Conversations

Just needed to blog this before I forget & bear with me cause my thoughts are really all over the place.

I attended a 2-day conference "A Collaborative Dance: Integrating Systemic Ideas into Clinical and Social Work Practice".

Basically a System is a set of interacting and interdependent component forming an integrated whole.  In layman terms to me, it just simply means that everybody affect somebody in one way or another.

This Dance talks about the goodness of the helping professionals collaborating with one another for the good of the family.  It could mean Counselors, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Social Workers, Therapists, etc. 

What impacted me greatly was three words - Conversations, Safe and Space.  The keynote speaker said "Have faith to do a little different from the norm and you'll see that something will definitely change." She urged us to to drop the language of deficit and change that to a language of appreciation and we will soon see the language in the meeting change too.  One workshop speaker said "In having Compassion, being Curious and mindfully Collaborative, we Create space, conversations and identity for our supervises (& clients) (& friends and family if I may add).

As I sat through the conference, I recall fond memories of my ex-mentor from Beyond.  One day, I was really frustrated with a report that I had to write of a youth.  I told him that I really want to give up! He said "Sandra, just write a report AS IF you are going to present it to the child and his family." That statement blew my mind and since then, report writing was no longer the same for me.  If I were to write to the child and the family, they really could do with one report that talks positively.  Not hiding facts but efforts made to heighten strengths.  

I do believe, really, that no one, young or old, would love to be referred to social services, counseling, etc.  It denote the need for help.  It denotes the lack of privacy.  It spell P.R.O.B.L.E.M to some.  It embarrasses some.

Just as the child could do with a well-written positive perspective of himself, everyone could do with a little kindness.  Behind every face and smile, we fight a battle.  One little change that can create a ripple effect.  Amazing.