Hi, I am currently doing an essay in my first year of my OT degree and one of the aspects is about lived experience and the impact on an individual. I cannot find any recent resources explaining the lived experience concept, can anyone support me with this please? Thank you
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Hi @Helen. Alyson, one of our Facebook followers, shared this comment and wanted us to pass it on directly to you: "In my work experience, this describes someone with direct personal experience of a condition.for example, someone who has experienced a condition that gives them an additional insight into recovery. It is a profession that values lived experience, work, family, trauma, conflict to give staff awareness and understanding."
Sheila Joss
its not complex. I have many experiences of many illnesses and disabilities I have worked with and cared for people who have them and they have been kind enough to tell me in detail how things look from their point of view. I have cared intimately for family members with illnesses and I know how that feels too. BUT only someone who has the illness or disability has the lived experience of what it is like because only they have lived it.
Thank you for your reply, this is most helpful
Thanks for being an active part of the Hub's community @Helen! Our initial reaction would be that 'lived experience' is related to the OT's own life experiences to-date (both personal and professional) - and how these might, in some way, impact the treatment/support they give to their patient or client. A definition: 'Personal knowledge about the world gained through direct, first-hand involvement in everyday events, rather than through representations constructed by other people' (Oxford Reference). We would suggest you also look up 'therapeutic use of self', a concept that links to lived experience. We have a Therapy Article all about this - take a read here. We will bring your forum to the attention of fellow Members via our social networks and Member Newsletter in the coming week, to prompt other responses.