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Post by Admin on Jul 22, 2023 19:03:10 GMT
About Peer Support Canada peersupportcanada.ca/We believe in the transformative power of peer support. Peer support is emotional and practical support between two people who share a common experience, such as a mental health challenge or illness. A Peer Supporter has lived through that similar experience, and is trained to support others. Peer Support Canada also offers certification for Peer Supporters, Family Peer Supporters, and for Peer Support Mentors. Peer Support Certification is a confirmation of one’s knowledge, skills, and experience as a peer supporter. Certification verifies one’s alignment with the nationally endorsed Standard of Practice, and is recognized across Canada. The Standards of Practice for mental health peer supporters were developed in consultation with peer supporters from across the country and endorsed by peer leaders representing interests nationwide. The national Standards of Practice consist of the knowledge, competencies, experience, and code of conduct requirements to effectively provide peer support services with due care and skill in a variety of settings.
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Post by Admin on Aug 14, 2023 18:27:27 GMT
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2023 14:19:26 GMT
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Post by Admin on Sept 9, 2023 23:40:09 GMT
Peer support en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_supportPeer support occurs when people provide knowledge, experience, emotional, social or practical help to each other.[1] It commonly refers to an initiative consisting of trained supporters (although it can be provided by peers without training), and can take a number of forms such as peer mentoring, reflective listening (reflecting content and/or feelings), or counseling. Peer support is also used to refer to initiatives where colleagues, members of self-help organizations and others meet, in person or online, as equals to give each other connection and support on a reciprocal basis. Peer support is distinct from other forms of social support in that the source of support is a peer, a person who is similar in fundamental ways to the recipient of the support; their relationship is one of equality. A peer is in a position to offer support by virtue of relevant experience: he or she has "been there, done that" and can relate to others who are now in a similar situation. Trained peer support workers such as peer support specialists and peer counselors receive special training and are required to obtain Continuing Education Units, like clinical staff. Some other trained peer support workers may also be law-enforcement personnel and firefighters as well as emergency medical responders The social peer support also offers an online system of distributed expertise, interactivity, social distance and control, which may promote disclosure of personal problems (Paterson, Brewer, & Leeseberg, 2013). Underlying theory Peer support has been shown to be effective in substance use and related behaviour, treatment engagement, and ameliorating risk behaviours associated with HIV and hepatitis C,[2] and empowering people with mental illness and improving their quality of life.[3] Its effectiveness is believed to derive from a variety of psychosocial processes first described by Mark Salzer and colleagues in 2002:[4] social support, experiential knowledge, social learning theory, social comparison theory, the helper-therapy principle, and self-determination theory.[5] Social support is the existence of positive psychosocial interactions with others with whom there is mutual trust and concern.[6] Positive relationships contribute to positive adjustment and buffer against stressors and adversities by offering (a) emotional support[7] (esteem, attachment, and reassurance),[8] (b) instrumental support (material goods and services), (c) companionship[9] and (d) information support (advice, guidance, and feedback).[10] Experiential knowledge is specialized information and perspectives that people obtain from living through a particular experience such as substance abuse, a physical disability, chronic physical or mental illness, or a traumatic event such as combat, a natural disaster, domestic violence or a violent crime, sexual abuse, or imprisonment. Experiential knowledge tends to be unique and pragmatic and when shared contributes to solving problems and improving quality of life.[11][12] Social learning theory postulates that peers, because they have undergone and survived relevant experiences, are more credible role models for others. Interactions with peers who are successfully coping with their experiences or illness are more likely to result in positive behavior change.[13] Social comparison means that individuals are more comfortable interacting with others who share common characteristics with themselves, such as a psychiatric illness, in order to establish a sense of normalcy. By interacting with others who are perceived to be better than them, peers are given a sense of optimism and something to strive toward.[14] The helper-therapy principle proposes that there are four significant benefits to those who provide peer support:[15][16] (a) increased sense of interpersonal competence as a result of making an impact on another person's life; (b) development of a sense of equality in giving and taking between himself or herself and others; (c) helper gains new personally-relevant knowledge while helping; and (d) the helper receives social approval from the person they help, and others.[17] Self-determination means that individuals have the right to determine their own future—people are more likely to act on their own decisions rather than decisions made by others for them.[18] In schools and education Peer mentoring Main article: Peer mentoring Peer mentoring takes place in learning environments such as schools, usually between an older more experienced student and a new student.[19] Peer mentors appear mainly in secondary schools where students moving up from primary schools may need assistance in settling into the whole new schedule and lifestyle of secondary school life. Peer mentoring is also used in the workplace as a means of orienting new employees. New employees who are paired with a peer mentor are twice as likely to remain in their job than those who do not receive mentorship.[20] Peer listening This form of peer support is widely used within schools.[21][22] Peer supporters are trained, normally from within schools or universities, or sometimes by outside organizations, such as Childline's CHIPS (Childline In Partnership With Schools) program,[23] to be "active listeners".[24] Within schools, peer supporters are normally available at break or lunch times. Peer mediation Peer mediation is a means of handling incidents of bullying by bringing the victim and the bully together under mediation by one of their peers.[25][26][27][28] Peer helper in sports A peer helper in sports works with young adults in sports such as football, soccer, track, volleyball, baseball, cheerleading, swimming, and basketball. They may provide help with game tactics (e.g. keeping your eye on the ball), emotional support, training support, and social support.[29][30] In health In mental health See also: Peer support specialist Peer support can occur within, outside or around traditional mental health services and programs, between two people or in groups. Peer support is increasingly being offered through digital health like text messaging and smartphone apps.[31] Peer support is a key concept in the recovery approach[32] and in consumer-operated services programs.