University of Hertfordshire Centre for Mental Health Recovery European mental health exchange network Exploration into Changes in Self Identity in the Context of Mental Ill Health, Recovery, and Personalisation Date: Thursday, 6th May 2010 Time: 9.30-4.30 Venue: Room B154 College Lane Hatfield AL10

This conference is aimed at creating an opportunity to look together at the central issues pertaining to changes in self identity to enable us to: Better understand what these mean to the different stakeholders involved in the light of qualitative research evidence; Consider their implications for current policy , practice and research agendas in the UK and in Continental Europe The conference should be of interest to service users, carers, practitioners from all mental health disciplines, researchers and commissioners from across all service sectors. Speakers include people with the lived experience of mental ill health, and come from a variety of disciplines (anthropology, psychiatry, psychology, social work) and professions, statutory and voluntary sector organisations. They will look and analyse experiences in Denmark, England, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Slovenia. Cost: £25, unwaged: £10 For registration and further details please contact Naomi Jackson on: n.1.jackson@herts.ac.uk Telephone: 01707 284951

Changes in Self Identity in the Context of Mental Ill Health PROGRAMME 9.30-10.00 Registration, coffee/tea 10.00-10.15 Introduction Jackie Knight, Director of Mental Health, University of Hertfordshire 10.15-10.45 Exploring conceptual approaches to the issue of changes in self identity in the context of mental ill health Prof. Shula Ramon 10.45-11.15 Researching the relationships between service users and professional providers in a Danish early intervention project as the key to self identity work Dr. John Larsen, research director, Rethink, London 11.15-11.30 discussion 11.30-12.00 comfort break

Parallel sessions: European Issues in Identity Changes in the context of Recovery 12.00-1.30 Session A: B154 12.00-12.30 Identity changes as reflected in Irish recovery narratives Lydia Sapouna, School of Applied Social Studies, University of Cork, Ireland 12.30-1.00 Shifting coping styles towards recovery: The impact on self identity Prof Miguel Xavier, Department of Psychiatry, New University of Lisbon, Portugal Discussion: 1.00-1.15 Session B: B200 12.00-12.30 Autonomy and detachment; belonging and dependency – how to survive as a person in long-term care Dr. Vito Flaker, Faculty of Social Work, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia 12.30-1.00 Issues in self perception and empathy with other service users in a group training to become users co-researchers Dr. Caterina Corbascio, Department of Psychology , University of Aosta and the mental health services of Nizza Monferrato, Italy 1.00-1.15 discussion

1.15-2.15 lunch and Launch of the Recovery Research Publication 2.15-2.40 An exploratory empirical study on changes in self identity and recovery, using a personal construct methodology Sarah Chadwick, Psychology Clinical Doctorate Programme, University of Hertfordshire 2.45-3.15 Living with hybrid identities Mark Edgar, Service User and Mental Wellbeing Adviser, Equality Unit, University of Hertfordshire 3.15-3.30 comfort break 3.30-4.00 General discussion: where do we go from here?