Soteria initiatives, and to foster a truly international exchange of knowledge and experience among practitioners, researchers, and advocates. More than 50 participants joined the inaugural meeting, representing a wide range of backgrounds and national contexts. Participants included members of the Internationale Arbeitsgemeinschaft Soteria (IAS) from Germany and Switzerland, as well as representatives from Israel, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Among them were Prof. Pesach Lichtenberg, who has led transformative Soteria-based reforms in acute psychiatric care in Israel; Dag van Wetter and Alan Veys from the El Camino initiative in Belgium; and Kathy Allsopp and Rita Horgar from the UK.
The meeting also saw the involvement of participants from the United States, many of whom had not previously been connected to the European Soteria networks. Notably, Gene Larkin, who worked in the original Soteria California project and recently published the memoir Seeking Soteria, joined the group. His work provides a compelling illustration of how personal lived experiences can inform and enrich professional perspectives. Al Galves, who is currently working to establish a Soteria house in New Mexico, also participated, as did representatives from Soteria Vermont. Another special guest was Luc Ciompi, a foundational figure in the Soteria movement, who shared reflections on the historical significance and contemporary relevance of Soteria within modern psychiatry.
During the 90-minute session, following an initial round of introductions and informal exchange, several key themes were addressed. Daniel Nischk presented the Soteria Fidelity Scale (SFS), a structured tool developed within the IAS to assess adherence to Soteria principles, which is currently undergoing validation in a formal study. Pesach Lichtenberg shared insights from the implementation of Soteria-inspired acute care wards in Israel, including the ongoing empirical evaluation of these services and the challenge of balancing fidelity to the model with the practical demands of national healthcare standards and cultural contexts. Participants also discussed a wave of recent publications from various countries, including contributions by Theresa Wolf in Berlin, Pesach Lichtenberg in Israel, Pien Leendertse in the Netherlands, and Walter Gekle in Berne, all of which were acknowledged as important steps in strengthening the scientific foundation and visibility of Soteria-oriented practice.
Looking ahead, the group is planning several major contributions to the upcoming ISPS Conference in Lausanne in 2025. These include organizing a dedicated preconference meeting, contributing to the presidential address, and curating a symposium to showcase international developments in Soteria-inspired services and research. These efforts are intended not only to highlight the relevance of the Soteria approach within ISPS but also to promote broader engagement with humane, psychosocial, and person-centered approaches to psychosis.
Further steps will involve developing the Soteria Fidelity Scale into a robust tool suitable for international use, while also mapping ongoing and planned Soteria initiatives worldwide in order to strengthen mutual support and learning. The group also aims to identify funding opportunities and platforms for collaborative research and publishing, and to establish points of contact in different regions to ensure stronger connections between local efforts and the international Soteria network.
How can you become a member of this International Soteria group?
You have to be a member of an ISPS regional group, or an Individual member of ISPS International, (find out how to join here https://isps.org/isps-membership/ ). Beyond being an ISPS member, no further fees will pop up for being member of the International Soteria group. If you are interested to join this Soteria group please contact one of these three members:
Daniel Nischk EMAIL
Walter Gekle EMAIL
Ludi Van Bouwel EMAIL
If you want to join the new email discussion group for the ISPS International Soteria network please contact Antonia Svensson, International Organiser of ISPS by EMAIL.
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A 7 minute video of the Researcher Loren Mosher, MD, who initiated the experiment of the Soteria House speaks for 7 minutes in the video below on the success of Soteria. He compares the treatment at Soteria to a control group who had neuroleptics. Those who received primarily psycho-social support at Soteria did better overall than the control group.