[33] Consumers/clients of mental health programs have also formed non-profit self-help organizations,[34] and serve to support each other and to challenge associated stigma and discrimination.[35][36] The role of peer workers in mental health services was the subject of a conference in London in April 2012, jointly organized by the Centre for Mental Health and the NHS Confederation.[37] Research has shown that peer-run self-help groups yield improvement in psychiatric symptoms resulting in decreased hospitalization, larger social support networks and enhanced self-esteem and social functioning.[38][39] There is considerable variety in the ways that peer support is defined and conceptualized as it relates to mental health services. In some cases, clinicians, psychiatrists, and other staff who do not necessarily have their own experiences of receiving psychiatric treatment are being trained, often by psychiatric survivors, in peer support as an approach to building relationships that are genuine, mutual, and non-coercive.[40] For anxiety and depression In Canada, the LEAF (Living Effectively with Anxiety and Fear) Program is a peer-led support group for cognitive-behavioral therapy of persons with mild to moderate panic disorders.[41] In a 2011 meta-analysis of seven randomized trials that compared a peer support intervention to group cognitive-behavioral therapy in patients with depression, peer support interventions were found to improve depression symptoms more than usual care alone and results may be comparable to those of group cognitive behavioral therapy. These findings suggest that peer support interventions have the potential to be effective components of depression care, and they support the inclusion of peer support in recovery-oriented mental health treatment.[42] Several studies have shown that peer support reduces fear during stressful situations such as combat[43][44] and domestic violence[45] and may mitigate post-traumatic stress disorder.[46][47] The 1982 Vietnam-Era Veterans Adjustment Survey showed that PTSD was highest in those men and women who lacked positive social support from family, friends, and society in general.[48][49] For first responders Peer support programs have also been implemented to address stress and psychological trauma among law-enforcement personnel[50][51] and firefighters as well as emergency medical responders.[52] Peer support is an important component of the critical incident stress management program used to alleviate stress and trauma among disaster first responders.[53] For survivors of trauma Peer support has been used to help survivors of trauma,[54][55] such as refugees, cope with stress[56] and deal with difficult living conditions.[57] Peer support is integral to the services provided by the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care. Other programs have been designed for female survivors of domestic violence[58] and for women in prison.[59] Survivor Corps defines peer support for trauma survivors as "Encouragement and assistance provided by a colleague who has overcome similar difficulties to engender self-confidence and autonomy and to enable the survivor to make his or her own decisions and implement them."[60] Peer support is a fundamental strategy in the rehabilitation of landmine survivors[61][62] in Afghanistan, Bosnia, El Salvador and Vietnam. A study of 470 amputee survivors of war-related violence in six countries showed that nearly one hundred percent said they had benefited from peer support.[63] A peer support program operated by the Centre d’Encadrement et de Développement des Anciens Combattants in Burundi with support from the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery and Action on Armed Violence has assisted survivors of war-related violence, including women with disabilities,[64] and female ex-combatants[65] since 2010. A similar program in Rwanda works with survivors of the Rwandan genocide.[66] Peer support has been recommended as a fundamental part of victim assistance programs for survivors of war-related violence.[67] A 1984 study on the impact of peer support and support groups for victims of domestic violence showed that 146 battered women found women's peer support groups the most helpful source of a range of available treatments. The women in these groups appeared to give direct advice and to act as role models.[68] A 1986 study on 70 adolescent mothers considered to be at risk for domestic violence showed that peer support improved cognitive problem-solving skills, self-reinforcement, and parenting competence.[69] Pandora's Aquarium,[70] an online support group operating as part of Pandora's Project, offers peer support to survivors of rape and sexual abuse and their friends and family. In addiction Twelve-step programs for overcoming substance misuse and other addiction recovery groups are often based on peer support.[71] Since the 1930s Alcoholics Anonymous has promoted peer support between new members and their sponsors: "The process of sponsorship is this: an alcoholic who has made some progress in the recovery program shares that experience on a continuous, individual basis with another alcoholic who is attempting to attain or maintain sobriety through AA."[72] Other addiction recovery programs rely on peer support without following the twelve-step model.[73][74] In chronic illness Peer support has been beneficial for many people living with diabetes. Diabetes encompasses all aspects of people's lives, often for decades. Support from peers can offer emotional, social, and practical assistance that helps people do the things they need to do to stay healthy.[75] Peer support groups for diabetics complement and enhance other health care services.[76] J.F. Caro is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of one of such groups named Peer for Progress.[77] Peer support has also been provided for people with cancer[78] and HIV.[79][80][81] The Breast Cancer Network of Strength trains peer counselors to work with breast cancer survivors.[82] For people with disabilities Peer support is considered to be a key component of the independent living movement and has been widely used by organizations that work with people with disabilities, including the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) and Survivor Corps. Since 1998 the ACA has operated a National Peer Network for survivors of limb loss. The Blinded Veterans Association has recently launched Operation Peer Support (OPS), a program designed to support men and women returning to the US blinded or experiencing significant visual impairment in connection with their military service. Peer support has also benefited survivors of traumatic brain injury and their families.[83] There is also FacingDisability for Families Facing Spinal Cord Injuries [1], which has a peer counseling program in addition to 1,000 videos drawn from interviews of people with spinal cord injuries, their families, caregivers and experts. For veterans and their families Several programs exist that provide peer support for military veterans in the US[84][85][86] and Canada.[87][88][89] In 2010 the Military Women to Women Peer Support Group was established in Helena, Montana.[90] The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) provides peer support, crisis care, casualty casework assistance, and grief and trauma resources for families of members of the US military. Operation Peer Support (OPS) is a program for US military veterans who were blinded or have significant visual impairment. In January 2013 Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, sponsored an amendment of the National Defense Authorization Act (S.3254) that would require peer counseling as part of a comprehensive suicide prevention program for US veterans.