scholarly journals More ‘milk’ than ‘psychology or tablets’: Mental health professionals’ perspectives on the value of peer support workers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Moore ◽  
Laetitia Zeeman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals

scholarly journals Combining technical and expert-by-experience knowledge in the quest for personal recovery from bipolar disorder: a qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samson Tse ◽  
Winnie W. Y. Yuen ◽  
Greg Murray ◽  
Larry Davidson ◽  
Queenie Lai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Peer Support Services ◽  
The Way

Abstract Background Knowledge construction is a form of communication in which people can work individually or collaboratively. Peer support services have been adopted by the public psychiatric and social welfare service as a regular form of intervention since 2015 in Hong Kong. Peer-based services can help people with bipolar disorder (BD) deal with the implications of the diagnosis, the way in which individuals with BD receive treatment, and the lifestyle changes that take place as a result of the diagnosis. Through a qualitative paradigm, this study aims to examine how individuals with BD use technical and expert-by-experience knowledge. Methods A total of 32 clients of mental health services were recruited from hospitals, Integrated Community Centers for Mental Wellness, and non-governmental organizations. They participated in semi-structured individual interviews. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis with the aid of NVivo. The findings were verified by peer researchers. Results Three main themes are presented in this article, including how clients made sense of the knowledge provided by mental health professionals and peer support workers (PSWs), critical perspectives about peer support services, and the way in which the services are more than knowledge transfer alone. Participants generally indicated that knowledge sharing revolved around three experiences: mood changes, medications, and sense of hope. Nevertheless, an empathic understanding of the clients’ experience was more important than the sharing of knowledge. Some clients perceived medication as the chief means to recovery, so PSWs were not useful for them. However, PSW role models had an effect beyond mere knowledge transmission, as they could promote clients’ pursuit of functional recovery goals. Conclusions The present study has improved our understanding of knowledge sharing between clients with BD and health professionals or PSWs, which should take place in an empathic and hope-instilling manner. It has also emphasized the value of the presence of a role model who can speak convincingly with clients to facilitate recovery. The present findings can be used to improve the care of people with BD by generating important guidance with regard to enhancing the knowledge exchange between clients and health practitioners.

Breaking Out of the Mainstream: The Evolution of Peer Support Alternatives to the Mental Health System

2008 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra L. Adame ◽  
Larry M. Leitner
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health System ◽  
Medical Model ◽  
The United States

The consumer/survivor/ex-patient (c/s/x) movement has been instrumental in the development of a variety of peer-support alternatives to traditional mental health services in both the United States in Canada. This article explores the role of the c/s/x movement in the creation of such alternatives and discusses the various ways peer support is defined and has been put into practice. We also discuss the potential for future alliances and dialogues between progressive mental health professionals and the c/s/x movement as both groups seek ways to reconceptualize mental illness and recovery outside of the medical model paradigm.

Health professionals and peer support workers in mental health settings

2020 ◽  
pp. 143-160
Author(s):  
Aukje Leemeijer ◽  
Mirko Noordegraaf
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Experiential Knowledge ◽  
Mental Health Settings ◽  
The Status

In many Western countries mental health care institutions employ ‘peer support workers’ in professional teams. They are clients or former clients in mental health care who are trained and educated to transform their personal experience as a client into ‘experiential knowledge’ helping other clients. This is supposed to improve ‘client centeredness’ in mental health care. However, the rise and roles of peer support workers are not undisputed; mental health professionals – psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses and therapists – have ambivalent responses. Peer support workers may challenge the status and dominance of traditional expert knowledge when they bring experiential knowledge into decision making processes. This challenge is strengthened by the development of peer support workers as a new group who may ultimately themselves professionalise. This chapter, focused on The Netherlands, explores from a neo-Weberian standpoint the relationship between mental health professionals and peer support workers. This is related to professional identities and positions, and also institutional surroundings, including how peer support workers and service organisations deal with risks and accountability. On the basis of empirical observational research, organisational conditions are shown to count more than occupational conditions. This underscores that the interweaving of new forms of knowledge in service processes must be organised.

Mental Health Peer to Peer Support via Social Media practice reference During COVID-19 Pandemics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei Wang ◽  
Wei Jiang ◽  
Pu Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Psychological Practice ◽  
Novel Model

This article describes a psychological practice reference to provide peer support via social media, derived from the experience learned from our intervention project, which was developed and carried out by a group of experienced mental health professionals, offering peer psychological support to healthcare professionals working at the frontline of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China. The authors describe the infrastructure of the team and the novel model of peer-to-peer crisis intervention via social media. This offers a model for intervention that can be used elsewhere for current pandemic and future crises.

Peer Support in Public Safety Organizations

2017 ◽  
pp. 237-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy K. Bohl-Penrod ◽  
Daniel W. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Public Safety ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Support Teams ◽  
The Public ◽  
Support Team

Peer supporters are a vital resource for members of the public safety community. Peers are often the first to notice when colleagues are exhibiting symptoms of psychological distress. Due to the cultural norms and the personality traits of those drawn to this career field, many public safety officers prefer to confide in peers rather than to obtain the assistance of mental health professionals. Further, peer supporters can give public safety officers the reassurance and support they need to enlist the services of mental health professionals. This chapter reviews the development and application of peer support teams, addresses issues in selecting peer support team members and developing a program, reviews team organization options and training needs, and addresses common challenges.

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