Rufus May
Encyclopedia
Rufus May is a British
clinical psychologist best known for using his own experiences of being a psychiatric patient
to promote alternative recovery approaches for those experiencing psychotic
symptoms. After formally qualifying as a clinical psychologist, he then disclosed that he had been previously detained in hosptial with a diagnosis of schizophrenia
.
from the age of 15, and social isolation. His indulgence of fantasies of being on a mission led to a belief that he was an apprentice spy for the British secret service, and accompanying symptoms of psychosis including poor sleep and messages from the radio. This eventually led to three admissions to Hackney Hospital
within 14 months.
His experiences of being forcibly held down and injected while in hospital resulted in him disengaging from services and stopping his medication, to then rely on social relationships and voluntary work to regain his health.
He did not declare his mental health
history during his training, only informing his employer one year after qualifying as a clinical psychologist.
of mental distress. For example, he works with those experiencing auditory hallucination
s by conversing directly with the voice to help discover the meaning of these psychotic experiences. He draws upon the nonviolent communication
style developed by Marshall Rosenberg
. His approach received considerable publicity when it was the subject of a 2008 British TV documentary
about a junior doctor he helped overcome her experiences of hearing voices. The Doctor Who Hears Voices is a Channel 4
documentary of the therapy May provided to a junior doctor, played by actress Ruth Wilson
and directed by Leo Regan. The programme created a significant reaction with both support and criticism of May's approach and was a 2008 finalist in the Mind Mental health media awards.
in 1998. He has worked as a clinical psychologist in Tower Hamlets, East London. and currently works as a clinical psychologist in an assertive outreach team
in Bradford
, England
. He is actively involved in consumer recovery groups such as the hearing voices network
and a Bradford mental health discussion and campaign group, Evolving Minds.
He often provides comments in the British media against the use of complusory detention and the forcibly use of medications legislation.
His story has received a number of awards, including a Mental Health Media Survivor and Factual Radio awards in October 2001 for Fergal Keane's
show, Taking a Stand on Radio Four. and a 2008 award for the TV documentary
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
clinical psychologist best known for using his own experiences of being a psychiatric patient
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
to promote alternative recovery approaches for those experiencing psychotic
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
symptoms. After formally qualifying as a clinical psychologist, he then disclosed that he had been previously detained in hosptial with a diagnosis of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
.
Experiences of mental health
May was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1986 at age 18 and was compulsorily detained in a psychiatric hospitals on three occasions. He attributed his psychotic experiences to his childhood experience of his mother becoming unwell, smoking cannabisCannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
from the age of 15, and social isolation. His indulgence of fantasies of being on a mission led to a belief that he was an apprentice spy for the British secret service, and accompanying symptoms of psychosis including poor sleep and messages from the radio. This eventually led to three admissions to Hackney Hospital
Homerton University Hospital
Homerton University Hospital is an NHS-run University Hospital in Homerton, Hackney- East London.-Overview:The hospital is run by the Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which was established on 1 April 2004 and is one among the first ten foundation trusts established in England...
within 14 months.
His experiences of being forcibly held down and injected while in hospital resulted in him disengaging from services and stopping his medication, to then rely on social relationships and voluntary work to regain his health.
He did not declare his mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
history during his training, only informing his employer one year after qualifying as a clinical psychologist.
Clinical approach
May has used his professional knowledge and own experiences of psychosis to focus on developing services that are more patient centred and therapeutic approaches that are more collaborative, without relying on chemical imbalance theoriesBiopsychiatry controversy
The biopsychiatry controversy is a dispute over which viewpoint should predominate and form the scientific basis of psychiatric theory and practice. The debate is a criticism of a claimed strict biological view of psychiatric thinking. Its critics including disparate groups such as the...
of mental distress. For example, he works with those experiencing auditory hallucination
Auditory hallucination
An auditory hallucination, or paracusia, is a form of hallucination that involves perceiving sounds without auditory stimulus. A common form involves hearing one or more talking voices...
s by conversing directly with the voice to help discover the meaning of these psychotic experiences. He draws upon the nonviolent communication
Nonviolent communication
Nonviolent Communication is a communication process developed by Marshall Rosenberg beginning in the 1960s. NVC often functions as a conflict resolution process...
style developed by Marshall Rosenberg
Marshall Rosenberg
Marshall Rosenberg is an American psychologist and the creator of Nonviolent Communication, a communication process that helps people to exchange the information necessary to resolve conflicts and differences peacefully...
. His approach received considerable publicity when it was the subject of a 2008 British TV documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
about a junior doctor he helped overcome her experiences of hearing voices. The Doctor Who Hears Voices is a Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
documentary of the therapy May provided to a junior doctor, played by actress Ruth Wilson
Ruth Wilson (actress)
Ruth Wilson is an English actress, perhaps best known for her performance in the title role of Jane Eyre.-Early life and education:...
and directed by Leo Regan. The programme created a significant reaction with both support and criticism of May's approach and was a 2008 finalist in the Mind Mental health media awards.
Professional career
May qualified from the University of East LondonUniversity of East London
The University of East London is a university located in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, based at two campuses in Stratford and Docklands areas...
in 1998. He has worked as a clinical psychologist in Tower Hamlets, East London. and currently works as a clinical psychologist in an assertive outreach team
Assertive Community Treatment
Assertive community treatment, or ACT, is an intensive and highly integrated approach for community mental health service delivery. ACT programs serve people whose symptoms of mental illness result in severe functional difficulties that interfere with their ability to achieve personally meaningful...
in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He is actively involved in consumer recovery groups such as the hearing voices network
Hearing Voices Movement
Hearing Voices Movement is a philosophical trend in how people who hear voices are viewed. It was begun by Marius Romme, a professor of social psychiatry at the University of Limburg in Maastricht, the Netherlands; and Sandra Escher, a science journalist, who began this work after being challenged...
and a Bradford mental health discussion and campaign group, Evolving Minds.
He often provides comments in the British media against the use of complusory detention and the forcibly use of medications legislation.
His story has received a number of awards, including a Mental Health Media Survivor and Factual Radio awards in October 2001 for Fergal Keane's
Fergal Keane
Fergal Patrick Keane , is an Irish writer and broadcaster. For many years, Keane was the BBC's correspondent in Southern Africa. He is the nephew of Irish author John B. Keane....
show, Taking a Stand on Radio Four. and a 2008 award for the TV documentary
Publications
- May, R. (2000) "Routes to recovery from psychosis: The roots of a clinical psychologist", Clinical Psychology Forum 146: 6-10.
- May R. (2004). "Making sense of psychotic experiences and working towards recovery". In J. Gleeson & P. McGorryPatrick McGorryPatrick Dennistoun McGorry FRCP FASSA FRANZCP AO PhD MD is an Australian psychiatrist, best known for his development of the early intervention services for youth....
, (eds.) Psychological interventions in early psychosis. Chichester: Wiley. - May, R. (2007). "Working outside the diagnostic frame". The Psychologist Vol 20, No 5, pp. 300–301.
- May, R. (2009) personal story of recovery in Living with Voices: 50 Stories of Recovery by Marius RommeMarius RommeMarius Anton Joannes Romme is a Dutch psychiatrist. He is best known for his work on hearing voices and regarded as the founder and principal theorist for the Hearing Voices Movement....
, Sandra Escher, Jacqui Dillon, Dirk Corstens, Mervyn Morris. (2009) ISBN 978-1906254223
External links
- Official website
- Evolving Minds
- The Doctor Who Hears Voices at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....