Abstract
Objective
report the experience of using the narrative interview with homeless persons who suffer from mental disorders.
Method
experience report held in a capital city in the South of Brazil. The data collection took place from July to October 2019.
Results
the application of the narrative interview was developed in two stages: approach to the field and selection of participants; and construction of the narrative. The first involved an insertion in a Street Office and made it possible to identify and develop a link with the users. The second occurred with the development of the narrative interview and involved the following steps: contact and negotiation, main story and questioning phase.
Conclusion
the narrative interview presents itself as a methodological tool with potential for the construction of therapeutic itineraries for homeless persons with mental disorders, contextualizing their options in the search for their care from the perspective of their life stories.
Implication for practice
narrative interviewing makes it possible to make oneself heard in often neglected stories. By having as a central focus the construction of senses by those who experience a certain reality, it allowed the reconstruction of these, allowing new looks and insights in relation to the very experience of those who reported.
Keywords:
Mental Health; Narration; Homeless Persons; Qualitative Research