Home⇛Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal⇛vol. 49 no. 2 (2025)

Phenomenological Exploration on Care Practices of Filipino Non-Practicing Mental Health Professionals Towards Mental Health Users

Jet Martine Geronimo | Geordan Carungcong | Joshua De Fiesta | Maria Archie Cabig | Dianne Agana | Prince Marcus Andre Lerma

Discipline: others in psychology

 

Abstract:

The increasing prevalence of mental health concerns in the Philippines underscores the need for innovative strategies to support psychological well-being, particularly in contexts with limited access to clinical professionals. This qualitative case study explored the care practices of non-practicing mental health professionals and the factors influencing their decisions not to pursue clinical roles. Ten participants were purposively selected, all holding valid professional credentials and working in education, research, or community outreach. Information was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns in participants' experiences. Findings revealed two primary barriers to clinical practice: practical needs, such as financial responsibilities and family obligations, and career efficiency, which reflects the lengthy, resource-intensive pathways and limited incentives in the profession. Participants' care practices were captured in themes: Insightful Engagement, Ethical Reservation Establishment, Reverence for Choices, Practical Wisdom Application, and Compassionate Resonance. These themes illustrate how non-practicing professionals provide meaningful support through ethical guidance, relational presence, and contextual wisdom, extending care beyond formal clinical settings. Limitations include the small, context-specific sample, reliance on self-reported data, and exclusion of actively practicing professionals. Recommendations highlight the importance of institutional support, targeted training programs, integration of mental health literacy in educational curricula, and community-based initiatives to leverage non-practicing professionals' skills. This study contributes to understanding alternative pathways for promoting mental health, emphasizing the role of non-clinical professionals in bridging service gaps and fostering empathetic, ethical, and context-sensitive care.



References:

