Kokeneet (meaning “the experienced ones”) is a podcast series in which long-serving employees of Niemikotisäätiö reflect on their careers and the development of mental health work over the decades. The series explores experiences of the transition away from institutional care, the development of community-based rehabilitation and the growing role of recovery-oriented approaches – in other words, how mental health work has evolved from the 1980s to the present day.
The discussions feature Arja, Lisbeth, Tarja A, Tarja I and Tiina, who have been involved in developing Niemikotisäätiö’s activities since the 1980s. The series is hosted by communications specialist Katja Lampela.
As usual, the song Yhdessä provides the music for our Yhdessä podcast. Its lyrics were created from texts written by service users for Niemikotisäätiö’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2023, where it was performed by a band made up of service users and staff. Listen to the full Yhdessä song here >
How can mental health work balance a person’s right to self-determination with a professional’s concern for their wellbeing?
In the third episode of the series, Niemikotisäätiö’s experienced professionals discuss situations where there are no easy answers. The conversation explores choices related to medication, changes in the service system, and the professional’s role in supporting and accompanying people through different stages of their lives.
One of the key ideas of the episode is that although support is still present in almost every aspect of everyday life, the emphasis today is above all on supporting people in making their own decisions.
Please note: The Kokeneet podcast is available in Finnish only. This page provides an English summary of the episode.
