Psychoeducational interventions are predominantly situated in healthcare settings. Their aim is to support the development of psychological skills and coping resources to mitigate the adverse impact and stress of ill-health as well as provide information on conditions. This thesis is concerned with the experiences of participants living with long-term health conditions and disabilities who attended a workplace group personal development programme that is fundamentally psychoeducational. The pedagogy of psychoeducational
interventions and the programme attended by this study’s participants draws upon and synthesises various psychological therapeutic approaches and models with learning theory.The effectiveness of psychoeducation and the psychological therapies that underpin the programme attended by these participants have been extensively quantified. However, much less is understood about how participants have experienced such interventions. Data from individual interviews with fourteen participants who had attended a workplace
psychoeducational programme was analysed using thematic analysis. Nine themes were identified which captured participants’ experiences of psychoeducational learning and personal growth on a collective and experiential intervention. Participants reported enhanced capacities for awareness, accessing positive affect, restructuring self-limiting beliefs and making constructive life-changes following an experiential and highly supportive group learning intervention. The psychological, relational and reflective practice skills learned were considered fundamental for continued wellbeing and self-development. While its findings are not generalisable, this exploratory study offers insights into the constructive impact that a collective, integrative psychoeducational intervention in an occupational/educational and non-medical context can have. Provision of such programmes in contexts beyond healthcare would increase access and provide opportunities to develop skills and capabilities that can
improve, enhance and maintain psychological wellbeing; and facilitate the capacity to flourish. Further research to quantify the impact of integrated psychoeducational interventions situated in non-medical context is recommended. Along with further qualitative data, this would provide further knowledge and understanding of psychoeducational learning interventions and their potential for wider application and implementation.