Professionals harnessing experiential knowledge in Dutch mental health settings

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to explore the perspectives of mental health professionals who are in a process of integrating their own experiential knowledge in their professional role. This study considers implications for identity, dilemmas and challenges within the broader organization, when bringing experiential knowledge to practice. Design/methodology/approach As part of a participatory action research approach, qualitative methods have been used, such as in-depth interviews, discussions and observations during training and project team. Findings The actual use of experiential knowledge by mental health care professionals in their work affected four levels: their personal–professional development; the relation with service users; the relation with colleagues; and their position in the organization. Research limitations/implications Because of its limited context, this study may lack generalisability and further research with regard to psychologists and psychiatrists, as well as perceptions from users, is desirable. Social implications According to this study, social change starts from a bottom-up movement and synchronously should be facilitated by top-down policy. A dialogue with academic mental health professionals seems crucial to integrate this source of knowledge. Active collaboration with peer workers and supervisors is desired as well. Originality/value Professionals with lived experiences play an important role in working recovery-oriented, demonstrating bravery and resilience. Having dealt with mental health distress, they risked stigma and rejections when introducing this as a type of knowledge in current mental health service culture. Next to trainings to facilitate the personal–professional process, investments in the entire organization are needed to transform governance, policy and ethics.

Explorations on the use of lived experiences by psychiatrists: facilitators and barriers

“…Due to the introduction of experts by experience in the workforce, established mental health professionals are becoming more and more aware of the value of personal stories in the professional arena. Consistent with our previous findings upon the use of experiential knowledge by nurses and social workers (Karbouniaris et al, 2021) some psychiatrists acknowledged the value of using personal experiences. They underline that this can contribute to the recovery of patients, and can provide hope and inspiration, supporting patients to make sense of their experiences and take control over their lives.…”

“…Contractionary to social workers who were stimulated to reflect and discuss those reflections with patients as part of a deliberative practice (Karbouniaris et al , 2021), psychiatrists seem to be caught in the object–subject dualism. Trained as both medical expert and psychotherapist, their traditional perception on epistemology seems to undermine knowledge derived from lived experiences.…”

Experiential Knowledge of Mental Health Professionals : Service Users’ Perceptions

“…This article aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the latter. Another part of our study, focusing on the perspectives of these professionals, already demonstrated that -thanks to professional proximity -a strong working relationship can be established (Karbouniaris et al, 2021).…”

"Het zit gewoon niet goed in mijn systeem'

“…Die werd in dit onderzoek niet bevestigd, terwijl de professionaliseringsliteratuur hiervoor wel aanwijzingen geeft. Ook ander onderzoek naar ervaringsdeskundigheid in de GGz (Leemeijer, 2017;Leemeijer & Trappenburg, 2016;Karbouniaris, 2023) wijst in die richting.…”

“…Verschillende bestaande initiatieven zijn erop gericht deze bron van ervaringskennis aan te boren (zie o.a. Karbouniaris, 2023). Bekend is de opleiding Social Work met Ervaringsdeskundigheid aan de Hogeschool Windesheim.…”