Lived Experience: What It Is and How to Include It

In this brief video, Leah Harris, MA, a suicide attempt survivor and trainer with the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care, starts by providing a brief explanation of “lived experience”: 

“We are experts by experience—people who have lived with mental health conditions, people who’ve been suicidal, people who are trauma survivors. That is just as valuable as the kind of academic credentials that people earn. And it’s incredibly important that we work together as partners.”

She then describes the benefits of involving people with lived experience to guide service design and delivery. Consider the benefits for your situation, and identify the next steps you can take to incorporate lived experience.