ABSTRACT

Growing out of an interest in exploring the contemporary contexts and practices related to mental health social work across the world, this book provides a range of insights into the social factors which contribute, sometimes quite significantly, to the emergence of mental health problems for individuals and even whole communities. The range and scope of mental health social work is highlighted through the different accounts of therapeutic work, advocacy, support and rehabilitation. But this collection goes further and also provides the reader with critical analyses of social work practice and social policies in certain contexts, thus inviting the reader to a more reflective consideration of the value of mental health perspectives in social work in general.

Taken as a whole, the collection suggests that social work engages with the field of mental health in diverse, creative, and very reflective ways, yet is always focused on the needs and rights of those for whom problems with mental health can be personally challenging and often disempowering. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Social Work Practice.

chapter 1|16 pages

Robyn Lynn and JoMensinga

SOCIAL WORKERS’ NARRATIVES OF INTEGRATING MINDFULNESS INTO PRACTICE

chapter 2|16 pages

Early onset schizophrenia and school social work

EARLY ONSET SCHIZOPHRENIA AND SCHOOL SOCIALWORK

chapter 3|14 pages

Analysis of social work practice: Foucault and female body image in therapy

ANALYSIS OF SOCIALWORK PRACTICE: FOUCAULT AND FEMALE BODY IMAGE IN THERAPY

chapter 4|20 pages

Police encounters in child and youth mental health: could stigma informed crisis intervention training (CIT) for parents help?

POLICE ENCOUNTERS IN CHILD AND YOUTHMENTALHEALTH: COULDSTIGMA INFORMED CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING (CIT) FOR PARENTS HELP?

chapter 5|18 pages

Structural and cultural factors in suicide prevention: the contrast between mainstream and Inuit approaches to understanding and preventing suicide

STRUCTURAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS BETWEENMAINSTREAMAND INUIT APPROACHES TO UNDERSTANDING AND PREVENTING SUICIDE

chapter 6|16 pages

Martin Stuart Smith

‘ONLY CONNECT’ ‘NEAREST RELATIVE’S’ EXPERIENCES OF MENTAL HEALTH ACT ASSESSMENTS

chapter 7|14 pages

Impasses in the relationship between the psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner and the consumer: a psychodynamic perspective

IMPASSES IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION PRACTITIONER AND PERSPECTIVE