[91] For veterans with PTSD Peer support outreach for those exposed to traumatic events refers to programs that seek to identify and reach out to those with or at risk for mental health problems following a traumatic event as a means of connecting those people to mental health services. Paraprofessional peers are defined as having a shared background as the target population and work closely with and supplement the services of the mental healthcare team. These peers are trained in certain interventions (such as Psychological First Aid) and are closely supervised by professional mental healthcare personnel.[92] Peer support for recovery from PTSD refers to programs in which someone with lived experience of PTSD, who experienced a significant reduction in symptoms, provides formal services to those who have not yet made significant steps in recovery from his or her condition. The peer support for recovery model focuses on improvement in overall health and wellness, and has long been successful in the treatment of SMI (serious mental illness) but is relatively new for PTSD.[93][94][95] A further review of existing literature found that carefully recruited, trained, supervised, and supported paraprofessionals can deliver mental health interventions effectively, and may be valuable in communities with fewer resources for mental healthcare.[96] Researchers at the Palo Alto VA National Center for PTSD also conducted focus groups at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System Trauma Recovery Programs, a PTSD Residential Rehabilitation Program, and a Women's Trauma Recovery Program to determine veteran and staff perceptions of informal peer support interventions already in place.[97] Four themes were identified, including "peer support contributing to a feeling of social connectedness", "positive role modeling by the peer support provider", "peer support augmenting care offered by professional providers", and "peer supporter acting as a 'culture broker' and orienting recipients to mental health treatment." These findings have been put into practice through a peer support program for veterans in the Sonora, Stockton, and Modesto VA outpatient clinics. The clinics are part of the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Healthcare System that extend to more rural parts of northern California. The program is funded through grants in support of new treatment approaches to serve veterans in rural, traditionally underserved areas. Leadership for the program comes from the Menlo Park division of the Palo Alto VA system. The peer support program has been operational since 2012 with over 268 unique veterans seen between 2012 and 2015. The two peer support providers involved in the program are veterans of the Vietnam and Iraq wars, respectively, and after having recovered from their own mental health disorders utilize their experiences to help their fellow veterans. The two providers have been responsible for leading between 5 and 7 groups each week as well as conducting telephone outreach and one-on-one engagement visits.[98] These services have successfully helped to augment the often overburdened mental health treatment teams at the central valley outpatient VA clinics. The peer support program has been described in several publications. A personal story of success was featured in Stanford Medicine magazine and the collaborative nature of the program was described in the book, Partnerships for Mental Health. For people at work Trauma risk management (TRiM) is a work-place based peer support for use in helping to protect the mental health of employees who have been exposed to traumatic stress. The TRiM process enables non-healthcare staff to monitor and manage colleagues. TRiM peer support training provides TRiM Practitioners with a background understanding of psychological trauma and its effects. TRiM was developed in the UK by military mental health professionals including Professor Neil Greenberg. There have been numerous scientific publications on the use of TRiM which have demonstrated it to be an acceptable and effective method of peer support.[99] Similar to TRiM, the sustaining resilience at work (StRaW) peer support could increase recognition among coworkers and managers about the significance of supporting fellow workers in applying their recently acquired knowledge and abilities on the job[100].. StRaW was developed by March on Stress Ltd and early research again shows it to be a credible and effective way of supporting staff at work.[101] Sex workers Several peer-based organizations exist for sex workers. The aim of these organizations is to support the health, rights, and well-being of sex workers and advocate on their behalf for law reform in order to make work safer. Sex work is work and there are many people who willingly choose it as a job/career. While sex trafficking does exist, not everyone who does sex work is doing so under duress. Social stigma is a major hurdle sex workers encounter, with many people trying to 'save' them. Peer support workers and peer educators are seen as best practices by the Sex Industry Network (SIN) when engaging with community members because peers can understand that someone could willingly choose to do sex work.
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Post by Admin on Sept 25, 2023 20:23:29 GMT
Problematising Lived Experience Stories, Identities and Knowledge alivenetwork.com.au/problematising-lived-experience/Written by Scott Fitzpatrick – Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University I have often struggled with the concept of lived-experience. Even before taking up a designated lived-experience role at The Australian National University, I had actively dis-identified as someone with a lived-experience, despite sharing several interests and commitments with the user/survivor movement. My first point of contact with the notion of lived-experience was through my interest in literature and ethics; in particular, the ‘illness narrative’ – a relatively modern genre of autobiographical and biographical writing. Janet Frame’s, An Angel at my Table (1984), William Styron’s Darkness Visible (1989) and Jean-Dominique Bauby’s (1997) The Diving Bell and the Butterfly were just some of the works I read that had a profound impact on me. These and other powerful, evocative personal stories brought me into the emotional lives of people embroiled in complex and difficult situations, deepening my understanding of illness, madness, addiction, disability and dying. The relationship between life, experience and narrative is complicated. Experience is a lived, messy and ongoing process, so just how do we separate it from the flow of human life and give it shape and meaning (Fox 2008; Lu & Horner 1998)? Stories are seen as one of the primary ways of imposing order and meaning upon the raw flow of human experience (Abbott 2009). Fashioned through processes of memory, reflection, interpretation and telling, the storying and re-storying of experience emerges not only because of our need to give shape and meaning to our lives, but because of our need to communicate our experiences to others. Viewing experience as independent from the ways it is represented, however, leaves aside questions of how stories are influenced by history, language and culture. Despite a measure of narrative freedom, the expression of personal or private experiences is always through the prevailing cultural conventions of storytelling such as genre, plot, character and theme (Atkinson 2009). Indeed, the struggle by those with lived-experience to wrest control of their stories from the objectifying, pathologising and dehumanising language of medicine signalled a hard-fought shift toward transforming social and political writing about mental illness, madness, disability, suicide and addiction. Given that personal stories are shaped by culture and language, they