Clients’ lived experiences of rooms used for talking therapies in the NHS

S, T

Abstract

Background: There has been little research into how clients experience rooms that are used for talking therapies within the National Health Service (NHS), despite the NHS being the single largest provider of talking therapies in the UK. This study used a qualitative approach to explore how clients experience the physical space of the therapy room.
Aims: This qualitative study aimed to explore client’s lived experiences of the physical environment of therapy rooms, used for talking therapies in the NHS.
Methods: Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with six participants who had received a 1:1 talking therapy, in at least one therapy room, in an NHS setting (primary or secondary care). The data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to develop themes, which were then discussed with reference to existing literature and in terms of implications for practice.
Findings: Three superordinate themes were developed. ‘The journey to the room’ related to the physical and psychological journey that clients took to enter therapy rooms, encompassing accessibility, attention to the wider building and previous experience of therapy rooms. The second superordinate theme of ‘the hospitality of the room’ encompassed client’s experiences of how they were ‘catered’ for within the room and how they felt in relation to the space and the therapist. The final superordinate theme of ‘cure or space to explore’ related to the appearance of the room and the ‘message’ that it gave the participants about the origin and maintenance of their issues and the purposes of talking therapy.
Conclusion: The findings have implications for individual therapists and service providers within the NHS. Client’s experiences of rooms can impact upon their ability to engage with the therapy and the therapist. Practitioners and service providers need to consider the impact of the therapy rooms that they use, including the wider setting that the rooms are situated in and consult with individual clients, to ensure that rooms are meeting their needs

Citation

S, T. Clients’ lived experiences of rooms used for talking therapies in the NHS. (Thesis). University of the West of England. https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/8539267

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jan 9, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 23, 2022
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/8539267
• Award Date: Jun 23, 2022