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It was brave of her to share her story, and to understand from her perspective why she felt uncomfortable seeking support through the school or other professionals. I thought it was brave for her to speak out about why she felt unsupported there, but liked that she also strove to make it a better environment for herself and others lacking needed supports that are helpful.
I feel that both person/peer centered and medical models can both have their values, but long term for a person to better maintain recovery a peer centered approach would be more effective and meaningful, to be able to build those natural supports and receive understanding and motivation from others with similar life experiences. The medical model can be helpful in times of crisis- however it seems to push people to go to the ER and/or hospital, and with the current need and wait time for beds to open, this can unfortunately end up causing more harm then good in recovery. I do see therapy or medical support coinciding with peer support being a desirable option.
First I admit I need to do some research as to what peer support options are available in the community. Some of the closet are most likely about an hour away, as we are in a rural area, but getting that information would be the first step. Strategies would getting to know some of the peer supports to be able to introduce someone to them and help to facilitate that relationship, also maybe showing them some videos like this so they can have a better view of what it is about.
I will definitely be utilizing some of the provided worksheets and resources to better understand and assist consumers, as well as putting more of a focus on identifying and connecting with natural supports, and using a more person centered approach.
1) I found the process interesting of exploring wellness goals through this exercise. I liked how this exercise broke down the different domains into smaller groups. It helped to break things down into the different domain areas to be able to focus on specific goals. This also helped to make it easier to identify specific action steps.
2) It helped me identify more supports that I have, even if they are not local, there are still people I could reach out to for support. It also helped to think more about what resources are available in my community for the things I could use more support with, or ideas to problem solve.
3)Using the reflections of what has worked for them in the past, and reflecting their strengths that have helped them to get through tough before. I also liked the ideas about working through ambivalence and assisting them with identifying specific triggers and barriers and developing coping plans to work through that.
What are your general reactions to this exercise of identifying strengths and reflecting on how a strength can help you achieve a recovery or wellness goal?
I thought this exercise was a good way to reflect more in depth on identifying personal strengths and supports. It was a good reminder of who/what my personal supports are, and why they are important to me and my wellness.What did you discover about your own strengths that might have been previously hidden from view?
My own strengths that were identified included loyalty to friends and family, being authentic, trying to be non-judgmental and having forgiveness and/or trying to look at situations from others perspectives. These are strengths that I do not think about often, by but by thinking about the questions that the assessment asked, it made me think about why I have the supports that I do, and how they have become an important part of my life and wellness. Most of the people I identified as being supports for me, also tend to have a lot of similar values that I have as well.How would you or have you used a strengths assessment to help consumers identify their strengths and uncover their hopes and dreams?
I have used it in finding out more about their interests to incorporate that in how we approach things in session. I have also used it as a tool to “break the ice” and give them and/or their families a chance to reflect on some of the positive things happening. I like the other assessments given here, and the examples of how to expand on strengths based questions, and cover different areas that I have not thought about before.1) I enjoyed doing the mindful writing. It was initially difficult to decide what to start with, but became easier once I got started. Some personal skills and abilities that I have relied on included being able to stay calm to think things through, trying to look at all sides of the situation, continuing to push through and take steps forward, recognizing that the situation is temporary.
2) The mindful writing helped me to uncover my narrative by noticing that I do not give up, and am willing to try different ideas and think out of the box to come up with solutions. I continue to push through situations, and if something isn’t working I will try a different path. The mindful writing allowed me to see some of these patterns and highlighted some of these themes in my thoughts.
3) In my work I can be supportive in assisting client’s to find their narratives, and give them a safe non-judgemental space to do that in. I can utilize the questions to assist them on reflecting on their stories, notice patterns, and identify their strengths.
I’m Carrie Baker. I work as a Clinician for Androscoggin (formerly Care and Comfort) based out of Dover-Foxcroft. I am interested in learning more about being able to support my clients, and especially children that I work with, that are navigating home situations with active recovery occurring. Also looking to expand on ideas for providing motivation and support.
