Håp for et bedre liv

The transition from substance use treatment to life outside institutional care can be vulnerable. The A Better Life professional development day offers patients and staff in specialized interdisciplinary substance use treatment (TSB) both experience-based and research-based knowledge to ease this transition. The aim of this study was to explore how patients and staff experience participating in the event and to evaluate its impact for further development. Data were collected through semi-structured focus group interviews with 26 patients and 24 staff members. Some of the findings were previously published in a non-peer-reviewed report. The findings will be further elaborated and discussed in this article. The results indicate that the event increases participants’ knowledge and hope for recovery. Presenters with lived experience may serve as guides in challenging situations, both during and after treatment. Both patients and staff emphasize the significance of experiential knowledge, which provides a foundation for continued collaboration after the event.