  1. Arevalo, M. V. P. N., Maslog, E. A. S., Flores, G. P., Manlongat, K. D., & Eala, M. A. B. (2022). Addressing the gaps in the Philippine public mental health strategy is crucial. The Lancet Psychiatry, 9(4), e17. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(22)00040-2
  2. Ataro, G. (2020). Methods, methodological challenges, and lessons learned from a phenomenological study about the OSCE experience: Overview of paradigm-driven qualitative approach in medical education. Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 49, 19-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2019.11.013
  3. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE Publications Ltd.
  4. Commission on Human Rights. (2022). Right to Mental Health Handy Resource Book.
  5. Delaney, K. (2017). Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Advanced Practice Workforce: Capacity to Address Shortages of Mental Health Professionals.. Psychiatric services, 68 9, 952–954. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201600405
  6. Department of Health. (2020). Your mind matters: DOH calls for unified response to mental health. Retrieved at https://doh.gov.ph/press-release/YOUR-MIND-MATTERS-DOH-CALLS-FOR-UNIFIED-RESPONSE-TO-MENTAL-HEALTH
  7. Du Zeying, M., Ashcroft, T., Kulkarni, D., Sawrikar, V., & Jackson, C. A. (2022). Psychosocial interventions for depression delivered by non-mental health specialists to people living with HIV/AIDS in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review. Journal of Global Health, 12. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.12.04049
  8. Frey, A., Mitchell, B., Kelly, M., McNally, S., & Tillett, K. (2022). School-Based Mental Health Practitioners: A Resource Guide for Educational Leaders. School Mental Health, 14, 789–801. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-022-09530-5
  9. Grant, K. L., Simmons, M. B., & Davey, C. G. (2018). Three nontraditional approaches to improving the capacity, accessibility, and quality of mental health services: An overview. Psychiatric Services, 69(5), 508–516. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201700292
  10. Harrison, M. G., King, R. B., & Hocson, S. M. G. (2023). The roles of school counsellors in the Philippines: Challenges and opportunities. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 1(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1017/jgc.2023.4
  11. Hayward, B. (2024). A job analysis of mental health nursing in a school for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.. International journal of mental health nursing. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.13297
  12. Hechanova, M. R., Valentin, A. P., & Alampay, K. P. (2022). Age, COVID-19, and Mental Health in the Philippines: A Multidimensional Perspective. Asia-Pacific Social Science Review, 22(1). https://www.dlsu.edu.ph/research/publishing-house/journals/apssr/volume-22-number-1/
  13. ISBN No. 978-621-8347-10-6 
  14. Jenkins, T. A., Robison, M., & Joiner, T. E. (2023). Dehumanization and mental health: clinical implications and future directions. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 50, 101257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2023.101257
  15. Jimenez, A., Della, C., Arcenas, A., Chua, C., & Legaspi, R. (2020). Examining the competency of Filipino mental health professionals in psychodynamic psychotherapy. Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry, 13. https://doi.org/10.1111/appy.12441
  16. Kiger, M., Knickerbocker, K., Hammond, C., & Nelson, S. (2021). Interprofessional Education in Child and Adolescent Mental Health: A Scoping Review.. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America, 30 4, 713-726. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2021.07.001
  17. Lally, J., Ó Conghaile, A., & Quigley, S. (2019). Mental health services in the Philippines. BJPsych International. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6646843/
  18. Lally, J., Tully, J., & Samaniego, R. (2019). Mental health services in the Philippines. BJPsych international, 16(3), 62–64. https://doi.org/10.1192/bji.2018.34  
  19. Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage.
  20. Lucas, P., Fleming, J., & Bhosale, J. (2018). The utility of case study as a methodology for work-integrated learning research. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 19(3), 215–222.
  21. Marais, D. L. (2023). It’s very difficult to set the boundaries, it’s human nature to want to respond: exploring health professions educators’ responses to student mental health difficulties through a positioning theory lens. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-023-10254-7
  22. Maramis, A., Van Tuan, N., & Minas, H. (2011). Mental health in Southeast Asia. The Lancet, 377(9767), 700-702. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(10)62181-2    
  23. Maravilla, N. M. A. T., & Tan, M. J. T. (2021). Philippine Mental Health Act: Just an act? A call to look into the bi-directionality of mental health and economy. Frontiers in Psychology, 2928.
  24. Martinez, A. B., Co, M., Lau, J., & Brown, J. S. (2020). Filipino help-seeking for mental health problems and associated barriers and facilitators: a systematic review. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 55, 1397–1413. https://doi.org/10.1111/kykl.12170
  25. Meynen, G. (2010). Free will and mental disorder: Exploring the relationship. Theoretical medicine and bioethics, 31, 429-443. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11017-010-9158-5
  26. Mirick, R., McCauley, J., Bridger, J., & Berkowitz, L. (2016). Continuing Education on Suicide Assessment and Crisis Intervention: What Can We Learn About the Needs of Mental Health Professionals in Community Practice?. Community Mental Health Journal, 52, 501-510. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9884-2
