The frames of the mind of a psychiatrist.

The structures of our mind may be understood as 'frames', which play a key role in our everyday goals, choices and decisions. Understanding these often unconscious processes may help us to understand the complex decisions we make in our clinical practice. Such frames may be many in number, being based, for example, on medical, psychological, social, trauma, or problem-solving models. The 'frames' we use in our clinical decisions should be tailored to the needs of our patients, and may need to be adapted at different phases of illness.