Remarkable lives: Stacey Withington in conversation with Jerome Carson

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacey Withington ◽  
Jerome Carson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Short Account ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Gift ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of Stacey Withington. Design/methodology/approach In this case study, Stacey provides a short account of her life and is then interviewed by Jerome. Findings Stacey details how she was able to transform her life, despite the traumas experienced in her life. Research limitations/implications Although many of us will not have experienced the difficulties that Stacey has, we are all able to empathise with her story. We now have the gift of her story, to borrow the phrase from Dr Julie Leibrich (Leibrich, 1999). Practical implications How many times must people complain about the delay in accessing counselling and mental health services before something is done to tackle the problem? Social implications A mother, a partner and a son, backed up by wonderful tutors and friends, helped Stacey find the strength and talent that she possessed within. Originality/value Stacey is the first person featured in this series to be called a SHEro. In truth and as Patricia Deegan has stated, “try and see the person with mental health problems that you are working with as a hero” (Deegan, 1996). As Pat also says, “Could you have survived what that person has survived?” Stacey has not just survived, she is now flourishing!

Chanell Cumber in conversation with Jerome Carson

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-17
Author(s):  
Chanell Cumber ◽  
Jerome Carson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Short Account ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of Chanell Cumber. Design/methodology/approach Chanell starts by giving a short account of her life. She is then interviewed by Jerome. Findings Chanell witnessed years of domestic abuse from her father towards her mother. This led her to develop mental health problems at a young age. Her account reveals her struggles to recover. Research limitations/implications While single case studies are just that, they offer us insights that are missing from many professional narratives. These can often allow us a unique window into peoples’ lives. Practical implications Chanell points out the need for mental health services to have a more prolonged engagement with people who use services and outlines why this is important. Social implications As a society we do not always reach out to quieter individuals who may go under “the radar”. Sometimes being more forward and offering people a chance to open up, may provide them with the opportunity to reveal the pressures they are under. Originality/value Each person’s story is unique and gives us differing understandings of the struggles that people battle with and how they have overcome these.

Maddi Faith in conversation with Jerome Carson

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-16
Author(s):  
Maddi Faith ◽  
Jerome Carson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of Maddi Faith. Design/methodology/approach In this single case study, Maddi gives a short background and the origins of her mental health issues and is then interviewed by Jerome. Findings Maddi tells the authors how her problems developed in her childhood and of the journey she has been on since. Research limitations/implications Single case studies provide a single perspective. Yet are they of any less value than a commentary by an academic? On the contrary, many offer unique insights into how the authors provide services for people with mental health problems, and of better ways to help them. Practical implications Maddi raises the issue of “falling between services”, with the result that the individual concerned does not receive the help they need. Social implications The persistent stigma of mental health problems is an issue that will need to be addressed for decades if it is to be overcome. Personal witness is vital in tackling this issue. Maddi has already done a lot to address this through her work at University. Originality/value The Trust the second author worked for, for many years used to have a staff “Made a Difference” award. Maddi surely deserves such an award for her own efforts to develop our understanding of the realities of mental health problems.

Remarkable lives: Charlotte Wall in conversation with Jerome Carson

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 191-195
Author(s):  
Charlotte Louise Wall ◽  
Jerome Carson
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Short Account ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group Research ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of Charlotte Wall. Design/methodology/approach In this case study, Charlotte provides a short account of her background and is then interviewed by Jerome. Findings Charlotte took comfort in being given a diagnosis of bipolar; it helped explain a lot of her problems. Research limitations/implications It is easier to identify with a single case study and person’s story than anonymised group research data. Each have their place in helping us understand mental health problems. Practical implications Transitions are not always bad. Charlotte talks about how her life changed for the better when she went to sixth form college. The onward transition to university has also been a positive experience for her. This needs to be remembered. Social implications As everyone is currently living through the Covid-19 pandemic, Charlotte’s perspective on the importance of social support for mental well-being is critical. Thankfully, she has loving parents and a partner. There are others less fortunate. Originality/value Charlotte shows us how she embraced her diagnosis of bipolar and her “weirdness”.

Remarkable lives: Shaun Hunt in conversation with Jerome Carson

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaun Hunt ◽  
Jerome Carson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of Shaun Hunt. Design/methodology/approach Shaun provides a short biographical description of his life. Shaun is then interviewed by Jerome. Findings Shaun tells us about the long journey of recovery that he has made to the point where he is now a University Lecturer. Research limitations/implications In large group studies the individual gets lost in statistical tables and the lived experience is absent. Single case studies provide us with stories to nurture and encourage us all. Practical implications Shaun says that we often miss the obvious question in our interactions with people with lived experience. “What happened to you?” seems a simple but telling conversation opener. Social implications As Shaun says there are some amazing people who work in mental health services, but they are the ones who spoke to him and not to a “schizophrenic”. Originality/value As Shaun also says, “Never, ever give up hope, no matter how dark and bad things become, there is always a way back”.

Mind your language!

