The Devil You Know
by Dr Gwen Adshead
The British forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist Gwen Adshead, known for her work with some of the UK’s most violent and complex offenders, is a leading figure in the field. Adshead has worked with people in high-risk settings, working in the field for more than 30 years, and has experience in many high-security jobs including the notorious Broadmoor Hospital. Her amalgamation of psychiatric expertise combined with a grounding in the human psyche at their fundamental level is key to figuring out what makes people do something vile and violent. I met Gwen Adshead when I invited her to Malta to give seminars for Maltese professionals. I was really impressed by the sense she brought to our sessions as a way to ground me and the level-headed, sympathetic quality to her approach to her job. Adshead’s role is more than clinical – she is also a prolific writer and speaker, offering a voice in discussions on the psychology of violence, mental health and criminality.
“The Devil You Know” by Gwen Adshead is a searing and thought-provoking study of the minds of some of the most dangerous men in existence. In a set of case studies, Adshead examines her patients, individuals whose violent deeds elude comprehension. She describes them with empathy and clinical exactitude, eschewing sensationalism to expose the complexities of every single human being’s life and behaviour.
The book examines the psychological, social and environmental factors that contribute to committing violent acts and dares readers to think about the fine line between good and evil, sanity and madness. Central themes are understanding does not necessarily mean excusing. Adshead is also clear that her job is not to excuse what her patients do but to uncover the reasons behind their actions so that no further harm may be caused.
Adshead invites the reader into a process of therapy, giving us a peek at what it might be like to deal with or profit from patients who bring such profound sorrow to others. She discusses how trauma, mental illness, and social failures may merge to form settings for violence; therapy opens paths in which healing and rehabilitation may be achieved therefore, regardless of hope being cast upon it.
“The Devil You Know” is particularly impactful reading. Gwen Adshead’s talent for humanising that which humanity so frequently considers beyond redemption is disturbing and illuminating. I am very familiar with the complexity of human behaviour as a psychotherapist. Even so, Adshead’s work is a step beyond this exploration — going deep into the darkest aspects of the human psyche.
The best part about the book is Adshead’s dedication to kindness in her patients. Her dealings with them are a demonstration of empathy, even among people so evil as these people. That level of empathy is commendable, albeit difficult. It encourages the reader to see everyone as human, regardless of how evil they are. That’s a very good faith statement for me personally — everyone, lost or not, can change.
Also, Adshead’s work challenges us to reconsider good and evil. Her patients have done terrible things: she insists not to look just at their actions for themselves. But this perspective is important in clinical work because in its work the emphasis must always be on that potential for change and healing and the past behaviour be avoided. It’s a reminder that, as therapists, the task is to guide people in gaining insights about or for themselves and grow as persons not only from what’s gone wrong.
The book also gives us practical insights on the therapeutic process, mainly in contact with highly volatile and dangerous persons. It’s Adshead’s thoughts on what keeps us on the straight and narrow when attempting to make contact with them that are particularly timely. There is simply more than one side to the relationship between empathy and boundaries that any therapist has to negotiate, for Adshead makes a sensitive examination of this issue.
“The Devil You Know” also prompts big questions about how society is conducive to violence. Adshead’s case histories are an indication of how trauma, neglect and failure of the society can create conditions for acts of violence. It would emphasize the necessity to deal with “structural” sources of violence – disparities, lack of adequate mental health care, etc – as part of the overall campaign against violence.
I suggest bringing the teachings from “The Devil You Know” to your clients and colleagues.
It takes a little patience, even in the Hard Places Practice Empathy: While working with difficult clients, you should try and understand the reasons for what is happening beneath the surface level.
Avoid Unreasonable Assumptions: Understand that a person can be more than what they did at one time and concentrate on their personal development potential.
Recognise the Role of Trauma: Recognise the power of past trauma to impact behaviour in the current world and apply this information to improve therapeutic techniques.
Maintain Boundaries with Compassion: Stay professional but show empathy and support to clients — particularly those that we work with who struggle with severe issues.
Contemplate Societal Issues: Consider the wider society problems (e.g. inequality and neglect) that contribute to individual behaviours, and use that awareness to push for systemic change whenever necessary.
In Summary.
Gwen Adshead’s work “The Devil You Know” explores the mind—be it the violent and extreme behaviours of a species of human, and provides a compelling and thought-provoking insight in this field too. Through her collaboration with some of society’s hardest-hit people, Adshead compels readers to take a moment to realize the significance of empathy and being understanding about one another as we all believe that there is hope. That book is something anyone who has an interest in the overlap of psychology, criminal justice, and the human experience will find helpful.