have the capacity to reproduce prevailing cultural norms and beliefs, as well as to transgress or subvert them. My previous work examined the conditions in which stories of lived-experience were produced in suicide prevention and the prevalence of certain story types, most notably those of recovery and resilience (Fitzpatrick 2016; 2020). Similarly, for those conducting qualitative research into people’s experience of health and illness, the ethics and politics of representation are nested within important questions of truth, power, social reality and voice. Like quantitative research, qualitative research provides ‘ways of seeing’ that privilege and value certain kinds of evidence, reasoning and knowledge over others. Stories also play an important role in identity formation – both the stories we tell ourselves and those that are told about us. Perhaps my biggest concern in taking up a designated lived-experience role was the sense of discomfort I felt in having to potentially disclose my personal experiences to others. This was less to do with any concerns over authenticity or legitimacy as described by Veronica Heney, but rather out of the fear that some singular identity category was about to be thrust upon me and the implications of this both personally and professionally (Heney & Polykett 2022). Fortunately, as my position allows, it is enough for me to identify as someone with a lived-experience without having to disclose my story or fit within some prescribed definition of what lived-experience entails. Writing from the first-person, Heney notes that this claim to privacy is not equally shared by all (Heney & Polykett 2022). Like Heney, my position within the academic space affords me certain privileges, allowing me to position myself as a scholar rather than as a service user or survivor. However, as Heney acknowledges, there are those whose race, class, disability, or particular experience of illness and/or distress restricts their access to these spaces and the protections they provide. Jijian Voronka (2016) raises a set of related questions about identity, difference, social position and organisational culture that further unsettle established uses of the term ‘lived-experience’ and the practices of knowledge production authorised under its name. First, how does positioning ourselves under the collective banner of ‘people with lived-experience’ work to erase important differences (for instance, those between individuals who identify as peers, service-users, carers, psychiatric survivors, or mad)? Second, how do individuals come to be recognised as qualified lived-experience experts able to gain access to and work within mental health or other professional spaces? Individuals invariably use their lived-experience in different ways within different contexts. The conditions in which lived-experience knowledge is produced, therefore, are important for understanding the possibilities and limits of knowledge production (Voronka 2016). For Voronka, this is especially important where individuals with lived-experience are asked to represent others, or where those with lived-experience work collectively to produce knowledge outcomes. Negotiating critical differences and the authority of lived-experience in these situations can be difficult. There are times where this can be creative and productive, but equally, it can also lead to conflict and complicity with existing systems of power. In drawing attention to the ways that knowledge is produced under the “rubric of ‘lived-experience’”, Voronka (2016) invites us to consider the risks of conflating important conceptual and ideological differences, and the boundaries of occupying such an identity within mental health research and service systems. Reflecting upon the concept of lived-experience calls for careful analysis of its underlying norms and values, the knowledge generated from it, and the subsequent social and material outcomes. Such reflection, I believe, is necessary to tackle important ethical and political challenges within lived-experience practice while advancing the field. References Abbott, H.P. (2009). The Cambridge introduction to narrative. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Atkinson, P. (2009). Illness narratives revisited: The failure of narrative reductionism. Sociological Research Online 14(5). Fitzpatrick, S.J. (2016). Ethical and political implications of the turn to stories in suicide prevention. Philosophy, Psychiatry, & Psychology 23(3-4): 265-276. Fitzpatrick, S.J. (2020). Epistemic justice and the struggle for critical suicide literacy. Social Epistemology 34(6): 555-565. Fox, K. (2008). Rethinking experience: What do we mean by this word ‘experience’? Journal of Experiential Education 31(1): 36-54. Heney, V., & Poleykett, B. (2022) The impossibility of engaged research: Complicity and accountability between researchers, ‘publics’ and institutions. Sociology of Health & Illness 44(S1): 179-194 Lu, M-Z., & Horner, B. (1998). The problematic of experience: Redefining critical work in ethnography and pedagogy. College English 60(3):257-277. Voronka, J. (2016). The politics of ‘people with lived-experience’: Experiential authority and the risks of strategic essentialism. Philosophy, Psychiatry, & Psychology 23(3-4): 189-201. Scott Fitzpatrick – Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University Scott is a Research Fellow in the Lived Experience Research Unit at the Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University. Scott is an interdisciplinary scholar whose work is grounded in the sociology of health and illness, public health, and applied ethics. His research interests are suicide, the social and political determinants of health, and lived experience. Scott is especially interested in broadening contemporary ethical discussion of suicide and its prevention within the fields of research, clinical, and public health practice and policy by examining the intersection between knowledge, practice, ethics, and politics.
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Post by Admin on Oct 13, 2023 13:46:16 GMT
People not professionals Training individuals to support one another through difficult times is a profound step forward in our mental health crisis aeon.co/essays/how-peer-support-can-help-with-the-mental-health-care-crisisDiksha hasn’t been feeling like herself lately. For three weeks, she’s been unable to follow her daily routine, hasn’t felt like eating or playing with her children, and no longer sits at her bangle shop in the village market. The violence she endures at home has become more frequent, and Diksha wonders if that’s the reason for her low mood. Sensing something is wrong, her neighbour Radha asks Diksha if everything is all right. Diksha shares that she is dealing with domestic abuse as well as financial difficulties affecting her shop. Radha empathises and says she’s been through a similar situation in the past. She also explains her role as a village ‘champion’, trained to provide emotional support, and offers to talk to Diksha over a few sessions, at a time and place of her convenience. After completing these sessions, Diksha feels so much better and is assured that she is not alone. This hopeful vignette is set in a village in Mehsana, an economically disadvantaged district in the western state of Gujarat in India where, as per national estimates, approximately 4 to 8 per cent of the residents are dealing with mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Similar to all rural districts in India, there are inadequate mental health services and professionals. Diksha’s story is fictional, but it’s one that draws upon several real-life stories we have encountered in our work researching and delivering a vital mental health intervention known as peer support.
