Re-positioning Mental Health Service Users as Educators in the Mental Health Professions-View Presentation

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In the SMI Advisor webinar titled "Repositioning Mental Health Service Users as Educators in the Mental Health Professions," hosted by Alexia Wolfe, the focus was on integrating people with lived mental health experience into medical training environments. The program highlighted efforts at Columbia University, led by experts including Tony Munoz-Hilliard and Drs. Sasha Agrawal, Stephanie Lehmel, and Meera Bodick. <br /><br />The initiative encourages a paradigm shift in psychiatry education by incorporating peer advisors who are service users with lived experiences. The goal is to dismantle the traditional medical hierarchy where patients are viewed merely as subjects rather than integral contributors. By doing this, medical professionals, including psychiatrists, gain a more nuanced, empathetic understanding of the patient experience.<br /><br />Key aspects of the program involve pairing psychiatric fellows with peers who have extensive lived experience and professional training as peer counselors. These peers act as educators, challenging traditional perceptions and encouraging open, reciprocal learning. This approach aims to foster a deeper understanding of patient needs, resulting in more person-centered, recovery-oriented care. <br /><br />Feedback and reflective exercises are crucial components, with structured interactions designed to motivate possible changes in how mental health services are delivered. Additionally, dialogues about the systemic constraints of psychiatric care, such as appointment duration and diagnosis issues, help demystify these processes for patients.<br /><br />Overall, the program seeks to inspire transformative learning and advocacy, promoting ongoing change in clinical practices throughout participants' careers.

Keywords

mental health education

peer advisors

psychiatry training

lived experience

Columbia University

patient-centered care

medical hierarchy

transformative learning

systemic constraints

mental health advocacy