This article discusses a service user’s story of surviving a life-threatening brain haemorrhage, which resulted in her having severe and chronic depression with suicidal ideation. She describes her experiences of an existential crisis and loss of self-identity which she was unable to resolve independently. The article describes the collaborative work between a service user, mental health nurse and clinical psychologist to meaningfully work towards recovery. Using existential and humanistic orientations, it describes some key evidence based psychological approaches to intervention. The service user contributed to the article, which became an intervention in itself.
Mental Health Practice. 20, 3, 30-35. doi: 10.7748/mhp.2016.e1144
Correspondenceauntietravellingmadz@hotmail.co.uk
Peer reviewThis article has been subject to double blind peer review
Conflict of interestNone declared
Received: 16 December 2015
Accepted: 17 August 2016
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