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Post by Admin on Nov 6, 2023 12:19:32 GMT
Equal Pay for Lived Experience: A Prerequisite for Authentic Inclusion in Global Mental Health Claudia Sartor of The Global Mental Health Peer Network argues that people with lived experience must receive fair compensation. By Justin Karter -November 2, 2023 www.madinamerica.com/2023/11/equal-pay-for-lived-experience-a-prerequisite-for-authentic-inclusion-in-global-mental-health/In the realm of global mental health, a movement toward equity and justice is gaining momentum, with a focus on recognizing and compensating the unique expertise of individuals with lived experience of mental and emotional distress and/or psychosocial disabilities. A new article by Claudia Sartor of The Global Mental Health Peer Network demands a critical reform: equitable pay for individuals with psychosocial disabilities who contribute their expertise to the Movement for Global Mental Health. Sartor’s recent article, grounded in the principles of human rights and equity, argues for a reform that is both moral and pragmatic: the expertise derived from the lived experience of mental health conditions should be compensated on equal footing with traditional professional expertise. This demand challenges a persistent inequity within global mental health, where the invaluable insights of individuals with firsthand experience often go uncompensated, a situation that Sartor deems both unjust and detrimental to the cause. “Despite the established consensus on the experiential value of the expertise of people living with mental health conditions, there remains a gap in acknowledging their monetary value in the global mental health sector in service delivery and co-production of projects and programs. Therefore, reducing opportunities for lived experience advocates to drive systemic change and make recommendations for positive change,” Sartor writes. “Appreciating the current evidence on international law and human rights instruments, people with lived experience and peer-led organizations continue their advocacy efforts for equal and fair treatment of persons with disabilities, including psychosocial disabilities, for reasonable, fair, and equal remuneration for work done.” Her argument aligns with international human rights directives, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities, framing the inclusion of lived experience not only as beneficial but as a fundamental human right. Sartor illustrates that meaningful participation by individuals with psychosocial disabilities can enrich policy, enhance service delivery, and foster more resilient and rights-based mental health systems. The disability-justice movement has long advocated for the inclusion of service users and people with psychosocial disabilities. Sartor’s work underscores the need for equitable pay and decision-making power for those with lived experiences. This holistic approach insists on their involvement in every aspect of advocacy work, from the drafting of policies to the design and evaluation of programs. This emphasis on equitable treatment resonates with recent findings from the World Health Organization and The Lancet Commission, highlighting the need for increased leadership from those with lived experiences. Such recognition heralds a transformative potential for the mental health sector to empower rather than merely serve those with psychosocial disabilities. Linking the recognition of lived experience expertise with critical legal instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the article reinforces the principle of equal pay for equal work. It calls for a rights-based approach to health that is in harmony with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Universal Health Coverage, advocating for no one to be left behind. The principles for including those with lived experiences in decision-making emphasize creating an environment of mutual respect and trust, where participants feel valued for their skills and dependability. Openness and clarity about the project details and engagement processes are key, as is ensuring a non-discriminatory and inclusive atmosphere. True inclusion means avoiding tokenistic gestures and instead promoting genuine diversity and equality across all demographics, such as age, race, gender, and religion. Accommodations should be flexible to meet participants’ needs, especially those related to mental health, to enhance productivity and involvement. Empowering participants means involving them from the project’s beginning, valuing their input, and maintaining clear communication about expectations, timelines, and deadlines. The Global Mental Health Peer Network (GMHPN) is at the forefront of championing equal pay for those with lived mental health experiences who contribute to the field. The organization is dedicated to enhancing the leadership abilities, empowerment, and development of these individuals on a global scale. Several members from GMHPN’s leadership committee from various countries have expressed how being compensated has impacted them. For example, Muskan Lamba from India pointed out the necessity of acknowledging the cultural diversity of those with lived experiences: “Our world is becoming increasingly culturally diverse, and it’s really important to factor in the socio-cultural backgrounds of people with lived experience while engaging them in projects. Society and culture massively impact people’s lives and well-being, deeply intertwining with—their worldview, decision-making abilities, interactions with others, language, identity, and the social and cultural stigmas that often come attached—all of which can enable a person to propel a project forward, or hold them back in their potential.” Sartor’s article brings to the fore a critical issue: recognizing the lived experience of mental health conditions as a unique and valuable form of expertise deserving of equitable compensation. This recognition is essential for fostering an inclusive, equitable, and empowered mental health sector. The article concludes with a note of optimism, anticipating that with strategic planning and commitment to these principles, transformative change on a global scale is within reach. **** Sartor C. (2023). Mental health and lived experience: The value of lived experience expertise in global mental health. Global mental health (Cambridge, England), 10, e38. doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2023.24 (Link) www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10579645/
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Post by Admin on Nov 6, 2023 12:21:45 GMT
Mental Health Peer Specialists Play Diverse Roles, But Need Essential Support Peer specialists, mental health workers with lived experience, play diverse roles when supported with robust training. By Richard Sears -October 31, 2023 www.madinamerica.com/2023/10/mental-health-peer-specialists-play-diverse-roles-but-need-essential-support/A recent study published in the Community Mental Health Journal discovered that peer specialists (PS) working with transition-age youth have diverse roles. These roles include providing emotional support, organizing group activities, conducting community outreach, and handling administrative tasks, among other responsibilities. Christopher Magana from the University of California San Diego led the research and found that the diverse nature of the responsibilities of peer specialists requires them to receive extensive supervision, training, and support. This will help them to be successful in their roles. The study’s authors emphasize the need for proper guidance and support to ensure that peer specialists can serve the transition-age youth effectively. “Several managers identified flexibility as an important characteristic of successful PS, particularly because clients’ needs may differ over time and may vary across clients. However, role ambiguity may be experienced by the PS or their colleagues. Thus, a greater breadth and depth of supervision, support, and training may be needed to ensure that PS have the resources needed to be successful.” Peer specialists are mental health workers who have lived experience of mental illness. Although the use of peer specialists has expanded considerably in recent years, there is little research on the training and supervision these specialists receive to prepare them for their roles in various mental health settings. The goal of the current study was to explore how program managers prepare peer specialists to work with transition-age youth (people between the ages of 16 and 24). To accomplish this goal, the researchers recruited 11 program managers from San Diego and Las Angeles counties to participate in open-ended interviews. To be eligible for inclusion in the current study, the program managers had to head facilities that served 100 or more transition-age youth clients. These facilities also had to serve Black and Latino clients while employing three or more paid peer specialists. Interview questions asked about program manager perspectives on peer specialists’ roles, training needs, and organizational strategies for supporting peer specialists’ professional development. The interviews lasted between 60 and 90 minutes. The authors organized themes in the interview data around four areas of inquiry: Peer specialists’ characteristics, roles/services provided by peer specialists, management’s support towards peer specialists’ responsibilities to the organization, and management’s support towards peer specialists’ responsibilities to the clients. Program managers reported several characteristics that made peer