Description

The Experiences of a Mental Health Survivor as a Professional Social Worker

By Philip Hill

ISBN: 978-1-78382-212-6
Published: 2015
Pages: 74
Key Themes: Mental Health, Social Work, Personal Experience, Schizophrenia

Description

This is an account of how Philip Hill, a mental health survivor diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, entered the social work profession on the 4th of October 2004. This book tells about how he managed his impairment to become an effectual practitioner. It documents the ups and downs of his time in the profession and his continuing role as a registered social worker currently working at Moseley Centre

The journey starts out with the values and experiences that initially led him into social care and the events that encouraged him to take professional social work seriously as a career. The climax of the book reveals how Philip copes with the depression brought about by the loss of his wife of twenty years, Geraldine and how he recovers from this to rebuild his career.

About the Author

Philip was born on the 20th of March 20th 1965 to a mother named Iris Hill who had become diagnosed with Schizophrenia. She was therefore deemed not able to look after him and was fostered by her half sisters daughters, Jessica and her husband Albert. This rupture in his life led to Philip and his twin brother Paul reaching personal developmental milestones at a delayed pace and spending some time in a special school till nine years of age.

Philip was brought up with his adoptive sister Lynn but separated from other siblings Anita and Peter.

Though academic goals were attained which led him to Leicester University, the emotional development was delayed, leading to a breakdown that coincided with the attainment of his degree.

Despite problems with finding and keeping a job that was to lead to a relapse in 1989 Philip was able to commence a social care career in 1992 with Rethink, then known as the National Schizophrenia Fellowship for which he worked for 12 twelve years combining part time and full time work and study to gain a Masters degree, research degree and a social work diploma.

Philip started his professional social work career in 2004 and due to the impact of bereavement of his late Wife Geraldine with whom he had been married to for 20 years was deployed as a social care professional in 2013 but kept his registration after lengthy consideration from the Health and Social Care Professionals Council.