Narrative identity reconstruction as adaptive growth during mental health recovery: A narrative coaching boardgame approach

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to construct a conceptual framework for investigating the reconstruction of narrative identity in mental health recovery from a complexity perspective. This conceptual framework provides the foundation for developing a health boardgame to facilitate narrative identity reconstruction. Methods: A selective integrative review of the theoretical and empirical literature relevant to narrative identity reconstruction in recovery was conducted. Sources included books, dissertations, internet resources, and professional journals. Findings: The reviewed material provides a conceptual framework that offers an enriched understanding of narrative identity reconstruction in recovery as a process of adaptive growth. It identifies the Hero\u27s Journey, the life story model of identity (LSMI), and intentional change theory (ITC) as particularly relevant in informing strategies for narrative identity reconstruction. The conceptual framework can be operationalized in a narrative coaching treatment approach using a boardgame. Conclusion and Implications for Practice: In practice, mental health professionals could use the narrative coaching boardgame to facilitate people\u27s adaptive change with a focus on building skills to reconstruct their preferred narrative identity and foster hope. Future research should explore what aspects of narrative identity and non-linear dynamic processes of change are most important in people\u27s recovery narratives and in particular these processes can be assessed in response to the use of the boardgame

Preliminary development and content validity of a measure of Australian Aboriginal cultural engagement

Objectives. Aboriginal people form one of the populations most in need of mental health and substance abuse services within Australia, although many services are not adequately sensitive to, or inclusive of, relevant aspects of Aboriginal culture in their programmes. The Aboriginal Cultural Engagement Survey (ACES) was developed with the objective of assessing the level of cultural engagement of Aboriginal clients. A measure of cultural engagement is an important step in establishing an association between culture and health benefits, so that future interventions may be designed which better meet the cultural needs of Aboriginal Australians within health services. Design. The process of development of the ACES involved four stages of scale development utilising a series of group discussions and reviews with Aboriginal consultants. Assessment of content validity is conducted using the Content Validity Index (CVI). Results. The ACES was found to have excellent content validity with CVIs over 0.80 for all items in the final version. Conclusion. The ACES shows promise for being a useful tool in assessing the cultural engagement of Australian Aboriginal clients. There is a need for further psychometric assessment and field trials to assess its utility

Australian mental health consumers' contributions to the evaluation and improvement of recovery-oriented service provision

Background: one key component of recovery-oriented mental health services, typically overlooked, involves genuine collaboration between researchers and consumers to evaluate and improve services delivered within a recovery framework. Method: Eighteen mental health consumers working with staff who had received training in the Collaborative recovery Model (CrM) took part in in-depth focus group meetings, of approximately 2.5 hours each, to generate feedback to guide improvement of the CrM and its use in mental health services. Results: Consumers identified clear avenues for improvement for the CrM both specific to the model and broadly applicable to recovery-oriented service provision. Findings suggest consumers want to be more engaged and empowered in the use of the CrM from the outset. Limitations: improved sampling procedures may have led to the identification of additional dissatisfied consumers. Conclusions: Collaboration with mental health consumers in the evaluation and improvement of recovery-oriented practice is crucial with an emphasis on rebuilding mental health services that are genuinely oriented to support recovery

Increasing the effectiveness of coach education: evidence of a parallel process

The purpose of this study was to use the results of an exploratory case study to discuss the design and delivery of formal coach education pathways. Nine coaches completed qualitative and quantitative feedback on a formal transformational leadership training program. The theme that was consistently being presented by coaches was the need for learning to be situated within practical demonstrations and discussions where the coach learner and coach educator work collaboratively to facilitate understanding of the applications of program content to coaching practice. These results have been discussed in the light of the parallel processes that are evident in coach education. The relationship dynamics between athlete and coach are paralleled in the relationship between coach learner and coach educator. Formalising the parallel process in coach education is put forward as a conceptually sound approach to facilitate reflection in coaching practitioners through the use of practical demonstrations

Collaborative Recovery: An integrative model for working with individuals who experience chronic and recurring mental illness

Objectives: Recovery is an emerging movement in mental health. Evidence for recovery-based approaches is not well developed and approaches to implement recovery-oriented services are not well articulated. The collaborative recovery model (CRM) is presented as a model that assists clinicians to use evidencebased skills with consumers, in a manner consistent with the recovery movement. A current 5 year multisite Australian study to evaluate the effectiveness of CRM is briefly described. Conclusion: The collaborative recovery model puts into practice several aspects of policy regarding recovery-oriented services, using evidence-based practices to assist individuals who have chronic or recurring mental disorders (CRMD). It is argued that thismodel provides an integrative framework combining (i) evidence-based practice; (ii) manageable and modularized competencies relevant to case management and psychosocial rehabilitation contexts; and (iii) recognition of the subjective experiences of consumers

A cluster-randomised controlled trial of values-based training to promote autonomously held recovery values in mental health workers

The implementation and use of evidence-based practices is a key priority for recovery-oriented mental health service provision. Training and development programmes for employees continue to be a key method of knowledge and skill development, despite acknowledged difficulties with uptake and maintenance of behaviour change. Self-determination theory suggests that autonomy, or a sense that behaviour is self-generated, is a key motivator to sustained behaviour change, in this case practices in mental health services. This study examined the utility of values-focused staff intervention as a specific, reproducible method of autonomy support

Parallel processes in clinical supervision: Implications for coaching mental health practitioners

This paper outlines the potential of parallel processes to enhance experiential learning opportunities in coaching for mental health practitioners. Traditional views of parallel processes in clinical supervision are examined in relation to how they can be applied to enhance coaching mental health practitioners. For example, parallel relationship patterns refer to repetitive interpersonal relationship patterns that are transferred from client interactions with mental health practitioners into the coaching sessions for these mental health practitioners. In addition, experiential learning strategies that utilize parallel process concepts might include the use of equivalent protocols for staff development coaching as are used by mental health practitioners in their work with clients experiencing mental health problems. Two coaching approaches (skills acquisition and transformational coaching) to support the implementation and use of a practice model for mental health staff and clients are presented to exemplify the potential advantages of purposeful use of parallel processing in coaching mental health practitioners