specialists effective in their roles. According to management, peer specialists successfully building connections with clients depended on three factors: the lived experience of the peer specialist, the authentic/friendly/communicative personality of the peer specialist, and an empathetic/non-judgmental approach. Managers also noted that compatibility in demographic traits and interests could make stronger connections between clients and peer specialists. This included being close in age and sharing special interests, as well as sharing race/ethnicity, language, and culture with the clients. Managers pointed to the organic, often less structured nature of the peer specialist/client relationship as fostering connection. This included peer specialists working in diverse settings depending on client needs and a more organic, less formal relationship that peer specialists often shared with clients. Program managers reported varied roles and services provided by peer specialists. The roles of peer specialists encompass all stages of service utilization. This was exemplified in the current work through peer specialists conducting outreach to engage young people in recovery services and using their experience to make clients more comfortable seeking and maintaining service use. Peer specialists helped to address clients’ basic needs, such as assisting with finding transportation and adequate housing. Peer specialists also had the role of modeling recovery and independent living as well as leading social activities for clients. The authors identified two themes around management support for peer specialists’ organizational responsibilities. First, managers noted that peer specialists could benefit from time management training and reviewing documentation practices. Second, managers also said supporting peer specialists in their relationships with their colleagues was essential. One example of this was scheduling staff meetings so that peer specialists could attend. This allowed for increased socialization and collaboration between peer specialists and other mental health staff. Managers spoke about many ways they supported peer specialists in their responsibilities towards clients. As a result of their varied roles and responsibilities, peer specialists could benefit from many different training programs, including mental health training around approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy/trauma-informed care, training in cultural competency for minority groups most served by the program, and training for appropriate self-disclosure. Managers also highlighted cultural competency around LGBTQ communities as crucial for peer specialists. Supervision was also mentioned as necessary for supporting peer specialists in their roles. This took the form of both individual meetings, where peer support specialists could get feedback on their work, as well as group meetings, where they could address things like safety concerns and caseloads. The authors acknowledge several limitations to the current study. They explored management’s perception of peer specialists. The authors note that data was collected directly from peer specialists as well, but due to the extensive nature of the research, these findings will be published in a second article. The reliance on semi-structured interviews means the data was based on the participant’s recall of information. This kind of data is prone to recall bias. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic limited the engagement of researchers with the participants. No demographic data was collected from participants. Data was collected from 2 urban communities in southern California, significantly limiting generalizability to other populations. The authors conclude: “Findings demonstrate that program managers appreciate and understand the value of peer support within mental health services that seek to engage diverse TAY clients, as well as the complexity of the PS role. Consequently, managers responded with varied strategies to support PS so that they may be personally and professionally successful. Results from this study may inform the field on how to improve the implementation and sustainment of high-quality peer support while also providing insight regarding the long-term development of PS and protocols to support them and their careers.” Previous research has explored challenges that peer support specialists face, including unclear roles and professional development. Similar research cited organizational culture and training as tremendously influential in the work of peer specialists. One study found that working as a peer support specialist can improve insight and resilience. Another author has asserted that while working as a peer support specialist can be transformative, it can also be exploitative. **** Magana, C., Gilmer, T. P., Munson, M. R., Jones, N., Burgos, J. L., Ojeda, V. D. (2023). Programmatic Support for Peer Specialists that Serve Transition Age Youth Living with Serious Mental Illness: Perspectives of Program Managers from Two Southern California Counties. Community Mental Health Journal, 59, 1498–1507. (Link) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37318670/
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Post by Admin on Nov 14, 2023 19:16:24 GMT
Why is Lived Experience Inclusion Essential to Mental Healthcare? Philosophers Weigh In Roy Dings and Şerife Tekin argue for an enactive affordance-based framework in mental health care that integrates the subjective knowledge of lived experience with professional knowledge. By Samantha Lilly & Ally Riddle -November 9, 2023 www.madinamerica.com/2023/11/why-is-lived-experience-inclusion-essential-to-mental-healthcare-philosophers-weigh-in/The emerging philosophy that positions former mental health patients as crucial contributors to the field is gaining momentum and scrutiny. In a compelling new study published in Philosophical Psychology, Roy Dings and Şerife Tekin explore the philosophical underpinnings of a movement transforming mental health care. Focusing on the healthcare system of the Netherlands as an example, the article highlights the main conceptual and epistemological challenges of the movement. Dings, a postdoctoral researcher at Ruhr-University Bochum, and Tekin, an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas at San Antonio, engage in a nuanced debate on the role and recognition of ‘Experts-by-Experience’—individuals whose personal encounters with mental health issues provide them with unique insights into care practices. “Does experiencing something from the first-person perspective generate new knowledge? This question has been debated in philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and neuroscience, with literature containing complex analyses and experiments targeting phenomenal experience and knowledge,” the authors write. “The ExpEx movement offers profound resources to improve mental health care, especially in light of the contemporary crisis and controversy surrounding mental health research and treatment around the world. We believe, however, that for this movement to realize its potential, some of its conceptual and practical challenges must be addressed.”
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Post by Admin on Dec 9, 2023 9:56:02 GMT
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Post by Admin on Dec 18, 2023 23:48:02 GMT
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Post by Admin on Dec 22, 2023 15:54:25 GMT
Voices, Visions & Unusual Beliefs: Innovative Support Strategies March 18 to March 20, 2024, 9am to 5pm @ Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, MA Click HERE to register
In current Western medical paradigms, hearing voices is often a deeply marginalized experience. Those who hear voices and/or see visions are typically given a poor prognosis. Suggested coping strategies tend to be limited to distraction techniques or heavy neuroleptics. Clinicians, voice-hearers, and family members have often felt frustrated by the limitations of this model.
Another world is possible. This training is for anyone who is interested in learning the current research, strategies and supports that are being developed by people with lived experience of voice-hearing world-wide. We will explore:
♦How trauma, culture and social factors influence voice-hearing ♦Common myths about voices & visions and how to shift these paradigms ♦A new dialogue framework to discuss non-consensus reality states in a supportive way ♦Dozens of real-life strategies that are used by voice-hearers to cope with a distressing experience
This event will be co-facilitated by Cindy Marty Hadge and Caroline Mazel-Carlton, both of whom have extensive personal experience with voices, visions, and navigating the psychiatric system. Both have well over a decade of professional experience supporting other voice-hearers in community settings, clinical environments and online. Caroline and Cindy have had the privilege of both learning from and supporting system change in the international community, from the Netherlands to Brazil to Israel to Australia. Their work has been featured in mainstream media outlets, academic articles, and books, including the most recent work from NYT best-selling author Daniel Bergner, "The Mind and the Moon".
Continuing Education information: This program has been approved for 18.5 Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. NASW-MA Chapter CE Approving Program, Authorization Number D 91991. This program has been approved by MaMHCA/MCEAP for 18.5 CEs for LMHC.
Please contact us at info@wildfloweralliance.org for questions regarding CE accreditation.
