Search results for ‘Author:"lamont scott"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 1 of 1
An occupational perspective of the recovery journey in mental health
- Authors:
- KELLY Mary, LAMONT Scott, BRUNERO Scott
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73(3), March 2010, pp.129-135.
- Publisher:
- Sage
The philosophy of occupational therapy and that of recovery are markedly similar; however, there is limited research linking occupation to recovery in mental health. This study aimed to explore the relationship between recovery and occupation in consumers with mental health problems. A qualitative method in the form of narratives was chosen in exploring the uniquely subjective experiences of mental health, occupation and recovery. Five members of a mental health support group (GROW) were engaged in semi-structured interviews, whereby individual narratives were analysed through comparative methods to identify categories and themes. Five categories emerged: (1) The recovery map, (2) GROW has just given me the platform, (3) You have to become active, (4) The great barriers and (5) Where am I now ... I couldn't bear it if I was any better. The participants' experiences of recovery highlighted the necessity for occupational engagement in a supported environment. The benefits of occupation included feelings of social cohesion, meaning, purpose, normalisation, routine, competence, productivity, skill acquisition, routine and pleasure. These factors enabled the participants to re-establish self-concepts and subsequently promoted mental health. The findings may have implications for occupational therapy practice, whereby occupational therapy could facilitate a leadership role in recovery-orientated mental health services.