Thinker's Group
What motivated the creation of this group?
The answer to the need to create spaces for reflection, outside of care settings, where the voices of people involved in health/illness/care processes are heard, through due recognition of the experience and knowledge of others.
What are the objectives?
To offer a framework that allows for reasoning and questioning the current mental healthcare system in our territory, with the aim of improving care processes and the quality of care for all stakeholders involved (patients, families, and professionals).
Considering the other as an expert, regardless of their role in the clinical setting, generates an exchange of different perspectives and experiences regarding psychological suffering, leading to new ways of working and creating health.
What do you propose for this new phase?
In this new phase, we are considering the possibility of opening up the space and creating a place where issues can be addressed based on the interests of different community groups who may feel the need to be heard and to express their opinions on health-related topics, but from a perspective of competence and citizen empowerment. Ultimately, it is a proposal that is more open to citizen participation.
What profiles do the people in our group have? Do you think it could be enriching to expand the group with other profiles? Which ones?
The group is made up of people diagnosed with a mental disorder, relatives of affected individuals, and various professional profiles from the mental health care network (psychology, nursing, psychiatry, social work).
In some of the editions, we've had the presence of someone from the area where we carried out the group activity, who, out of curiosity, attended some of the sessions.
We find it appropriate to consider increasing the attendance of interested individuals from other fields (justice, education, etc.) due to the nature of the work or the subject matter.
What actions do you take and how do you organize yourselves to achieve these goals? (Do you hold any type of meeting periodically?)
As time and edits have progressed, we have managed to secure new calls for applications by the end of the last one. We notify attendees of the call for applications via email or phone call, and together with them, we take charge of disseminating the information to other interested colleagues.
The Foundation's website shows the proposal for the new edition of the group, with the dates, schedule, and location where it will take place.
Is participation open?
Participation is open. We only ask for a minimum commitment to attend the sessions of the current edition, in order to ensure stability in attendance at group sessions.
Why do you think this group is necessary? (for the Foundation and for society)
The act of enabling horizontality and de-hierarchization in the relationships between participants is a fundamental element that makes it innovative and different from any other existing within the mental health care network.
With this particular thought cell, we would like it to be replicated in other cells and more groups of thinkers in other civic centers.
How do you generate the spaces and environments necessary for the exercise of your activity?
We primarily value a welcoming reception, both for participants from previous editions and for new individuals, with the goal of establishing a climate of trust and respect towards people and their opinions on the topics discussed.
We strive to work in a space that facilitates egalitarian dialogue and the possibility of expressing critical viewpoints.
What treatment do you give to the topics you set out to “think” about? From what perspective do you approach them? (personal, social...)
The decision on the topic to be addressed in each edition is made jointly based on proposals from the group members during the first session of the edition.
Each thinker brings their personal and lived experience to the topic being discussed in the group.
How do you think you can transfer the fruits of your group's work to society/institutions?
This is a topic that appears recurrently in the final sessions of each edition, as it is valued as an important section by its members. Aware of the need to disseminate what has been worked on, and the suitability of publicizing what we have done.
We have contributed to an event organized by the Foundation in a workshop or panel format, presenting the group's dynamics and/or format, as well as some of its conclusions.
We have participated in radio stations where we have provided information about the group.
We believe that being more active on the Foundation's website can facilitate greater knowledge of the group and spark the interest of others.
