We encourage you to invite colleagues, friends, family and anyone who you think might be interested to hear the outcomes of this landmark study.
Open Dialogue: Building Anticipation for a New Era in Mental Health Care
The world's biggest study into Open Dialogue and the largest trial to examine a wholly new model of care for mental health in the world for many years, ODDESSI, is about to publish its results. Conducted by University College London (UCL), It’s been 10 years in the making and the results represent a real landmark in the field of mental healthcare.
As soon as the results are published we will be holding a reception as part of an event to welcome a new era of relational care at Rethink Mental Illness in London, which is also being supported by Mind and Safely Held Spaces. While the reception itself will be in a relatively small space, the event will be hybrid so you can join us online for it too.
The event is on Thursday 27 August 2026, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon UK time/5:00AM–7:00 AM Eastern/2:00 AM–4 AM Pacific. Joining online is free. https://opendialogueevent.com/ Everyone who registers is emailed their joining link straight away, a reminder before we start, and the recording afterwards.
Annotated List of Links to Articles and Podcasts
“Open Dialogue: A New Approach to Mental Healthcare” Psychology Today.
British psychiatrist Dr. Tom Stockmann offers an introduction to Open Dialogue, explaining its origins, how it works, and its effectiveness in healing.
“Karl Menninger Psychiatrist Mental Illness Documentary” Originally broadcast on NBC
Fascinating interview with one of the founders of modern psychiatry on the goals of the treatment provider and the humanity of the patients.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCHyLDKd4MY
“3.7 Lauren Markham: Unlearning Systems” Open POD pod
Lauren Markham describes her experience working and training in peer-supported Open Dialogue training in the UK. Her account spans over 10 years and I highly recommend this podcast to learn about the ethos and tone of Open Dialogue.
https://openpodpod.buzzsprout.com/2113667/episodes/17562102-3-7-lauren-markham-unlearning-systems
“#129—Open Dialogue w/Dr. Eija-Liisa Rauntiainen” The Radical Therapist
Experienced trainer, Dr. Eija-Liisa Rautiainen, provides both the background and history of Open Dialogue but also points to practical ways through which practitioners can apply its principles in your sphere.
“Open Dialogue Around the World – Implementation, Outcomes, Experiences, and Perspectives” Frontiers in Psychology
This special issue is a collection of 25 research articles by over 100 authors describing of recent (2022–2025) developments in Open Dialogue. “Open Dialogue (OD) is receiving increased interest across mental health systems worldwide, inspiring practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to explore dialogical alternatives to conventional psychiatric models.”
[https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1621237/full]
HOPEnDialogue
Alita is on the Advisory Board of HOPEnDialogue: an international collaborative study to evaluate the effectiveness of Open Dialogue in various contexts and to support the centers that adopt this approach.