Acceptance of Mental Illness

Promoting Recovery Among Culturally Diverse Groups

Lauren Mizock and Zlatka Russinova

Addresses the relatively unexplored topic of acceptance of mental illness, which is gaining recognition in the mental health field
Examines the complex construct of acceptance of mental illness from diverse cultural, conceptual, and clinical perspectives
Discusses the relationship of acceptance with other critical components of one's recovery journey such as hope, empowerment, and self-determination
Includes a wide range of teaching tools, making it a great resource for mental health educators and practitioners

Acceptance of Mental Illness

Promoting Recovery Among Culturally Diverse Groups

Lauren Mizock and Zlatka Russinova

Description

Recently there has been a growing awareness of the process of recovery from serious mental illness and the importance of coming to terms with the challenges resulting from the illness. Acceptance of one's mental illness is a critical milestone of the recovery journey, fostering empowerment, hope, and self-determination. In addition, there has been a developing interest in the role of culture in influencing the experience of mental illness, treatment, and recovery. Yet, the topic of how people with diverse cultural backgrounds come to recognize and cope with their mental illness is often overlooked in the literature.

Acceptance of Mental Illness adheres to a recovery-oriented philosophy that understands recovery as not simply symptom elimination, but as the process of living a meaningful and satisfying life with mental illness. The book synthesizes research on this topic and offers extensive case histories gathered by the authors to provide readers with an understanding of the multidimensional process of acceptance of mental illness across genders, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. The aim is for clinical readers to be better equipped to support people with mental illness across culturally diverse groups to experience empowerment, mental wellness, and growth. Chapters focus on providing a historical overview of the treatment of people with mental illness, examining the acceptance process, and exploring the experience of acceptance among women, men, racial-ethnic minorities, and LGBT individuals with serious mental illnesses. The book is a useful tool for mental health educators and providers, with each chapter containing case studies, clinical strategies lists, discussion questions, experiential activities, diagrams, and worksheets that can be completed with clients, students, and peers.

Acceptance of Mental Illness

Promoting Recovery Among Culturally Diverse Groups

Lauren Mizock and Zlatka Russinova

Introduction

Chapter 1: The History of the Treatment of Mental Illness

Chapter 2: Acceptance and the Recovery Paradigm in Mental Health Care

Chapter 3: The Multiple Dimensions of the Acceptance of Mental Illness

Chapter 4: Barriers and Facilitators to Acceptance of Mental Illness

Chapter 5: The Process of Acceptance of Mental Illness

Chapter 6: Acceptance of Mental Illness Among Women: Intersectional Stigma

Chapter 7: Acceptance of Mental Illness Among Men: Exploring Masculinities and Mental Health

Chapter 8: Racial-Ethnic Cultural Factors in the Process of Acceptance of Mental Illness

Chapter 9: LGBT Factors in the Process of Acceptance of Mental Illness

Chapter 10: Clinical Applications and Investigation of the Acceptance of Mental Illness

Resource Appendix

References

About the Authors

Index

Acceptance of Mental Illness

Promoting Recovery Among Culturally Diverse Groups

Lauren Mizock and Zlatka Russinova

Author Information

Lauren Mizock, PhD, is Doctoral Faculty in the Clinical Psychology PhD Program at Fielding Graduate University. Dr. Mizock is a licensed clinical psychologist in Massachusetts and California. She is also on the Executive Committee of the Society for the Psychology of Women (Division 35) of the American Psychological Association (APA). She has conducted a number of studies related to psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery, multicultural competence, and mental health practice with transgender individuals, and specializes in these areas of psychotherapy in her private practice. Dr. Mizock publishes widely in peer-reviewed journals and is the author of Researcher Race: Social Constructions in the Research Process.

Zlatka Russinova, PhD, is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the Boston University Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and a Senior Research Associate at the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation. She has directed several research projects exploring diverse aspects of recovery from psychiatric disabilities, including examining the patterns and determinants of vocational recovery and successful employment, the manifestations and determinants of workplace psychiatric stigma, the efficacy of a novel photovoice intervention to reduce self-stigma, the role of spirituality and alternative therapies in recovery, and measurement of mental health practitioners' recovery-promoting competence.

Acceptance of Mental Illness

Promoting Recovery Among Culturally Diverse Groups

Lauren Mizock and Zlatka Russinova

Reviews and Awards

"Mizock and Russinova have composed a compelling illustration of the historical shift in attitudes toward mental illness. Their book is a well-written and insightful expansion of their original work with significant implications for the future of culturally sensitive treatment. Their thorough inclusivity makes this a great read for anyone involved in mental health care." --Margarita Alegria, PhD, Director, Center for Multicultural Mental Health Research, and Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

"This text will be an effective addition to any course focused on mental health, psychiatric disability, and diversity for individuals in recovery. It is especially relevant as it includes evidence-based research and practices related to groups often neglected in these discussions, particularly sexual minorities and members of the trans- and gender-non-conforming communities." --Lisa A. Razzano, PhD, CPRP, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Deputy Director, Center on Mental Health Services Research & Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago

"With exceptional clarity and understanding, Mizock and Russinova probe and explicate the processes, meaning, and benefits, both personally and socially, of proactive acceptance of mental illness. Their in-depth analysis sensitively explores the complexities of acceptance across gender and sexual orientations, as well as a function of race and ethnicity. This long overdue book is an invaluable contribution to the mental health field." --Kim T. Mueser, PhD, Executive Director, Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University

"[A] useful addition to the dialogue on what factors help and hinder recovery from severe mental illness. Acceptance of Mental Illness is therefore recommended for clinicians who work with individuals living with severe mental illness and are seeking ways to facilitate therapeutic discussions." -- volume 61, issue 51 of PsycCRITIQUES

Acceptance of Mental Illness

Promoting Recovery Among Culturally Diverse Groups

Lauren Mizock and Zlatka Russinova

From Our Blog

World Mental Health Day 2017: History of the treatment of mental illness

The tenth of October marks World Mental Health Day. Organized by the World Health Organization, the day works toward "raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health." Mental health has been a concern for thousands of years, but different cultures have treated mental illnesses very differently throughout time.

Posted on October 10, 2017

Read the blog post