“Wounded Healers”: the role of lived‐experience in mental health education and practice

This article aims to focus on the role of lived‐experience in mental health education and practice as perceived by undergraduate students.

A small qualitative survey was conducted among Social Work and Mental Health Nursing students who were asked about their own experiences of mental ill health and its possible impact on their practice.

The article is contextualised in the concept of “Wounded Healers” as a number of students had previously (and were currently) experiencing mental distress.

There is a strong sense that students believe that their personal experiences inform their practice, and that this may assist them in empathising constructively with service users, within the boundaries of a professional relationship.