News:
Pat Deegan: Thought Leader, Mental Health Advocate, Innovator, and Entrepreneur
This interview relates to Peer Support Services in a MHOTRS clinic because it shares the importance of empowering a person to find their “naturally self-righting and resiliency strategies” to help manage their challenges and create wellness. It shares the importance of supporting a person to look beyond their diagnosis and ask the life affirming question “What is important to you?”
Introduction
“Remember who you are and use your strengths to become all that you were meant to be.” This powerful quote embodies the message of this episode. Pat Deegan, PhD boldly shares components of her own recovery journey as she speaks out the hope available in recovery. “Voice and Choice” are key messages of Dr. Deegan’s advocacy, as well as the importance of promoting connection and a community approach to support a struggling individual. When working with people, she promotes asking the question “What’s important to you?” instead of “What’s wrong with you?”. Listen to this influential message from a thought-leader in the mental health peer movement!
Meet Dr. Pat Deegan
Patricia E. Deegan Ph.D. is an activist in the survivor movement. She courageously advocates for mental healthcare improvements drawing on experiences from her own journey of recovery following a diagnosis of schizophrenia as a teenager. Dr. Deegan is the founder of Pat Deegan & Associates (PDA) and has held several academic appointments throughout the years. She has numerous publications and shares a message of hope and recovery around the world. As Dr. Deegan says, “My mission is to help empower mental health services users in their own recovery and to provide peer supporters and clinicians with the know-how to support people in their recovery journey.”
What is in this episode:
- Dr. Pat Deegan’s personal recovery process.
- The key moments in Dr. Pat Deegan’s journey she used to organize her recovery.
- Information about the OnTrackNY program.
- Information about the Personal Medicine program – “What we do and what we take.”
- The evolutionary process of the recovery journey.
- The power of “The Healer Within.”
To learn more about Pat, click here.
Summary by Stephen Nawotniak, OTR/L, NYCPS, CPRP, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Specialist, Alliance for Rights and Recovery.
Relevant Links:
Check out the Recovery Resilience Solutions website.
About Viva La Evolution and Crestwood
Developed by Crestwood Behavioral Health
With Contributions by the Alliance for Rights and Recovery (formerly New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services)
For PeerTAC
