This workshop is about sharing how including experts by experience benefits all those who areinvolved in social work (education) and contributes to change the nature and discourse of social workeducation and research. Participants in this workshop will learn about our learned lessons and areinvited to contribute their own ideas, to further develop the employment of people with lived experiencein social work..Faculty members at the Applied University of Amsterdam, (one of) the oldest and largest universitiesfor social work in the world, felt that social work education was lacking something very vital: the voicesof the people that it’s all about. Therefore, experts by experience, people who have been or are on theother side of the fence of social and mental health services and are able to use their experiences in aqualified manner, are invited to join social work education programs. Together with students and socialworkers they reflect on an extensive list of issues, for example, the importance of humane contact, theloopholes in the welfare system, the omnipresence of prejudice and power lingering in social andmental health services also, and the thin line between being an accepted member of the system andbeing a person in need. The overall positive responses affirm that hearing the perspective ofexperience helps students to gain a profounder understanding of the complex issues people inpractice are facing and their own role as social workers.Structurally collaborating with experts of experience, our university holds a unique position. We areregularly approached by other academic and social organisations to introduce our unconventional wayof teaching whilst warranting a high educational standard. We believe that incorporating livedexperience as an equal source of knowledge should be at the core of all social work education andresearch.
Many mental health professionals have also used mental health services. What role should their personal experience play in their clinical practice - if any? - a commentary
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There is increasing interest in the use of experiential knowledge and the development of experiential expertise in mental health. Yet, little is known about how best to use this expertise in the role of a psychiatrist. This study aims to gain insight into the concerns of psychiatrists using their lived experiences with mental health distress as a source of knowledge for patients, colleagues and themselves. Eighteen psychiatrists with lived experience as patients in mental health care were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative narrative thematic analysis. The majority of the respondents use their lived experience implicitly in the contact with patients, which makes the contact more equal and strengthens the treatment relationship. When explicitly using experiential knowledge in the contact with patients, thought should be given at forehand to its purpose, timing and dosage. Recommendations are that the psychiatrist should be able to reflect on his/her lived experience from a sufficient distance and should take patient factors into account. When working in a team, it is advisable to discuss the use of experiential knowledge in advance with the team. An open organizational culture facilitates the use of experiential knowledge and safety and stability in the team are vital. Current professional codes do not always offer the space to be open. Organizational interests play a role, in the degree of self-disclosure as it can lead to conflict situations and job loss. Respondents unanimously indicated that the use of experiential knowledge in the role of a psychiatrist is a personal decision. Self-reflection and peer supervision with colleagues can be helpful to reflect on different considerations with regard to the use of experiential knowledge. Having personal lived experiences with a mental disorder affects the way psychiatrists think about and performs the profession. The perception of psychopathology becomes more nuanced and there seems to be an increased understanding of the suffering. Even though harnessing experiential knowledge makes the doctor-patient relationship more horizontal it remains unequal because of the difference in roles. However, if adequately used, experiential knowledge can enhance the treatment relationship.
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