Self-Advocacy and Mental Health

Why Self-Advocacy in Mental is Important

Research shows that a majority of people who struggle with mental health difficulties do
not access and receive appropriate services. Barriers such as stigma, confidentiality
concerns, and lack of mental health literacy only exacerbate this issue. However, studies
suggest that we can improve these outcomes by learning how to recognize the signs of
mental health concerns, knowing how and where to find support and learning tools to
advocate for ourselves (Syan et al., 2021).

Identify Your Needs  

Feeling Empowered in your journey begins with understanding your own needs. Research
has shown that empowerment to exercise our own agency and choice not only leads to
better outcomes within service use (Wu et al., 2021), but also helps to promote confidence
to take charge and improve overall quality of life. You are the expert of your own life. Taking
some time for reflection may help to clarify your needs and discover your unique strengths
and challenges.
You may be unsure of how to start. To help, try asking yourself these questions:

• What am I struggling with?
• When did I first notice this challenge, and how did I know it was a problem?
• What am I currently doing to manage?
• What does support mean to me? What does it look like to be supported well?
• Who are my support people? Who can I talk to about my struggles?
• How have I overcome challenges in the past?
• What is 1 thing that would help my situation?
• What changes, if any do I want to make? What could be my first step?

Using Your Voice

There is often an inherent power imbalance within the relationship of service providers and
those seeking supports. It can be challenging to learn how to incorporate your own voice
within your care. Below is the PACE framework, originally developed by Dr. Donald Cegala
(2001) to support clients in communicating with their health care providers.

P – Presenting detailed information about how you are feeling
Plan ahead by reflecting on your needs and concerns. Write these down and bring them
with you.
A – Asking questions if desired information is not provided
Calmly and clearly ask for clarifications on anything that you do not understand. Do not be
afraid about to ask for more information.
C – Checking your understanding of information that is given to you
Take a moment to pause. There is no need to rush, it is better to make sure you understand
what a service provider tells you.
E – Expressing any concerns about the recommended treatment
Not every treatment option will be right for you. Your well-being is of the utmost important
and if something does not feel right then it is crucial to speak up.

You’re Not Alone!

If you have identified counselling as the next best step, feel free to reach out to our team
who can support you in clarifying your counselling needs and connecting with a counsellor who feels like the right fit.

At OK Clinical, we offer therapy as well as several specialized services such as EMDR, Neurofeedback, Psychological Assessments, and much more that may help support you in your needs. Please feel free to explore our website, or contact us directly at [email protected] or 250-718-9291 and our team would be happy to connect with you.

References:
Cegala, D. (2001). Communicating With Your Doctor. Ohio State
University. https://health.ubc.ca/sites/health.ubc.ca/files/documents/TTYD%20booklet.pdf
Syan, A., Lam, J. Y. Y., Huang, C. G. L., Smith, M. S. M., Darnay, K., Hawke, L. D., &
Henderson, J. (2021). The Wellness Quest: A health literacy and self‐advocacy tool developed
by youth for youth mental health. Health Expectations, 24(2), 659–

669. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13214
     Wu, H.-C., Yang, C.-Y., & Chen, Y.-C. (2021). The Role of Self-efficacy in the Recovery
     Trajectory of Mental Health Consumers. British Journal of Social Work, 51(3), 907–
670. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcab025

Written by: Cara-Lea Glass, Practicum Student

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