Strategic Storytelling

An Exploration of the Professional Practices of Mental Health Peer Providers

Dados Bibliográficos

ID4689283
AutoresMichael A Mancini (0000-0003-3741-9465, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA, autor correspondente)
Ano2019
Volume29
Fascículo9
Páginas1266-1276
Data de publicação2019-07-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoQualitative Health Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1049732318821689
PMID30616464
OpenAlexW2908834830
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas19
Referências citadas50

Peer providers of mental health services use their personal illness and recovery narratives to help other mental health service users. Despite a substantial body of evidence supporting the effectiveness of these providers, little is known about the underlying strategies they employ in their professional practice. In this study, I used in-depth interviews with 23 peers to explore the most important practices they used in their day-to-day work with others. Results indicated that peers engaged in a reflexive process to strategically use their personal illness and recovery stories to help others re-story their life narratives. Peers also used communication strategies from motivational and cognitive-behavioral treatment approaches to engage, inspire, and mentor other service users. Findings suggest the need for research that further explores the rhetorical strategies used by peers using narrative methods. The development and testing of professional development opportunities to assist peers in maximizing their therapeutic potential are also warranted

Medical education · Mental health · Mental illness · Narrative · Psychotherapist · Public relations · Reflexivity · Service provider · Sociology · Storytelling · Applied Psychology · Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics · Empathy and Medical Education · Medicine · Mental Health and Patient Involvement · Nursing · Psychology