The relationship to professionals has proved to be a helping factor for personswith severe mental illness, but it is also a relationship characterised by anunbalanced power relation. The aim of this study was to compile and analyze theknowledge of what persons with severe mental illness themselves consider to behelping in the relationship to professionals, and to specifically analyse this from apower perspective. The analysis was conducted using Foucault’s ideas of powerand knowledge, and an empowerment perspective. The method used was anarrative review. Fourteen relevant studies were included, in which fouroverarching themes were identified; building the basis for helping, workingtogether, more than a consumer and the professional role. The institutionalisedknowledge regarding the consumers, their problems and in which way thisrelationship is helping, was understood as an integral part of the power within therelationship. To share power by looking beyond this knowledge, going beyond theinstitutionalised way of helping and instead taking the consumer’s view intoaccount, was seen as helping. This knowledge calls for professionals to, inambition to helping individuals with severe mental illness, be open to the variousdifferent ways of doing so.