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Post by Admin on Jan 7, 2024 18:15:50 GMT
Integrating Lived Experience: How the PROMISE Project is Reshaping Mental Health Research and Psychosis Care in Malawi This research incorporates the insights of people with psychosocial disabilities into mental health care in Malawi. By Justin Karter -January 3, 2024 www.madinamerica.com/2024/01/integrating-lived-experience-how-the-promise-project-is-reshaping-mental-health-research-and-psychosis-care-in-malawi/The Psychosis Recovery Orientation in Malawi by Improving Services and Engagement (PROMISE) project represents a significant step in the global movement towards more inclusive rights-based mental health research. This joint effort, involving experts from the University of Edinburgh, Kings College London, the University of Newcastle, and Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, focuses on the active involvement of individuals who have experienced psychosis. The project aims to create a community-based framework for recognizing, referring, and managing psychosis in Malawi. By bringing the perspectives of those with lived experiences to the forefront, the PROMISE Project aims to enhance the effectiveness and sensitivity of mental health services, ensuring that human rights protections are extended to individuals with psychosocial disabilities. This approach marks a notable development in psychiatric and psychological research, potentially leading to more comprehensive, patient-centered care models. “Acknowledging lived experience viewpoints as valuable inputs into mental health research and initiatives are gaining considerable traction,” the researchers write. “This necessitates recalibrating traditional research techniques to establish genuine collaborative partnerships, prevent tokenism, and navigate power differentials. Involving persons with lived experience (PWLE) in research ensures distinctive findings compared to conventional research and has tangible implications for practice. Researchers with lived experience contribute their expertise and experience to projects, fostering a deeper understanding and raising pertinent questions. Their endeavors are driven by a desire to improve the lives of fellow PWLE.” The PROMISE study, focusing on improving psychosis recovery and service engagement in Malawi, emphasizes the importance of including people with lived experience (PWLE) perspectives in mental health research. This approach is increasingly recognized as crucial by health organizations worldwide. In traditional research, there’s often a lack of genuine collaboration with PWLE, leading to less relevant findings and potential tokenism. One significant issue in psychosocial disability research, particularly in the Global South, is the under-representation of PWLE and their families. This lack of representation is problematic as it can lead to research and services that do not fully address the needs of those affected. According to the researchers, people with psychosis in Malawi often face stigma and have limited access to quality care. The PROMISE study aims to address these issues by developing a community-based system for identifying and managing psychosis, informed by insights from PWLE, caregivers, and health stakeholders. This initiative, which involves collaboration between Malawian, UK, and Australian researchers, is being piloted in two districts in Malawi. The PROMISE study is focused on integrating the experiences and insights of people with lived experience (PWLE) in all aspects of their research on psychosis. This means that those who have personally dealt with psychosis, along with their caregivers, are not just subjects of the study but active contributors to the development of the research tools and interventions. The team behind PROMISE believes that by involving PWLE in the creation of psychosis identification and management systems, the outcomes will be more relevant and beneficial to the actual communities they aim to serve. This approach also ensures the research aligns well with broader health, social, and family support systems. In essence, PWLEs are seen as valuable partners in the research process, helping to shape the study’s direction and ensuring its relevance and effectiveness. The PROMISE project uses a comprehensive approach to involve people with lived experience (PWLE) in mental health research. This approach is modeled after successful projects like SUCCEEDAfrica and SCOPE, which have set benchmarks for involving PWLE, particularly those dealing with psychosis, in Africa. To understand the challenges faced by individuals with psychosis in Malawi, PROMISE employs various strategies like research team training, participatory research with Photovoice, developing a Theory of Change, and creating advisory structures with PWLE. Training for the research team included understanding participation and engagement, overcoming barriers to inclusion, and defining roles in the research process. This training aims to ensure that those with lived experience can actively and fearlessly contribute their perspectives to the project. The project also emphasizes capacity building for PWLE, ensuring their involvement in decision-making, advocacy, and research leadership. Photovoice, a participatory research method, has been particularly effective. In this, PWLE and caregivers use photography to express and communicate their experiences and challenges. This method has brought to light various needs and barriers faced by people living with psychosis, such as the need for holistic support, access to medication, combating stigma, and fostering self-reliance. These insights form the foundation of a short film, providing a powerful portrayal of the experiences of individuals with lived experience. The PROMISE project has actively involved six individuals with lived experience in developing its Theory of Change (TOC). Their participation allowed them to share their perspectives and shape the study to meet their needs better. It also led to two significant outcomes: empowerment and increased self-awareness among these individuals. To further support this involvement, PROMISE has established Lived Experience Advisory Committees (LEACs) at both the district and national levels. These committees, comprising people with lived experiences, aim to enhance representation and active involvement in every aspect of the project. Their roles include identifying challenges, guiding the project’s engagement strategies, promoting best practices, advising on research activities, and supporting advocacy work. In collaboration with local mental health groups, the project team carefully selected members for these advisory bodies, ensuring a diverse representation of the community. In addition to advisory roles, the project plans to hold orientation sessions for these individuals to further develop their research skills, including documenting their involvement in the project. They will also be key in identifying other participants, co-facilitating training, and engaging in advocacy efforts. Ultimately, the involvement of these individuals is central to the project’s success, as it ensures that the research is informed by and responsive to the needs and experiences of those directly affected by mental health issues in Malawi. The significance of the PROMISE Project’s research lies in its innovative approach to mental health care, which prioritizes the inclusion of people with lived experience (PWLE) in the research and development of mental health interventions. This focus on lived experience challenges traditional psychiatric models by adopting a more holistic and empathetic approach that recognizes the value of first-hand insights in shaping effective mental health solutions. The project’s work in Malawi, attentive to cultural and societal contexts, demonstrates the importance of tailoring mental health care to diverse populations. Furthermore, participatory methods like Photovoice, which allows PWLE to convey their experiences in a visual and narrative form, showcase innovative research techniques that depart from conventional methods. The PROMISE Project’s commitment to empowerment and advocacy for individuals with mental health conditions aligns with a growing movement towards more patient-centered, empathetic, and culturally sensitive mental health care practices. This research holds the potential to serve as a model for reforming and improving mental health practices globally, making it a significant contribution to the field. **** PROMISE in Action: Fostering Inclusive Research through Lived Experience Engagement in Malawi Action Amos1,6, Charlotte Hanlon2,7, Erica Breuer3 , Lucinda Manda-Taylor4 , Stephen M Lawrie1 , Saulos Gondwe5 , Demoubly Kokota4 , Wakumanya Sibande4 and Robert C Stewart1 1 University of Edinburgh, UK, Corresponding author (a.f.amos@sms.ed.ac.uk) 2 Kings College London, UK, 3 University of Newcastle, Australia, 4 Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, 5 St John of God Hospitaller Services, Malawi, 6 Pan African Network of Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities, 7 Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia www.wapr.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/AAmos_et_al.pdf
