The wounded healer: The history and implications of lived experience in mental health care

Abstract

Objective

The first-hand expertise of people with lived experience has gained prominence in the provision of mental health services over the last 20 years. Unfortunately, due to ongoing stigma, there appears to be an ongoing belief that people with lived experience and mental health professionals are two separate entities. Research suggests otherwise, with a significant proportion of mental health professionals having their own experience of mental crisis or mental illness. Indeed, there are numerous prominent figures, littered through the history of psychiatry, all with lived experience of trauma or mental illness which shaped their contributions to the field. The history and prevalence of lived experience among our clinicians and the benefits brought by their expertise will be discussed in this article.

Conclusions

Research demonstrates that acknowledging clinicians’ own lived experience has significant benefits in mental health care and outcomes. Perhaps a little more acceptance of our own ‘wounded healers’ is the first step to truly incorporating the wisdom of those with personal lived experience into our mental health services.