Symposium IV: Lived Experience Symposium Speakers
Roy Byrne
Helen Beckwith
Trez Buckland & Akansha Vaswani-Bye
Title: What I’ve learned from Qualitative Research in CBT for Psychosis
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Abstract: Qualitative research exploring patient/client experience of CBTp and allied therapies has helped enrich teaching, training, and delivery. This presentation will offer a brief synthesis of insights from qualitative evidence in CBTp (what we know) and highlight important areas in need of further qualitative evaluation (what we don’t). How well do specific and non-specific elements of CBTp address different aspects of psychosis? How well do general or targeted CBTp approaches achieve valued change? How well does CBTp facilitate emotional change? How can we best explore negative experiences of CBTp, and harm? Is the future of CBTp really digital?
Title: A Safe Place to Learn: Peer Research Qualitative Investigation of gameChange Virtual Reality Therapy
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Abstract: This talk will present an overview of the peer-led qualitative study that explored participants’ experiences with gameChange VR therapy. 20 individuals with a diagnosis of psychosis who received gameChange as part of the multi-centre RCT were interviewed by peer researchers. Those struggling the most with agoraphobic avoidance expressed the most appreciation for, and gains from, the therapy. Participants reported that the ‘security of knowing the VR scenarios are not real’ created a safe place to learn about fears. Calibrating the ‘balance of anxiety and safety’ to the individual enabled the therapeutic learning to then be ‘taken into the real world’.
Title: Collaborating with the Family Peer Community in CBTp-informed Caregiving
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Abstract: Family involvement in a loved one’s recovery is underestimated even though it increases treatment utilization and better outcomes for those experiencing psychosis. Peers offer support through lived experience, shared understanding, and mutual empowerment. The Psychosis Recovery by Enabling Adult Carers at Home (REACH) program, based on principles from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis was developed as a community-based resource for families to address the gaps in care for family members who want support in developing skills to build more collaborative relationships with their loved ones. Our presentation will focus on the learnings from developing and implementing a training program for family peers called the Psychosis REACH Family Ambassadors (pRFAs).