The Experiences of Counsellors Offering Problem-Solving Therapy for Common Mental Health Issues at the Youth Friendship Bench in Zimbabwe
Wallén, Anders ; Eberhard, Sophia LU and Landgren, Kajsa LU
(2021)
In Issues in Mental Health Nursing
42(9).
p.808-817
- Abstract
There is growing evidence that lay health workers providing counselling is a feasible approach of addressing the universally large treatment gap for mental disorders. This study illuminates the experiences of the counsellors in the Youth Friendship Bench in Zimbabwe, a pilot project where students provide problem-solving therapy to adolescents with common mental disorders. Twelve interviews were analysed using content analysis. The first theme “Working in a meaningful project” describes how the counsellors managed to create an alliance with the clients. The project was perceived as helpful, meaningful and urgent, and the counsellors’ experienced a professional and individual development through the support of the Friendship Bench... (More)
There is growing evidence that lay health workers providing counselling is a feasible approach of addressing the universally large treatment gap for mental disorders. This study illuminates the experiences of the counsellors in the Youth Friendship Bench in Zimbabwe, a pilot project where students provide problem-solving therapy to adolescents with common mental disorders. Twelve interviews were analysed using content analysis. The first theme “Working in a meaningful project” describes how the counsellors managed to create an alliance with the clients. The project was perceived as helpful, meaningful and urgent, and the counsellors’ experienced a professional and individual development through the support of the Friendship Bench organization. The second theme “Encountering obstacles” illuminates how counsellors experienced situations where they failed to reach out to clients, felt unprepared and inadequate, and how they combated preconceptions and taboos. In the third theme, “Carrying an emotional burden,” the counsellors described experiences of recognising own problems and empathising with the client.
(Less)
- author
- Wallén, Anders
; Eberhard, Sophia
LU
and Landgren, Kajsa
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021-02-08
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Issues in Mental Health Nursing
- volume
- 42
- issue
- 9
- pages
- 808 - 817
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:33555957
- scopus:85100793584
- ISSN
- 0161-2840
- DOI
- 10.1080/01612840.2021.1879977
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- cd100e4a-6ed6-44ad-a34c-3a694c064b74
- date added to LUP
- 2021-03-03 07:32:05
- date last changed
- 2025-02-07 08:31:27
@article{cd100e4a-6ed6-44ad-a34c-3a694c064b74,
abstract = {{<p>There is growing evidence that lay health workers providing counselling is a feasible approach of addressing the universally large treatment gap for mental disorders. This study illuminates the experiences of the counsellors in the Youth Friendship Bench in Zimbabwe, a pilot project where students provide problem-solving therapy to adolescents with common mental disorders. Twelve interviews were analysed using content analysis. The first theme “Working in a meaningful project” describes how the counsellors managed to create an alliance with the clients. The project was perceived as helpful, meaningful and urgent, and the counsellors’ experienced a professional and individual development through the support of the Friendship Bench organization. The second theme “Encountering obstacles” illuminates how counsellors experienced situations where they failed to reach out to clients, felt unprepared and inadequate, and how they combated preconceptions and taboos. In the third theme, “Carrying an emotional burden,” the counsellors described experiences of recognising own problems and empathising with the client.</p>}},
author = {{Wallén, Anders and Eberhard, Sophia and Landgren, Kajsa}},
issn = {{0161-2840}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{02}},
number = {{9}},
pages = {{808--817}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{Issues in Mental Health Nursing}},
title = {{The Experiences of Counsellors Offering Problem-Solving Therapy for Common Mental Health Issues at the Youth Friendship Bench in Zimbabwe}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2021.1879977}},
doi = {{10.1080/01612840.2021.1879977}},
volume = {{42}},
year = {{2021}},
}