ABSTRACT
Throughout history mankind has created stories seeking to explain the phenomenon of 'mental illness' or 'emotional distress', suggesting various explanations around meaning and cause and giving rise to a range of strategies and processes to facilitate its amelioration. The classification story of 'mental illness' came in the form of a categorisation system that described mental distress as a collection of illnesses and diagnoses, each with its own collection of symptoms and signs. Although sometimes spoken of as different to the medical model, the rehabilitation story is largely based on the medical view, assuming that mental distress is an 'illness', similar to a spinal injury. The skills required of the person experiencing mental distress are objectively defined and assessed by the 'expert professional', and the care and treatment provided occur within the confines of day hospitals, day centers, sheltered employment and community residences or hostels.
