Tidal Model

Contributor – Paul Plohr
May 15, 2024

Authors –

Phil Barker, PhD, RN, FRCN
Poppy Buchanan-Barker, Social Worker and Counselor

First published – 1997

Source

Major Concepts

The Tidal Model lists six core assumptions.

  • There is a belief in the value of curiosity
  • Resourcefulness is more powerful than focusing on problems and weaknesses
  • There is a respect for the patients’ wishes rather than a paternalistic attitude
  • Crisis is an opportunity for growth
  • Patients must set their own goals
  • The simplest way to achieve goals should be pursued

These core values have to be understood and assumed. Then the engagements in process belief are identified along with the three domains.

Engagements:

  • It is possible to recover
  • Change is constant and unavoidable
  • Patients know what is best for them
  • Recognition of the power of resourcefulness, rather than focusing on problems, deficits or weaknesses
  • The patients are the teachers and the health workers learn from them
  • Health workers need to be curious and learn what needs to be done for the patients
  • Acknowledging that all goals must belong to the person

Three Domains:

  • Self-Domain
  • World Domain
  • Others Domain

(“Barker’s Tidal Model of Mental Health Recovery – Nursing Theory,” 2023)

Typology –

This is a middle-range nursing theory. It was originally created to be incorporated within a mental health nurse’s scope. The Tidal Model is a middle-range theory due to its specificity and ability to be utilized in a clinical setting to address patient needs and create a care plan. Despite being formulated within the psychiatric setting in mind, this theory has been applied in various other disciplines as well.

Brief Description

The figure above is a visual representation of the three-domains that are a core concept to the model.
Self-Domain: this is where the security plan is developed to address the patients insecurities and strengthen their mental fortitude to reduce the perception of threats.
World-Domain: This is the domain where patients tell their story. This reveals many concepts the provider can use to tailor the patients care plan to promote recovery.
Others Domain: This is the patients relationship domain. The patient can identify potential support structures from this or others that may be affecting the patients mental health.

The Tidal Model focuses on mental health but is really about understanding the patient and identifying goals that leverage self-identified support to enhance the patient’s mental wellness. This Model is based on the understanding that the patient’s mental health journey is fluid, and each patient has a unique story. The job of the provider is to be the pupil and allow the patient to tell their story and what may have led to their current “shipwreck”. This journey of revelation will allow the provider to select goals that the patient has identified and leverage them to promote a better well-being. The end-goal of this model is to increase the patient’s own health literacy, for when the next “shipwreck” occurs, the patient has the tools to help repair themselves.

Primary Source(s)

https://www.tidal-model.com/theory.html

Barker, P. J., & Buchanan-Barker, P. (2005). The Tidal model: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals. Psychology Press.

Barker, P. & Blackwell Science Ltd. (2001). The Tidal Model: Developing an empowering, person-centred approach to recovery within psychiatric and mental health nursing. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing (Vol. 8, pp. 233–240). Retrieved from https://xerte.nottingham.ac.uk/USER-FILES/28792-nxzgl-site/media/Barker_2001_The_Tidal_Model.pdf

Kusdemir, S., Oudshoorn, A., & Ndayisenga, J. P. (2022). A critical analysis of the Tidal Model of Mental Health Recovery. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 36, 34–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2021.10.012

Barker’s Tidal Model of Mental Health Recovery – Nursing Theory. (2023, June 14). Retrieved from https://nursing-theory.org/theories-and-models/barker-tidal-model-of-mental-health-recovery.php

Authors

Poppy Buchanan-Barker and Phil Barker

Phil Barker was born in 1932 just outside of Scotland. He was a mental health nurse that had started as a nursing assistant. He married Poppy Buchanan-Barker who helped Mr. Barker with the Tidal Model. He retired in 2008 to pursue his love of painting and lecturing career. Phil Barker was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2001 by Oxford Brookes University and was the first psychiatric nursing professor at Newcastle University. Phil Barker has written many books and now travels to other universities to lecture and run workshops. Both Phil and Poppy were frustrated with the traditional medical focus that mental health patients received. Despite both working in different areas, they experienced patients afflicted with mental ailments. Through Phil Barker’s doctoral research, the Tidal Model was launched in Newcastle, England. Phil and Poppy started holding workshops to promote the Tidal Model to professionals in many different continents. The team supported various research endeavors to record practice and in 2005 the team published the Tidal Model book.