A new lived experience expert

Monday, March 10^th, 2025, a day that will be etched in my memory till the end of my days. You see, this was my first day working in the field of mental health, namely as a new lived experience expert at Keele University. It was some turnaround bearing in mind 15-20 years ago I could barely go out of my house.

My OCD past

I got diagnosed with severe OCD aged 17 but started with it from around the age of 14-15 years old. It was contamination OCD, having a fear of poo, urine, and vomit. It took me 31 years later to truly break free from the shackles of this debilitating condition.

Blogging

To be honest, at times writing has felt like the only thing I am really good at. Through the years I have documented my OCD suffering via my blog. I quickly discovered that it felt really therapeutic to detail my highs and lows.

Positive feedback

My OCD blogs have had some amazing feedback. Around September time last year, I posted a blog about me going to Whitby for a short family break. It was my first holiday in 30 years due to the previous crippling nature of my OCD.

Dr Sarah Watts

On the back of reading some of my OCD blogs, Dr Sarah Watts, who is Course Clinical Director to both the Keele and Staffordshire Post Graduate Diplomas in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, reached out to me online about me becoming an OCD lived expert for them. It would involve me talking to trainee therapists about what it was once like to suffer with severe OCD. I was very flattered and honoured to have been asked, so I duly said yes.

Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

So, my new employer would be Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust. I was so chuffed as well as excited at the prospect of potentially helping future therapists out there. I know this may sound a bit corny, but I told Sarah that I just wanted to help in any way that I could.

My first day

As I said at the start, my first day at Keele University was March 10^th. I was picked up at the station and looked after by the Course Clinical Lead, Psychologist Alex Preston. The day was going to involve me taking part in roleplays with the trainees, a nice way of introducing myself to them.

Nervous

Bearing in mind my last public speaking performance was a long time ago when I went university, I was incredibly nervous. I wanted to do both Sarah and Alex proud though, make a difference to the students, and also do myself proud too.

Roleplays

The roleplays were based on a patient suffering from mild depression, meeting their new therapist. I played the role of the patient. They went better than I could ever have hoped for, the trainees were amazing.

Why they do this

The two courses involve lived experts like me because we enrich the teaching and learning process. What better way to learn than to actually hear from people who have actually had the condition.

Rewarding

As I arrived back in my hometown of Manchester that evening, the whole day had felt like such a rewarding experience. It felt so great to be contributing to something so meaningful. It made me feel good about myself and that finally some good had come out of all my harrowing years of suffering.

Become a mental health lived expert

Have you ever thought about becoming a mental health lived expert? If I can do it with all my insecurities and anxieties bubbling away in the background, then I am sure you can too. Why not contact your local NHS mental health team and see if you could do what I am doing.

A brave new world

As outlined in the above I really ended up liking my brave new world. Good job too because next on my agenda on May 15th, 2025, was my first ever OCD talk at Staffordshire University. Time to prove my mettle once again I thought, another opportunity at trying to make a difference to our beloved NHS.