Experiential Knowledge of Serious Mental Health Problems

Abstract

In 1998, a dialogue between mental health consumers and psychologists was sponsored by the Center for Mental Health Services. It is against this backdrop that the author briefly discusses her personal experience with serious mental health problems and how it has informed her clinical training and practice, especially in working with individuals with serious mental health problems and disorders. Using some of the overall recommendations of the 1998 meeting as guiding principles, the author reviews the literature on four topics that have become salient in her role as client—scientist—practitioner. Her experiential, academic, and clinical knowledge has led her to focus on how she can provide hope to her clients—patients in their recoveries and increase the use of first-person stories of individuals with mental disorders in both her practice and teaching. The discussion of therapist self-disclosure is reexamined in light of current research evidence and shifts in theoretical paradigms. Finally, readers are encouraged to examine the ongoing stigma associated with mental disorders perpetuated within the profession and look at experiential knowledge of mental disorders as an additional competence in the field of psychology rather than solely as an issue of professional competence or impairment.

How Do “Mental Health Professionals” Who Are Also or Have Been “Mental Health Service Users” Construct Their Identities?

“…They are doing this verbally and through professional journals and autobiographies (e.g., Ahmed, 2007;Bassman, 2001;Beresford, 2005;Burling, 2005;Clarke, 2012;Deegan, 1987;Fox, 2002;Frese, 2000;Friedman, 2004;Harding, 2005;Kottsieper, 2009;Lemelin, 2006;Linehan, 2011;MacCulloch & Shattell, 2009;May, 2000; How Do "Mental Health Professionals" Who Are Also or Have Been "Mental Health Service Users" Construct Their Identities?…”

“…Perhaps it is surprising, therefore, that growing numbers of "mental health professionals" with "mental health service user" experience are speaking out about their mental health service use. They are doing this verbally and through professional journals and autobiographies (e.g., Ahmed, 2007;Bassman, 2001;Beresford, 2005;Burling, 2005;Clarke, 2012;Deegan, 1987;Fox, 2002;Frese, 2000;Friedman, 2004;Harding, 2005;Kottsieper, 2009;Lemelin, 2006;Linehan, 2011;MacCulloch & Shattell, 2009;May, 2000;McCourt, 1999;Otto, Goldrick, & Helm, 2009;Schiff, 2004;Sweeney, Beresford, Faulkner, Nettle, & Rose, 2009;Tsai, 2002;Woods & Springham, 2011;Yarek, 2008). Most of these authors are based in the United Kingdom or United States.…”

Finding the personal in the clinical psychology swamp

“…The third author has reflected, since participating in the group, on situations in which it was much easier to acknowledge and openly value personal experience of mental distress, although she did experience the group as positive overall. Whilst learning about ''containing your stuff'' seems an essential part of professionalization, particularly if one has not had good role models for doing so earlier in life, nevertheless it is the third author's view that this should not be at the expense of learning how to positively value and use one's ''stuff'' for the benefit of service users (Kottsieper, 2009;May, 2000May, , 2011, but perhaps a specific focus on this could form the basis of future reflective discussions.…”

Cognitive behavioural therapy training in Tanzania: a qualitative study of clinicians’ experiences

“…All the clinicians described instances of self-disclosure within their use of CBT. Therapist self-disclosure is thought to have both facilitative and hindering effects with respect to the therapeutic relationship in the West (Audet et al, 2010;Jeffrey and Austin, 2007;Kottsieper, 2009). However, certain sub-genres of CBT, such as schema-focused therapy, delineate the value of self-disclosure within therapy.…”