Psychosis, Occupation, and the Human Experience (SESSION 4: NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS)

This ticket page is for Session 4 of 4 from the ISPS-US and AOTA CoP Fall Training Series ONLY. Click the following link to purchase Full Fall Webinar Series Tickets

Wednesday, September 25th, 2024 3pm-4:30pm (ET) Revisiting Negative Symptoms: Working with reduced expression and motivation in psychosis - Hilary Mairs, PhD

Description

This talk explores the premise that that there are several explanations to account for the limited emotional expression and activity that can be observed in psychosis, and that the idea that they constitute negative symptoms of psychosis is only one way of thinking about these experiences. Other explanations, including those offered by those with lived experience, will be considered. Optimal methods for engaging people with reduced expressivity and motivation in positive therapeutic alliances and a number of structured psychosocial interventions that may address these problems will be highlighted. The latter will include strategies to support families cope with and mental health practitioners understand restricted expression and activity.

By the end of the presentation participants will be able to:

- Discuss a number of different biological, psychological and social theories of reduced expression and activity in psychosis
- Analyze optimal strategies to engage this client group in positive therapeutic alliances and structured psychosocial treatment approaches
- Reflect on their practice with this client group and expand the number of treatment choices they can offer.

Presenter Bio
Professor Hilary Mairs is an Occupational Therapist and currently the Head of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work and Deputy Head of the School of Health Sciences at the University of Manchester. Her clinical experience, teaching and scholarship have focused on individual and family psychosocial interventions for psychosis. She has published several papers, a book (published in English and Italian) and facilitated workshops in Europe and the Far East relating to interventions to address the negative symptoms of psychosis. She has also worked with service user and carer networks to co-produce educational materials about hearing voices and reviews of specific educational strategies to enhance student and healthcare professional understanding of these experiences.

MORE ABOUT THE SERIES

This 4-part series, taking place each Wednesday in September from 3-4:30pm, Eastern, delves into the intersection of psychosis and occupation—the activities we engage in daily that bring meaning, purpose, identity, and a sense of belonging. 4 CE hours are available for APA and ASWB boards* to promote occupational perspectives in the wider mental health community.

This collaborative series, brought to you as a collaboration between ISPS-US and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)’s Community of Practice (CoP) in Psychosis, explores psychosis as a profound human experience with significant implications for engagement in meaningful activities and relationships. By adopting an occupational lens, we offer a critical perspective on psychosis, challenging the traditional biomedical model that views it solely or primarily as a medical disorder, separated from the activities of life, society, and systems.

Occupational therapists and occupational science scholars will present on various topics, including sensory processing, volition, sleep, and behavioral activation for “negative symptoms.” These discussions aim to bridge these concepts with the broader mental health community, providing a comprehensive understanding that extends beyond traditionally taught biopsychosocial perspectives.

The series is open to all, including psychologists, social workers, therapists, occupational therapists, peer specialists, individuals with lived experience, and family members.