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Ann Gilfoyle
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Medical Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Traditional Medical Model ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Discussion Topic

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore what is meant by the term recovery language and the use of mental health language in today’s society. Design/methodology/approach This paper is an exploration of the use of recovery language and the application in modern day mental health services. Findings The language that is used to describe mental health is often based on a traditional medical model primarily focussing on diagnosis, symptoms and problems. This is a stark difference to the modern day use of recovery orientated language. Practical implications This paper can be used as a discussion topic in teams to explore themes around recovery language. Originality/value This paper explores issues of language in mental health that are central to recovery and the development of recovery-focussed services.

To what extent does Sussex Recovery College reflect its community? An equalities and diversity audit

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Meddings ◽  
Lucy Walsh ◽  
Louise Patmore ◽  
Katie Louise Emily McKenzie ◽  
Sophie Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
General Population ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore whether one Recovery College reflects its community. Design/methodology/approach Recovery College students’ demographics and protected characteristics were compared with the general population and the population of people using local mental health services. Findings Recovery College students were representative of the local community in terms of ethnicity, religion or belief and sexual orientation. Fewer Recovery College students were over 60 years old or men. Practical implications Recovery Colleges may be more accessible to people who are often under-served and under-represented in mainstream mental health services, including people from BAME backgrounds and people who identify as LGBT. Recovery Colleges may need to engage more men and more older people. Recovery Colleges aim to be inclusive and open to all but need to ensure that this is a reality in practice. Originality/value This is the first study to explore who accesses Recovery Colleges and whether they are inclusive and open to all.

Andrea Handley in conversation with Jerome Carson

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 125-130
Author(s):  
Andrea Handley ◽  
Jerome Carson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Individual Case ◽  
First Person ◽  
Short Account ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of Andrea Handley. Design/methodology/approach In this case study, Andrea gives a short account of her background and is then interviewed by Jerome. Findings Andrea outlines a number of issues from her childhood that led to her later mental health problems. Research limitations/implications Individual case studies are of course just the story of one person’s difficulties. For too long in psychiatry, case studies were written by professionals about their lives and problems. First person accounts allow the individual to tell their own narrative. Practical implications Andrea is not the first person to talk about the delay in access to mental health services. As she notes, 16 years on, she is still waiting for that referral! She notes that a friend of her could not wait even the three months that she had been and tragically took her own life. Social implications So much of Andrea’s story is overshadowed by loss, especially the death of her brother when she was a teenager. As a society, we are no as well “prepared” for death, as older generations. The coronavirus pandemic is bringing our mortality home to all of us. Originality/value Patricia Deegan once asked, “How much loss could a human heart hold?” In this moving account Andrea lets us see the huge losses she has sustained and yet she is still determined to try and help others who are suffering. Hers is truly a remarkable life.

For whom the bell CHIMEs: a synthesis of remarkable student lives

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Hurst ◽  
Jerome Carson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Waiting Lists ◽  
The Other ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Five Elements ◽  
Recovery Narratives ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the 20 remarkable lives of student accounts published in this journal. These recovery narratives (RNs) are examined first in terms of whether they meet the five elements of the connectedness, hope, identity, meaning and empowerment (CHIME) model of recovery and then in terms of what makes each account remarkable. Design/methodology/approach Two Excel spreadsheets were created. One had each author’s name and the five elements of the CHIME model, the other the features of a remarkable life. Findings All 20 accounts fulfilled the criteria for the CHIME model, independently validating this model of recovery. Hence, each account showed evidence of connectedness, hope, identity, meaning and empowerment. A number of additional characteristics stood out from the accounts such as the importance of motherhood and of education. Research limitations/implications All 20 accounts were only reviewed by the two authors, who may be subject to bias. To reduce this, the first author did the bulk of the ratings. This paper shows the importance of education for recovery. Practical implications Some 15/20 accounts reported problems with mental health services, mainly around waiting lists. Must mental health always remain a Cinderella service? Originality/value This is the first attempt to synthesise this particular set of recovery narratives, entitled remarkable lives. These accounts show the richness of the recovery journeys embarked on by many sufferers and these are just drawn from one University. Like the authors of these stories, we too as recovery specialists have much to learn from their inspiring accounts.

Autism, mental health and offending behaviour: a mother’s quest for healthcare

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 210-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Larch
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Asperger Syndrome ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Offending Behaviour ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Recommendations

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the experiences of a mother of a son who was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and psychosis in adulthood, the impact of this on his behaviour, and her quest to obtain healthcare. Design/methodology/approach Case study. Findings While a striking story in its own right, the experiences described have a number of wider implications for the treatment of mental ill heath in ASD, the exclusion of families and carers from the care of their adult children in services, and the impact of this on the individuals directly affected. Research limitations/implications The paper offers a number of practical recommendations for the understanding and management of autism in generic mental health services, and the involvement of families and carers in the care of their relative. Originality/value This is the first paper to describe mental ill health and offending behaviour in ASD, from the perspective of a mother.

A day in the life of a peer support worker: re-entry

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 149-152
Author(s):  
Emma Watson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Narrative Approach ◽  
Personal Recovery ◽  
Support Worker ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Returning To Work

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to share the experiences and reflections of a peer support worker over the course of a day working in mental health services. Design/methodology/approach – A narrative approach has been taken to structure reflections based on the experience of returning to work after taking sick leave. Findings – Reflections are offered based on the process of returning to work and the way that this experience sheds light on personal recovery. Originality/value – This paper adds to the small number of accounts of the experiences of peer support working in mental health services and as such is highly original.

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