| Job Title | Contact | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Lecturer |
Deborah dot Harrison at uea dot ac dot uk
Tel: +44 (0)1603 59 3303 |
Queens Building 1.15 |
Deborah is an occupational therapist with extensive experience working in NHS mental health services, mainly as a part of interprofessional community teams. She has also held management and training roles in the NHS. Since working at UEA she has taught occupational therapy in mental health practice, psychology and qualitative research. Debbie has an interest in exploring how the ideal of ‘occupational justice’, the human right to participate fully in society, might be achieved. She has explored adult learning, in a very broad sense, as a possible route to participation for people with mental health difficulties. She is currently working as a volunteer with a small charity supporting the recovery of injured military personnel in the role of social media manager. Follow Deborah on twitter @DebbiiHarrison.
Qualifications
Research interests
Career summary
During the first 20 years of my career I worked in a variety of mental health settings, in the US, Cambridgeshire and Cornwall. After working in both rehabilitation and acute care I specialised in adult community mental health.
My first research project at Masters level studied interprofessional working on a psychiatric intensive care unit. I completed the MSc in Health Sciences with an ethnographic study of an occupational therapist working in a community mental health team. This study used participant observation and interview to explore how an occupational therapist operates within the team and how they use their unique skills alongside generic mental health work. I worked with Dr Maggie McArthur on a funded evaluation of a Healthy Living Centre, using interviews and focus groups and then a similar evaluation of a Healthy Minds Centre.
My current research is exploring the experiences of people who have severe mental health difficulties when they engage with adult continuing education. Within the context of a policy direction urging people back into education and training, my question is, what is the lived experience and the potential negative consequences of this?
Selected publications
Harrison D, Sellers A, 2008, ‘Occupation for mental health and social inclusion’, British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71(5); 216-219.
Lambert R, Harrison D, Watson M, 2007, ‘Complexity, occupational therapy, unpredictability and the scientific method: a response to Creek et al (2005) and Duncan et al (2007), British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 70(12);534-536.
Harrison D, 2005, ‘Context of change in community mental health occupational therapy: Part 2’, International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 12(10); 444-448.
Harrison D, 2005, ‘Context of change in community mental health occupational therapy: Part 1’, International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 12(9); 396-399.
Harrison D, 2003, ‘The case for Generic Working in Mental Health Occupational Therapy’, British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 66(3);110-112.
Harrison D, Hill S, 2003, ‘Mental health occupational therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy’, Mental Health Occupational Therapy, 8(3); 101 –105.
Harrison D, 2002, ‘Activities and multiprofessional teamwork on a psychiatric unit’, British Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 9(2); 46-50.
Chronic Illness
My teaching interests include integrating psychology and health psychology into the human sciences curriculum to promote a whole person approach in understanding the needs of the individual and in the provision of therapy. The biopsychosocial model currently underpins this teaching. I also teach mental health and aim to promote recovery models within the context of occupational therapy practice.
Lambert, RA, Harrison, DJ and Watson, MJ (2009) Occupational Therapy is not a Complex Intervention. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72 (5). p. 233.
Lambert, RA, Harrison, DJ and Watson, MJ (2007) Complexity, occupational therapy, unredictability and the scientific method: a response to Creek et al (2005) and Duncan et al (2007). British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 70 (12). pp. 534-536.
Harrison, DJ (2005) Context of change in community mental health occupational therapy: Part 2. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 12 (10). pp. 444-448.
Harrison, DJ (2005) Context of change in community mental health occupational therapy: Part 1. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 12 (9). pp. 396-399.
Denziloe, J, Chia, SH and Harrison, DJ (2003) Age-appropriate behaviors. Nursing and Residential Care, 5 (2). p. 53.
Harrison, DJ (2003) Promoting diversity in occupational therapy education. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 66 (5). p. 185.
Harrison, DJ (2003) The Case for Generic Working in Mental Health Occupational Therapy. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 66 (3). pp. 110-112.
Harrison, DJ (2003) Mental Health Occupational Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Mental Health Occupational Therapy, 8 (3). pp. 101-105.
Harrison, DJ and Chia, SH (2003) Compliance and client-centered care: are they in conflict? British Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 8 (3). pp. 101-105.
Harrison, DJ (2002) What is age-appropriateness? British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65 (3). p. 107.
Harrison, DJ (2002) Activities and multiprofessional teamwork on a psychiatric unit. British Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 9 (2). pp. 46-50.
Harrison, DJ and Chia, SH (2002) Who makes the decisions in the occupational therapy referral process? British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65 (11). p. 487.
Mcarthur, M and Mason, R (2011) Theory into practice: a model to facilitate the integration of CPD. In: Tools for Continuing Professional Development. Quay Books, London, pp. 171-181.
Watson, MJ (2011) Utilising broadcast media as a means for enhancing CPD. In: Tools for Continuing Professional Development. Quay Books, London, pp. 53-62.
Mcarthur, MA, Birt, L, Harrison, D and Killett, A (2008) It's not something you are going to talk about with your mates in the pub: Perceptions of a community mental health service. In: UK Mental Health Research Network Conference.
Harrison, DJ and Fletcher, S (2005) Interprofessional learning in Women's Health. Enhancing Competencies in Physiotherapy Education. In: European Network of Physiotherapists in Higher Education, Helsinki, Finland.
Bagust, A, Wilson, E, Downs, KE, Perry, AS and Harrison, DJ (2002) Utility and Quality of Life in the CODE-2 study for Type 2 Diabetes. In: American Diabetic Association Conference, San Francisco.
Chia, SH and Harrison, DJ (2003) Tools for Continued Professional Development. Quay Books Division of MA Healthcare. ISBN 9781856422505
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