Introduction/Rationale: Mental health practitioners (MHPs), including occupational therapists, need support to fully implement recovery-oriented interventions. Although these practitioners often embrace recovery principles, they may not always translate them into practice. Traditional training programs' effectiveness is questioned, calling for innovative training approaches. Recovery Colleges (RC) foster changes in professional practice through small-group courses that integrate various types of knowledge (including experiential knowledge), value co-learning, openness to diverse perspectives, and foster reflective practice. While the effects of this training intervention are well documented, limited evidence exists on MHPs' experiences as learners and the perceived benefits of this intervention.
Objectives: Describe MHPs' experiences as learners (including occupational therapists) and the perceived benefits of the training.
Methods: This qualitative study explored MHP trainees' perspectives using semi-structured interviews. Data analysis followed Miles and Huberman’s content analysis method.
Results: Participants (n=13) worked in community organizations and the healthcare sector in Quebec (Canada). Results are grouped in three themes: 1) Experiencing RC – participants discussed the course format, initial expectations, positionality, and offered recommendations. 2) Witnessing benefits – participants described changes in their practice, increased awareness of their well-being and recovery. 3) Identifying key ingredients – participants focused on group composition, interactions, knowledge complementarity, pedagogical design, and learning activities.
Conclusion/Contribution to the occupational therapy profession: RC enriches MHPs both personally and professionally, fostering changes in mental health knowledge, attitudes, and interventions. By promoting diverse knowledge and transformative learning, RCs encourage reflective practice. This study supports RC’s potential to foster recovery-oriented practices among occupational therapists and a paradigm shift in mental health.