What it means
Milieu is French for surroundings. In mental health care, the therapeutic milieu is the whole environment of a unit: a safe physical space, a daily structure, clear rules, group activities and staff who model healthy ways of relating. Milieu therapy uses that environment itself as part of treatment.
For the nurse
Nurses manage the milieu: they keep it safe (removing hazards, watching for clients who are becoming agitated), apply the unit's rules the same way for everyone, and encourage clients to take part in community meetings and groups.
In a chart
"Client attended the morning community meeting and helped set up the unit's activity schedule."
At a glance
| Also written | milieu, milieu therapy, milieu therapies |
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