The Devil you know
by Dr Gwen Adshead
The British forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist Gwen Adshead, known for her work with some of the UK’s most violent and complex offenders, is a leading figure in the field. Adshead has worked with people in high-risk settings, working in the field for more than 30 years, and has experience in many high-security jobs including the notorious Broadmoor Hospital. Her amalgamation of psychiatric expertise combined with a grounding in the human psyche at their fundamental level is key to figuring out what makes people do something vile and violent. I met Gwen Adshead when I invited her to Malta to give seminars for Maltese professionals. I was really impressed by the sense she brought to our sessions as a way to ground me and the level-headed, sympathetic quality to her approach to her job. Adshead’s role is more than clinical – she is also a prolific writer and speaker, offering a voice in discussions on the psychology of violence, mental health and criminality.
“The Devil You Know” by Gwen Adshead is a searing and thought-provoking study of the minds of some of the most dangerous men in existence. In a set of case studies, Adshead examines her patients, individuals whose violent deeds elude comprehension. She describes them with empathy and clinical exactitude, eschewing sensationalism to expose the complexities of every single human being’s life and behaviour.
The book examines the psychological, social and environmental factors that contribute to committing violent acts and dares readers to think about the fine line between good and evil, sanity and madness. Central themes are understanding does not necessarily mean excusing. Adshead is also clear that her job is not to excuse what her patients do but to uncover the reasons behind their actions so that no further harm may be caused.
Adshead invites the reader into a process of therapy, giving us a peek at what it might be like to deal with or profit from patients who bring such profound sorrow to others. She discusses how trauma, mental illness, and social failures may merge to form settings for violence; therapy opens paths in which healing and rehabilitation may be achieved therefore, regardless of hope being cast upon it.
“The Devil You Know” is particularly impactful reading. Gwen Adshead’s talent for humanising that which humanity so frequently considers beyond redemption is disturbing and illuminating. I am very familiar with the complexity of human behaviour as a psychotherapist. Even so, Adshead’s work is a step beyond this exploration — going deep into the darkest aspects of the human psyche.
The best part about the book is Adshead’s dedication to kindness in her patients. Her dealings with them are a demonstration of empathy, even among people so evil as these people. That level of empathy is commendable, albeit difficult. It encourages the reader to see everyone as human, regardless of how evil they are. That’s a very good faith statement for me personally — everyone, lost or not, can change.
Also, Adshead’s work challenges us to reconsider good and evil. Her patients have done terrible things: she insists not to look just at their actions for themselves. But this perspective is important in clinical work because in its work the emphasis must always be on that potential for change and healing and the past behaviour be avoided. It’s a reminder that, as therapists, the task is to guide people in gaining insights about or for themselves and grow as persons not only from what’s gone wrong.
The book also gives us practical insights on the therapeutic process, mainly in contact with highly volatile and dangerous persons. It’s Adshead’s thoughts on what keeps us on the straight and narrow when attempting to make contact with them that are particularly timely. There is simply more than one side to the relationship between empathy and boundaries that any therapist has to negotiate, for Adshead makes a sensitive examination of this issue.
“The Devil You Know” also prompts big questions about how society is conducive to violence. Adshead’s case histories are an indication of how trauma, neglect and failure of the society can create conditions for acts of violence. It would emphasize the necessity to deal with “structural” sources of violence – disparities, lack of adequate mental health care, etc – as part of the overall campaign against violence.
I suggest bringing the teachings from “The Devil You Know” to your clients and colleagues.
It takes a little patience, even in the Hard Places Practice Empathy: While working with difficult clients, you should try and understand the reasons for what is happening beneath the surface level.
Avoid Unreasonable Assumptions: Understand that a person can be more than what they did at one time and concentrate on their personal development potential.
Recognise the Role of Trauma: Recognise the power of past trauma to impact behaviour in the current world and apply this information to improve therapeutic techniques.
Maintain Boundaries with Compassion: Stay professional but show empathy and support to clients — particularly those that we work with who struggle with severe issues.
Contemplate Societal Issues: Consider the wider society problems (e.g. inequality and neglect) that contribute to individual behaviours, and use that awareness to push for systemic change whenever necessary.
In Summary.
Gwen Adshead’s work “The Devil You Know” explores the mind—be it the violent and extreme behaviours of a species of human, and provides a compelling and thought-provoking insight in this field too. Through her collaboration with some of society’s hardest-hit people, Adshead compels readers to take a moment to realize the significance of empathy and being understanding about one another as we all believe that there is hope. That book is something anyone who has an interest in the overlap of psychology, criminal justice, and the human experience will find helpful.
“A man becomes a man when a man is needed. I’ve seen 40-year-old children cause a man was never needed”
Recent Thoughts
Performance Lab Environment for Mental Clarity and Focus
High performers are seldom incompetent. They struggle with carryover. Carryover of stress. Carryover of emotion. Carryover of intensity from one room to another.
High Performance Without Burnout
When work is in the high performers’ way, it is very addictive. They are quick, decisive, disciplined, competitive and outcome-oriented. They raise standards.