  27. Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847
  28. Oyedeji, A. D., Ullah, I., Weich, S., Bentall, R., & Booth, A. (2022). Effectiveness of nonspecialist delivered psychological interventions on glycemic control and mental health problems in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 16(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-022-00521-2 
  29. Pashak, T. J., & Heron, M. R. (2022). Build rapport and collect data: A teaching resource on the clinical interviewing intake. Discover Psychology, 2(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-022-00019-5
  30. Pathman, D., De Saxe Zerden, L., Konrad, T., Shafer, A., Harrison, J., Fannell, J., & Lombardi, B. (2025). Job assessments and the anticipated retention of behavioral health clinicians working in U.S. Health Professional Shortage Areas. BMC Health Services Research, 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12698-6
  31. Philippine Council for Mental Health. (2019). Mental Health Strategic Plan 2019–2023. Retrieved at https://doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/publications/Mental%20Health%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf  
  32. Philippine Statistics Authority. (2022). National Quickstat for 2022. Republic of the Philippines; Philippine Statistics Authority. https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/quickstat/national-quickstat/all/
  33. Rothì, D. M., Leavey, G., & Best, R. (2008). On the frontline: Teachers as active observers of pupils' mental health. Teaching and teacher education, 24(5), 1217–1231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2007.09.011
  34. Schubert, S., Buus, N., Monrouxe, L. V., & Hunt, C. (2023). The development of professional identity in clinical psychologists: A scoping review. Medical Education, 57(7), 612–626. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.15082
  35. Sharma, S. K., Mudgal, S. K., Gaur, R., Chaturvedi, J., Rulaniya, S., & Sharma, P. (2024). Navigating sample size estimation for qualitative research. Journal of Medical Evidence, 5(2), 133–139. https://doi.org/10.4103/JME.JME_59_24
  36. Singla, D. R., Lemberg-Pelly, S., Lawson, A., Zahedi, N., Thomas-Jacques, T., & Dennis, C. L. (2020). Implementing psychological interventions through nonspecialist providers and telemedicine in high-income countries: qualitative study from a multistakeholder perspective. JMIR Mental Health, 7(8), e19271. https://doi.org/10.2196/19271
  37. Slade, S., & Sergent, S. R. (2018). Interview techniques. StatPearls Publishing LLC. NBK526083
  38. Thomas, E. C., Zisman-Ilani, Y., & Salzer, M. S. (2019). Self-Determination and Choice in Mental Health: Qualitative Insights From a Study of Self-Directed Care. Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.), 70(9), 801–807. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201800544
  39. Tokolahi, E., Richardson, D., & Bazyk, S. (2024). A community of practice intervention to increase education-focused mental health promotion actions among interdisciplinary professionals: a qualitative study.. Journal of primary health care, 16 2, 206-209. https://doi.org/10.1071/hc23142
  40. UNESCO, G. (2019). Education as healing: Addressing the trauma of displacement through social and emotional learning. Retrieved at https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000367812/PDF/367812eng.pdf.multi
  41. Van Ginneken, N., Tharyan, P., Lewin, S., Rao, G. N., Meera, S. M., Pian, J., Chandrashekar, S., & Patel, V. (2013). Nonspecialist health worker interventions for the care of mental, neurological and substance-abuse disorders in low- and middle-income countries. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (11), CD009149. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD009149.pub2
  42. Van Ginneken, N., Tharyan, P., Lewin, S., Rao, G. N., Romeo, R., & Patel, V. (2011). Nonspecialist health worker interventions for mental health care in low- and middle- income countries. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2011(5), CD009149. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD009149
  43. Vanderburg, J. L., Dukpa, C., Rauniyar, A. K., Giri, P., Bhattarai, S., Thapa, A., ... & Cruz, C. M. (2022). Exploring mental health and academic outcomes of children receiving non-manualized, transdiagnostic, task-shifted mental health care from their teachers in a low-and-middle income country. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 10, 807178. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2022.807178  
  44. Venet, A. S. (2019). Role-clarity and boundaries for trauma-informed teachers. Educational Considerations, 44(2), 3. https://doi.org/10.4148/0146-9282.2175
  45. World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific. (2021). Prevention and management of mental health conditions in the Philippines: The investment case. Retrieved at https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/wpro---documents/countries/philippines/reports/investment-case-report-mental-health-philippines-2021.pdf?sfvrsn=d0f436e7_9 
  46. World Health Organization. (2008). The global burden of disease: 2004 update. World Health Organization.
  47. World Health Organization. (2018). Mental health in primary care: illusion or inclusion? (No. WHO/HIS/SDS/2018.38). World Health Organization.
  48. World Health Organization. (2021, March 19). WHO special initiative for mental health: The Republic of the Philippines – Design summary [PDF]. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/mental-health/special-initiative/philippines-simh-design-summary.pdf?sfvrsn=b3595d11_5

 


Tools


Copyright © 2026  KITE Digital Educational Solutions |  Exclusively distributed by CE-Logic