Chapter 8 – Ask, listen and learn: what clients with a mental illness can teach you about client-centred practice

Context: Professionals providing treatment and rehabilitation for people with severe and persistent mental illness need to re-focus on clients assets and lived experiences. Objective: To provide an overview of the complementary philosophies of psychosocial rehabilitation, client-centred practice and qualitative inquiry. Method: In this article we report findings from a number of qualitative studies that demonstrate what can be learned by asking, listening and learning from persons living with severe and persistent mental illness. Therapists are challenged to relinquish outdated assumptions and practices and are provided with a ‘to do’ list for implementing client-centred practice, that is grounded in a client’s perspective and carried out in a client-friendly way. Conclusion: There is a core set of ideological values that are integral to providing client-centred care. Adopting these values in everyday practice can enrich a professional’s appreciation of a person’s lived experience of mental illness and focus services toward meeting his or her needs.