Introduction to the Celebration*

The 25th anniversary is a very important occasion in the life of the Centre, which was founded by myself and others in the spring of 1973. This means we are actually 26 years old today - but who's counting? I am very pleased to greet everyone connected with us, including members of our Professional Advisory Committee, as well as colleagues, trainees and trustees. Also I would like to extend warm greetings to old friends and new friends, and especially our guests of honour tonight, Professor Robert Hinshelwood, whose help and guidance have been so important over many years, and Sir Louis Blom-Cooper, who has contributed greatly to the field of mental health.

We established the Crisis Centre in order to offer intensive, personal, psychological and social support to individuals and families in severe emotional distress. Equally important, we wanted our interventions to reflect kindness and humanity as well as psychological acuity. We wanted to respond to people at a time of pain and instability in their lives with respect. And we wanted to be sensitive to their social relations and to be concerned for their experience, that is, their subjectivity, as well as behaviour, their objective reality.

When adults and children are upset, they may be overwhelmed with dis-ease, but not necessarily disease. A friendly ear to hear hurt, a shoulder to cry on, an attentive eye to see what is going on, and a containing mind to make sense of muddle, are at least as useful, if not more useful, than conventional psychobiological treatments. We thought and, indeed, still think that therapeutic magic or healing power lies in calm, containing, considerate and considered relationships, rather than pills, shock, institutionalization or physical restraint.

As I described in our original brochure, we intended and still intend that the Centre should be a sanctuary, an oasis in an emotional wilderness, a place where people can contain and make sense of their experiences, and achieve a renewed sense