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Post by Admin on Jan 7, 2024 18:21:21 GMT
Equal pay for Lived Experience: a prerequisite for authentic inclusion in global mental health By Justin Karter -15/12/2023 www.madintheuk.com/2023/12/equal-pay-for-lived-experience-a-prerequisite-for-authentic-inclusion-in-global-mental-health/In the realm of global mental health, a movement toward equity and justice is gaining momentum, with a focus on recognizing and compensating the unique expertise of individuals with lived experience of mental and emotional distress and/or psychosocial disabilities. A new article by Claudia Sartor of The Global Mental Health Peer Network demands a critical reform: equitable pay for individuals with psychosocial disabilities who contribute their expertise to the Movement for Global Mental Health. Sartor’s recent article, grounded in the principles of human rights and equity, argues for a reform that is both moral and pragmatic: the expertise derived from the lived experience of mental health conditions should be compensated on equal footing with traditional professional expertise. This demand challenges a persistent inequity within global mental health, where the invaluable insights of individuals with firsthand experience often go uncompensated, a situation that Sartor deems both unjust and detrimental to the cause. “Despite the established consensus on the experiential value of the expertise of people living with mental health conditions, there remains a gap in acknowledging their monetary value in the global mental health sector in service delivery and co-production of projects and programs. Therefore, reducing opportunities for lived experience advocates to drive systemic change and make recommendations for positive change,” Sartor writes. “Appreciating the current evidence on international law and human rights instruments, people with lived experience and peer-led organizations continue their advocacy efforts for equal and fair treatment of persons with disabilities, including psychosocial disabilities, for reasonable, fair, and equal remuneration for work done.” Her argument aligns with international human rights directives, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities, framing the inclusion of lived experience not only as beneficial but as a fundamental human right. Sartor illustrates that meaningful participation by individuals with psychosocial disabilities can enrich policy, enhance service delivery, and foster more resilient and rights-based mental health systems. The disability-justice movement has long advocated for the inclusion of service users and people with psychosocial disabilities. Sartor’s work underscores the need for equitable pay and decision-making power for those with lived experiences. This holistic approach insists on their involvement in every aspect of advocacy work, from the drafting of policies to the design and evaluation of programs. This emphasis on equitable treatment resonates with recent findings from the World Health Organization and The Lancet Commission, highlighting the need for increased leadership from those with lived experiences. Such recognition heralds a transformative potential for the mental health sector to empower rather than merely serve those with psychosocial disabilities. Linking the recognition of lived experience expertise with critical legal instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the article reinforces the principle of equal pay for equal work. It calls for a rights-based approach to health that is in harmony with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Universal Health Coverage, advocating for no one to be left behind. The principles for including those with lived experiences in decision-making emphasize creating an environment of mutual respect and trust, where participants feel valued for their skills and dependability. Openness and clarity about the project details and engagement processes are key, as is ensuring a non-discriminatory and inclusive atmosphere. True inclusion means avoiding tokenistic gestures and instead promoting genuine diversity and equality across all demographics, such as age, race, gender, and religion. Accommodations should be flexible to meet participants’ needs, especially those related to mental health, to enhance productivity and involvement. Empowering participants means involving them from the project’s beginning, valuing their input, and maintaining clear communication about expectations, timelines, and deadlines. The Global Mental Health Peer Network (GMHPN) is at the forefront of championing equal pay for those with lived mental health experiences who contribute to the field. The organization is dedicated to enhancing the leadership abilities, empowerment, and development of these individuals on a global scale. Several members from GMHPN’s leadership committee from various countries have expressed how being compensated has impacted them. For example, Muskan Lamba from India pointed out the necessity of acknowledging the cultural diversity of those with lived experiences: “Our world is becoming increasingly culturally diverse, and it’s really important to factor in the socio-cultural backgrounds of people with lived experience while engaging them in projects. Society and culture massively impact people’s lives and well-being, deeply intertwining with—their worldview, decision-making abilities, interactions with others, language, identity, and the social and cultural stigmas that often come attached—all of which can enable a person to propel a project forward, or hold them back in their potential.” Sartor’s article brings to the fore a critical issue: recognizing the lived experience of mental health conditions as a unique and valuable form of expertise deserving of equitable compensation. This recognition is essential for fostering an inclusive, equitable, and empowered mental health sector. The article concludes with a note of optimism, anticipating that with strategic planning and commitment to these principles, transformative change on a global scale is within reach. **** Sartor C. (2023). Mental health and lived experience: The value of lived experience expertise in global mental health. Global mental health (Cambridge, England), 10, e38. doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2023.24 (Link) www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10579645/
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Post by Admin on Jan 8, 2024 23:36:22 GMT
Research Article Identifying the priorities for supervision by lived experience researchers: A Q sort study www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-3719856/v1Abstract Background Lived experience researchers draw on their lived experiences to inform and interpret their research. They bring complex service user and survivor histories to their work and must manage their health conditions and the interplay of their lived experiences with the research, population, and data they work with, as well as the more general challenges of being a researcher. They must navigate these dilemmas in addition to queries over their competency, due to issues relating to intersectionality and epistemic injustice. This justifies a motivation to better understand the experiences of lived experience researchers and develop appropriate and personalised supervision based on their preferences and needs. Method Q methodology was used to identify a collection of identity-related issues that impact lived experience researchers during PhD research. These 54 statements were presented to 18 lived experience researchers to prioritise as topics to explore to understand their subjective needs from supervision. Results Three distinct factors were found following an inverted factor analysis: Factor 1: Strengthening my identity, skills, growth, and empowerment; Factor 2: Exploring the emotional and relational link I have with the research and Factor 3: Navigating my lived and professional experiences practically and emotionally. The findings suggest that there are three types of lived experience researchers, each with different needs from supervision, suggesting the population is heterogeneous. Conclusions The research identified a deeper understanding of the subjective needs of lived experience researchers and highlights the importance of personalised supervision according to their individual needs, and preferences for supervision. The findings reinforce the importance of integrating a clinical dimension into supervision to support the needs of each lived experience researcher.
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