Doing more than telling stories

Abstract

This chapter explores mental health service user involvement in pre-registration occupational therapy education, from an occupational perspective, which brings the things people do closer into view. Learning through doing is a recognized pedagogical approach, developed by Paolo Freire. Similarly, designing collaborative research involves close attention to what people are doing and why they are doing it. This applies equally to the research topic and methods. Three aspects of an occupational perspective are explored. (1) A utopian vision can broaden involvement. Teaching can emerge from research, involving university–community partnerships. (2) Comparing different approaches to teaching and research is to compare occupational forms: creating and adapting occupational forms means more people can become involved. (3) Some occupations are valued more highly than others: a justice issue. Stereotypes are dehumanizing, indicating unquestioned assumptions about what people do. Bringing people together to create shared stories avoids some of the risk of stereotyping and sensationalism. With an occupational perspective, everyone involved is challenged to look beyond professional practice to the person on the receiving end. Focusing on what people are doing is simultaneously practical and thoughtful, individual and collective, and readily understood by all.