[Nicolyn Brown]

• What are your general reactions to Stephanie’s personal narrative?

One piece that really stood out was Stephanie’s statement that she knew the names and numbers of available services, but didn’t use them when needed because she didn’t know what utilizing the services would look like. As providers, we are often so familiar with services that we don’t stop to think that a client may not be as familiar. It was a good reminder for me to not just provide contact information, but to also take the time to walk a client through what utilizing a particular service or resource might look like.

• What are your thoughts on the difference between the medical model, pathology-based approach and a person-driven, recovery-oriented approach to helping as embodied by a peer recovery support approach that Stephanie describes in her story?

A person driven recovery approach sets the client up for long term success. Too often the medical model misses the client’s own goals and leaves a client with no support at closure of services. If we use a strictly pathology based approach, we may miss the recovery goal a client has for themselves, missing an opportunity for client “buy in” and long term success. All of us as individuals have personal, social and community strengths. A person drive approach draws on those supports for more successful outcomes.

• What are some strategies you have or would use to link consumers to peer recovery support services in your community and develop collaborative relationships with peer specialists?

In addition to maintaining a list of local recovery support services which most of us already do, a strategy would be to reach out to these services and meet with them and gather information. It would be important to establish a personal connection with these services so I can better describe what they offer to a client.

• Take a moment to reflect on the course material over the past four weeks and the new insights you have gained about wellness and recovery promotion. How do you envision bringing these new insights into your work with consumers?

Utilizing a recovery and person centered approach is not only our duty to a client as a person, but we know as providers that this leads to better, longer term positive outcomes. The specific spread sheets, questions and other tools provided in this training will be a great resource for times when I am struggling to keep treatment person centered.

[Nicolyn Brown]

1) What are your general reactions to this exercise of identifying wellness goals and taking action to achieve them?

I thought it would be overwhelming, but once I chose a few categories and started it all came rather easily. Having specific action steps left me feeling motivated and made the goal feel attainable.

2) What did you discover about how your strengths, supporters, and or community resources might help you overcome barriers to taking an action step or reaching your goal?

I tend to think or resources as friends, family, and organizations. The exercise broadened by scope of what resources could mean in a way that would have been achieved if you simply asked me to list resources.

3) What are some strategies you would employ to help consumers develop and implement their own wellness/recovery plans?

Starting small. Picking maybe 2 categories to work through on the chart that have immediate and manageable action steps. The goal would be using these early/easy successes as a motivator for client buy in to use the tool for some more complicated or long term goals.

[Nicolyn Brown]

1. 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?

It was harder than I thought it was going to be. Each of these questions has significant depth to it and I found I needed quite a bit more time than expected to give adequate reflection and identify a strength to build on.

2. What did you discover about your own strengths that might have been previously hidden from view?

I loved the “how do you play” question. As adults I think we often feel the need to produce something even when it comes to recreation (like completing a puzzle, writing, painting, achieving an exercise goal). This question gives permission for leisure and fun to really be about the process, not an end result.

3. How would you or have you used a strengths assessment to help consumers identify their strengths and uncover their hopes and dreams?

I usually start with a simple “tell me about a time when things went well.” Just this simple reframing of questions about a person’s lived experiences really changes the tone and fosters engagement. I’ve had unexpected success in asking formal and informal supports (when able) this question about a client. Others often see the strengths we fail to see in ourselves and it can lead to tangible goals and next steps.

[Nicolyn Brown]

1. What are your general reactions to the mindful writing? What were some of the personal resources, skills, and abilities you relied on to help you through a difficult experience in your life?

I haven’t done any sort of free writing or journaling since I was a child so it was certainly a different approach. In reviewing my narrative, it is clear that family (biological and chosen) has been a significant personal resource in meeting both my physical and emotional needs. When things seem overwhelming, one skill I utilize is to chart/list/plot a series of goals in small tangible, incremental steps and then address each goal one at a time.

2. What are some of the ways the questions and or the mindful writing helped you uncover your narrative of resilience?

Taking the time to write things out forced me to slow down my stream of thoughts in a way that allowed for more reflection.

3. How might you apply the Narrative questions and or mindful writing in your work with others to help them uncover a neglected story of resilience in their lives?

In my role, clients often focus on the deficits in others. Asking narrative questions and giving them time to reflect often leads to a discussion of strengths we wouldn’t have other wise had which can lead to tangible steps moving forward.

[Nicolyn Brown]

I’m Nikki Brown. I have been a social worker for almost 15 years now and am currently working with the Office of Child and Family Services as an intake worker. I am interested in developing a better understanding of ROSC so that I can better understand and support those involved with the OCFS system.

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