Teaching & Research
Teaching interests
I teach across all three years of the Occupational Therapy course. I am involved in practice placement education and the Action Learning Sets that support it across first and second year. I also teach Applied Sciences in second year and run the independent study (dissertation) module for third years across Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy.
Research interests
I am a qualitative researcher with a particular interest in hermeneutic phenomenology. I have completed a fully funded post doctoral study on the meaning and experience of belonging and am currently collaborating with colleagues in the Institute of Sport and Exercise Science on the experiences of exercise and physical activity for people aged 65+. I have a list of publications, some of which were entered in REF2014 and I fully anticipate being entered in REF 2020/1
Publications
Blank A, Harries P & Reynolds F (2011) Mental health service users perspectives of work: a review of the literature. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74 (4), 191-199
Blank A, Harries P & Reynolds F (2013) Im at the blocks really, waiting to bat on. Occupation, work & recovery: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of one mans experiences Work: A Journal for Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation.45(3), 299-305
Notley J, Pell H, Bryant W, Grove M, Croucher A, Cordingley K, Blank A (2012) 'I know how to look after myself a lot better now': service user perspectives on mental health in-patient rehabilitation. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, Vol 19, No 5.
Reynolds, F., Farrow, A. & Blank, A. (2012). "'Otherwise it would be nothing but cruises': Exploring the subjective benefits of working beyond 65". International Journal of Ageing and LaterLife, 7(1),79-106.
Makdisi, L., Blank, A., and Bryant, W. (2013) Facilitators and barriers to living with psychosis: an exploratory collaborative study of the perspectives of mental health service users. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79(9), 418-426.
Blank, A, Harries, P, and Reynolds, F (2014) Without occupation you dont exist. Occupational Engagement and Mental Illness. Journal of Occupational Science. DOI: 10.1080/14427591.2014.882250 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2014.882250
Blank, A., Finlay, L., and Prior, S. (2016) The lived experience of people with mental health and substance misuse problems: Dimensions of belonging. British Journal of Occupational Therapy DOI: 10.1177/0308022615627175
Somer, M., Finlay, L., Ness, O., Borg, M. and Blank, Alison (2018) “Nourishing Communion”: A Less Recognized Dimension of Support For Young Persons Facing Mental Health Challenges? The Humanistic Psychologist. ISSN Print; 0887-3267 Online: 1547-3333 (In Press)