How I found out about peer-led mental health services

Last year I had my first mental health placement, which turned out to be fantastic - educational, inspiring, encouraging. The organisation I was with had what I thought was a very positive and progressive approach to service provision. They treated every person as unique and really tried to empower people. They used a recovery/strengths approach and I really enjoyed it because their philosophy fit very well with my own personal beliefs, and was also consistent with occupational therapy philosophy of enabling, empowerment and being client-centred.

During my placement I got the chance to take part in a human rights workshop for mental health service users, organised by Case Consulting, a peer-led service. I was the only person who did not identify as a service user/provider in the workshop. It was led by a very vocal, funny and assertive woman who wasn't at all like most of the service users I had met so far. She led a full, busy life, running workshops and seminars, educating people, had her own business, and what really struck me was how she was entirely unafraid to be known as a service user. At the time I thought, wow this is like gay pride, as in people who are normally ostracized by society but who have turned around and gained a sense of community and pride from who they are. The atmosphere was so positive, affirming and empowering, I felt a bit left out! Not that the other participants weren't warm and friendly, but I sort of thought to myself, well this must be what it's like to be the "odd one out", which I never really felt before even though I am really a minority in this country too. It was strange but inspiring and I went away with much to reflect upon, about myself, my identity, my own status as a minority...

This workshop also sat well with occupational therapy, in particular occupational justice as it dealt with issues like rights as job-seekers and employees. Now that I think about it, human rights education is all about empowering people through information/education, which is one way of targeting discrimination and stigma. We know that stigma is a huge barrier to occupational participation and quality of life in all areas of life (Byrne, 2000) so this is a wonderful step forwards.

Case Consulting is still holding these workshops as far as I know and for those who are interested in inviting them to your part of the country to hold one, here is the link to their human rights workshop series, Korowai Whaimana.

Here is a picture of the certificate I got at the end! :)

REFERENCES

Byrne, P. (2000). Stigma of mental illness and ways of diminishing it [Electronic version]. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 6, 65-72. Retrieved from http://apt.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/short/6/1/65