Into the unknown: Exploring the relational dynamics of time in young service users’ experiences of mental health work in third-sector organisations

Mental health work in Norway has undergone extensive market-based liberal shifts in recent decades, which has put time under pressure. While streamlining services is claimed to improve quality of care , researchers have expressed concern about a devaluation of face-to-face relationships. This article explores how young service users experience the role of time in mental health work and how temporal dimensions affect professional relationships. To do so, we draw on the case of young service users from two third-sector organisations that provide low-threshold mental health services in Norwegian municipalities. In total, 14 semi-structured interviews with service users were conducted and analysed through a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Hartmut Rosa’s theory of resonance, as well as the concepts of chronos and kairos , were applied to shed light on the temporal and relational experiences of participants. The findings showed how time was experienced through presence and availability, including sharing vulnerable moments and being flexible in the use of clock time. Additionally, the findings revealed that professionals who stayed connected and supported young users over time obtained a more holistic view of the person and were able to provide stability during difficult phases. Through such continuous relationships, the young people experienced gradual inner and outer transformations where they saw themselves in a different light and explored new ways of being.