In a recent blog from the UCL Unit for Stigma Research, Tom Grice describes his research on 'Mental Health Disclosure Amongst Clinical Psychologists In Training: Perfectionism And Pragmatism'. In it, there is a call for the qualified professionals in the systems surrounding trainee clinical psychologists, to think about their personal stance towards sharing their lived experience of mental ill health.
"Our research suggests that we need to be thinking about training environments that ask trainees to take responsibility when it comes to mental health disclosure. This demands that trainees consider themselves to be leading the way in tackling societal stigma through openness. Yet for this model to be fully realised, training institutions need to be creating environments in which talking about lived experience is a safe and mutual process. For trainees to feel safe being vulnerable and transparent, those already established in the profession must be willing to be vulnerable and transparent. We cannot expect trainees to take risks, pursue eco-system goals and battle with their perfectionism, if supervisors and tutors are not leading in this behaviour."
Full article here
If you are a qualified mental health professional, in2gr8mentalhealth asks 'how are you contributing to destigmatising lived experience in the field of the mental health profession and beyond?'
Speaking out plays a powerful part in destigmatising and embodying the gifts and balances lived experience brings to practice, and not least, helps take the fear out of sharing for others. It stands strongly against silencing and shaming. It enables the embracing of positive training skills to help practice with personal wisdom.
Together, all levels and disciplines across the mental health professions, psychology, psychiatry, mental health nursing, can form part of a powerful major drive to help destigmatise mental ill health in the field and in society at large. The mental health professions can be beacons for openness and acceptance. This is why the in2gr8mentalhealth community exists, to provide a space for those mental health professionals with lived experience to find a voice and share their experiences, often marginalised, in the system as it stands at present.
The first meeting of our in2gr8mentalhealth community takes place tomorrow. It's the beginning of a quietly powerful new movement.
If you are a mental health professional with lived experience and you would like to join our community to explore these issues with peers, sign up at www.in2gr8mentalhealth.com