Yesterday I was enjoying the bank holiday a little too much. We have had such glorious weather - it makes working so much harder. This morning it was lovely and sunny and so I took the PhD thoughts for a little walk. I was actually walking for a couple of hours but it was a gentle pace and there was a lot to see and think about.
The more I have read about methodologies the more I am understanding how deeply excluded people with mental health difficulties have been from their own categorization and research. There is a lack of an autonomous political movement surrounding mental health. Without this mental health is predominantly discussed by professionals with varying agendas of their own.
I talked to the duck about this. His feelings were quite clear. He wanted his voice to be heard and he shouted loudly to tell me so.
After chatting to the duck for a while I went and hid out under a tree in full blossom. I wish this was a scratch and sniff screen because it smelt amazing.
So here to further pondering about my methodology. Whilst I am aware I will need to make a strong academic case for whichever I decide to choose my heart is pulling me towards a narrative approach. I want to give students who have experienced or are experiencing mental health issues the opportunity to tell me their story. I am not a counsellor, I don't want to hear these stories so I am able to in some way 'help'. I am conscious that this itself is not a positive position to take. Perhaps, it is in part the literature student (who is kept hidden from my social science colleagues, but is my background) screaming at me that all people's experiences are lived through their own story and this is where you uncover the most interesting details. I think it was also the duck quacking away at me, happily recounting his narrative, his story. I wish I spoke quack, he had a lot to say.
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