Alternatives to Psychiatric Diagnosis: Challenging the culture of disorder

This session will be facilitated by Dr Lucy Johnstone and Jo Watson. Both Lucy and Jo are long-time critics of the diagnostic model of mental distress, which too often re-traumatises people and undermines their human rights. They  believe that instead of asking ‘What is wrong with you?’ we should be asking ‘What has happened to you?’ Lucy will outline the principles of the Power Threat Meaning Framework, an ambitious project by a group of psychologists and survivors which outlines a non-medical approach to what are called ‘mental illnesses.’ It explores the role of power and threat in people’s lives, and describes how we  respond to and create meaning out of these experiences, thus enabling the creation of new and more hopeful narratives. Jo will describe the ‘A disorder 4 everyone!‘ events which have been held across the UK, and which have provided an opportunity for professionals, service users and anyone involved in mental health work to share their stories of recovery and introduce new ways forward. She will also perform one of her poems.