Resonating relationships: an interview study with participants in an individual placement and support programme in Denmark

This study examines how the experiences of participants in an Individual Placement and Support programme differ compared to their previous experiences with the psychiatric treatment system and employment services. The article is based on a qualitative study of 19 IPS participants’ experiences in a Danish context. The study was designed as a participatory research project involving two co-researchers with personal experience of IPS. The study shows that the participants emphasised time and flexibility as central to the development of a helpful relationship with the employment specialist. This contrasts with their previous experiences, where they often met with professionals who lacked the time to develop a resonating relationship. Based on Hartmut Rosa’s critical theory of late modern temporality, it is discussed how increasing acceleration is experienced individually, but also systematically, in today’s society. It raises questions about how time and flexibility affect the potential for people with mental health problems to enter a working life and thus strengthen their recovery process.