1st Edition
Creative Mental Health Recovery An Approach To Healing
This book presents the importance of the role of creativity, particularly everyday creativity, in the lives of people on a mental health recovery journey.
Through a review of historical and contemporary literature and research findings on the topic, the book starts by giving readers an idea of the state of play of conceptualisations of both creativity and recovery. The authors arrive at and present their own definitions of these concepts, using autoethnography to bring their own experiences into the text. They then illustrate to the reader what creativity in recovery looks like in practice, through interviews with and written accounts from creative individuals who have experienced a mental health recovery journey, grounding the theory with tangible stories of application. The interviews are analysed, with themes picked out and a model of creativity and recovery produced by the authors. Implications and possible future directions are then discussed.
This unique presentation of creative recovery will be of interest to a wide range of mental health professionals, specifically those studying or practicing mental health recovery and creative therapies.
Chapter 1. Introduction
Robert Hurst, Heather Harrison, Andrew Voyce and Jerome Carson
Chapter 2. Recovery Journeys in Mental Health
Jerome Carson
Chapter 3. CHIME
Robert Hurst
Chapter 4. Creativity and Recovery
Robert Hurst
Chapter 5. What Has Brought Us Here?
Robert Hurst, Andrew Voyce and Jerome Carson
Chapter 6. StoryTeller: Jo Mullen
Jo Mullen and Robert Hurst
Chapter 7. StoryTeller: Michelle McNary
Michelle McNary and Robert Hurst
Chapter 8. StoryTeller: Peter Bullimore
Peter Bullimore and Robert Hurst
Chapter 9. StoryTeller: ANON
ANON and Robert Hurst
Chapter 10. StoryTeller: Anna Sexton
Anna Sexton and Robert Hurst
Chapter 11. Andrew’s Story
Andrew Voyce
Chapter 12. A New Model of Creativity In Recovery and C-CHIME
Robert Hurst
Chapter 13. Conclusions
Robert Hurst, Andrew Voyce and Jerome Carson
Biography
Robert Hurst is an Associate Lecturer in the School of Psychology, University of Bolton. Alongside this, he is a practicing person-centered counsellor, registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Andrew Voyce is a researcher and lived experience consultant. He is the author of several peer reviewed papers and two books. He has guest lectured on mental health recovery to a wide array of university students in the UK.
Jerome Carson is Professor of Psychology at the University of Bolton. A qualified clinical psychologist, Jerome's main research interests are mental health recovery, positive psychology, autoethnography, and alcohol addiction.
This fascinating text achieves its intention of providing an accessible and informed perspective on the relationship between creativity and mental health recovery. The content is evocative and challenging and seeks to arouse the reader to explore their own relationship with creativity, whilst enabling the storyteller’s narrative to explore how creativity has influenced their recovery. The authors’ mutual respect for one another’s lived experience is evident and provides a unique perspective.
--Annette Feakes, Senior Lecturer, University of Brighton
This book shows how lived experiences constitute an invaluable source of knowledge. It is a book of showing and telling, and of making meaning of the past, present, and possible futures. These concepts are beautifully woven together through the tapestry that this book offers, demonstrating how creativity is something lived, personal and accessible, providing a powerful resource to mental health and well-being.
--Trude Klevan, Professor of Mental Health and Substance Use, University of South-Eastern Norway
This book opens up exciting new vistas in understanding mental health recovery, by extending the Connectedness, Hope, Identity, Meaning and Empowerment (CHIME) Framework to incorporate the transformative and healing potential of Creativity (C-CHIME). Skillfully weaving individual accounts of how creative activities have impacted on recovery, a particular strength is the balanced focus both on benefits and possible harms. This book shows how creativity can bring light to the darkest of mental health experiences.
--Mike Slade, Professor of Mental Health Recovery and Social Inclusion, University of Nottingham
