ABSTRACT
Expertise and knowledge are not qualities of a person but rather are by-products of coordinated actions among, for example, consultant, consultee, commissioner and other involved participants. Participants – let's say consultant and consultee – can and do, together, create possibilities and constraints in their joint actions. But to identify all of their co-actions as collaborative would be misleading. The consultant who enters into the consultation process already equipped with her theory and method is less likely to give space to others' theories and methods – to others' ideas about the situation. Collaborative consultation means embracing differences and learning how we might become curious about alternative views. The latter – curiosity for difference – humanises mental health consultation to the extent that it invites all voices, appreciates the local coherence of each voice and centres on competencies as well as self-reflection and attentiveness to what one's own actions invite in response.
