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CHAPTER 32 Phil Barker 627

After a gap of more than 30 years, Barker returned to (Barker dislikes the use of the term narrative, which
painting in 2006 and has become a successful, award- he prefers to call story). Barker has published in the
wining artist (see: www.mcloughlinart.com). area of psychiatric and mental health nursing since
Barker’s “ocean of experience” surged in a new 1978. A prolific writer, he has published 19 books,
direction in 1970, when he took a position as an over 50 book chapters, and more than 150 academic
“attendant at the local asylum.” His fascination with papers. He was Assistant Editor for the Journal of
the human dimension, the lived experience, and the Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing for a decade.
stories of people challenged by mental distress Barker became a Fellow of the Royal College of Nurs-
prompted him to relocate his interest in the arts and ing (UK) in 1995, only the fourth psychiatric nurse to
humanities to nursing. be so honored. He received the Red Gate Award for
Barker’s early progress through nursing, although Distinguished Professors at the University of Tokyo in
unusual, was typical of the times and the context. 2000. In 2001, he received an Honorary Doctorate
Soon after qualifying in 1974, Barker began to study from Oxford Brookes University in England, and a
and practice various psychotherapies such as cogni- room was named in his honor at the Health Care
tive behavioral therapy, and family and group ther- Studies Faculty at Homerton College in Cambridge.
apy. His doctoral research, begun in 1980, featured Barker has held visiting professorships at interna-
cognitive behavioral work with a group of women tional universities in Australia (Sydney), Europe
living with depression (Barker, 1987). However, (Barcelona), and Japan (Tokyo). From 2002 to 2007,
around this time, Barker became uncomfortable with he was Visiting Professor at Trinity College in Dublin.
the application of therapies to people experiencing In 2006, he received the inaugural “Lifetime Achieve-
problems in living, and the “uncertainty principle” ment Award” from Blackwell journals, publishers of
resurfaced for him. His curiosity about life and per- the Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing.
sons provoked questions about the resilience and In 2008, he shared with his wife Poppy Buchanan-
integrity of the people with whom he was working. Barker the Thomas Szasz Award for Contributions to
Instead of “caring for” or “treating,” them, he was Civil Liberties at New York University.
learning what it meant to experience distress from With his wife and professional partner, Poppy
the people themselves. He wondered what recovery Buchanan-Barker, Barker has conducted recovery-
meant to people. Questions re-emerged around the focused workshops and seminars in Australia, Canada,
following: New Zealand, Japan, Finland, Denmark, Turkey,
• What it is to be a person Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. A popu-
• What is the proper focus of nursing, and lar commentator on the human condition, Barker
• What are nurses needed for? brings to radio, television, and the popular press his
During his tenure as Professor of Psychiatric Nurs- passion for and curiosity about the recovery process
ing Practice at the University of Newcastle begun in and personhood.
1993, these questions framed his research agenda and Barker is currently an Honorary Professor at the
culminated in the development of the Tidal Model. University of Dundee in Scotland and a psychotherapist
As the UK’s first Professor of Psychiatric Nursing in private practice. He and Poppy Buchanan-Barker
Practice, Barker broke the conventional “academic” have further developed the recovery paradigm at Clan
mold by maintaining his involvement in practice. Unity, their international mental health recovery and
This involvement led directly to the development of reclamation consultancy in Scotland.
the Tidal Model. Throughout his nursing career,
Barker has wondered about the proper focus of psy-
chiatric nursing and the role of care, compassion, Theoretical Sources
understanding, and courage in helping people who The Tidal Model is focused on the fundamental care
are experiencing extreme distress, loss of self, or processes of nursing, is universally applicable, and is
spiritual crisis (Barker, 1999b). The Tidal Model was a practical guide for psychiatric and mental health
developed within this context and history. The “story nursing (Barker, 2001b). The theory is radical in its
knowledge” base lies at the heart of the Tidal Model. reconceptualization of mental health problems as