A family describes what they found helpful in their experience at Now I See A Person Institute. They describe experiences of being welcomed into a community of healing. They describe what we call 'process ethics'. Clients and therapists mutually set the tone and agenda of their therapeutic endeavors. The guiding premise within process ethics is the co-creation of ethics that occur within relational opportunities—where the client, therapist, educational facilitator, or learner collaborate on ethical cojoint actions. (Swim et al 2001). These collaborations are designed to reflect the generation of meaning, which challenges “the taken for granted conventions of understanding,” and invites “new worlds of meaning and action” (Gergen, 1999, p. 116). This family has transcended their experiences of trauma and is united together with their hopes for the future.
An interview with a person that we have been in therapeutic conversations with. They discuss their experience of previous therapies and a part of her journey where she felt coerced. This will be the first of a series of interviews.
A passionate father describes his family's journey within the mental health system and makes a passionate plea.
The narrative of a mother describes how she was able to have an alternative journey when her first daughters' journey was proven unsuccessful. She describes through finding an alternative way to hospitalizations with collaborative conversations and using welcoming language helped save her daughters life. Please share with other parents out there who are experiencing hopelessness. This person wants other parents "to keep hope in their hearts." If you have any experiences to share or would like us to speak about please let us know.
An inspiring person, shares their journey in the mental health system and the importance of experiencing hope. It is important for this speaker to share, because when she was looking for other stories to relate to, "they were very difficult to find. It was discouraging to not be able to find positive and hopeful ways forward”. Listen to what was helpful in her journey.
Now I See A Person Institute on Collaborative Dialogical Practices: Finding strength in severe symptomatic challenges.
We are inspired by our colleagues and the people we are in conversations with. We share thoughts about different understandings of depression, psychosis, anxiety and other symptoms traditionally viewed in mental illness narratives.
This episode for us reflects the courageous journey of someone who experienced severe trauma and concurrent symptoms but because they were not labeled with a diagnosis they were able to protect their personhood and ability to make decisions on them being a person rather than a diagnosis. More and more symptoms are being seen as created from trauma and that they served a positive purpose in someone's journey to 'wellness'.
A person describes her healing journey and the courage she found in trusting the humanity of others when others in her life have not been supportive of her. Please see www.nowiseeaperson.com for further info.
An interview with a person that we have been in therapeutic conversations with. They discuss their experience of previous therapies and a part of her journey where she felt coerced. This will be the first of a series of interviews.
How safe conversational spaces lead to wellness. In journeys to wellness, it is important rather than calling it mental health challenges, we create a space where the person's voice is heard and how their voice is prominent. As Harlene Andersen says it is about being a conversational artist. We consider how we hold these conversational spaces as sacred.
We reflect on a person we are in conversation with. This person's powerful expression on mental health services goes as follows:
"People who received diagnoses shouldn't let themselves get discouraged because the mind is so much bigger than the categories and our mind and our experience are so much bigger than those made to put us in a box. It's dark inside this box."
Our clients are usually given a diagnosis before coming to NISAPI. Diagnoses unfortunately can paint an alternative identity of deficiency, self-doubt, and of being incurable. It can leave the trauma and person hidden in the picture of treatment. Revisiting the past and seeing people through their authentic lens. Also, revisiting the work of Harry Goolishian. Please see www.nowiseeaperson.com
This week's podcast will reflect my mentor Tom Anderson. Tom was a Norwegian psychiatrist, Professor of Social Psychiatry at the Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, Norway, and he is recognized worldwide.
Just sharing our ideas and experience of those of our clients who thrived during the pandemic and beyond. Please see our blog on Mad In America https://www.madinamerica.com/2022/05/horse-ranch-home-ground-healing-families-via-telehealth/ or visit our website www.nowiseeaperson.com for further information.
As part of our ongoing qualitative research at Now I See A Person Institute we interviewed two more families this week. One of the themes they both talked about was the community of support and the power of relationships that helped their healing process as a family.
It is in our title and our signs and business cards - Now I See A Person. That is what we do we see you as a person and not as a diagnosis that may have defined you or limited you in the past. We genuinely care and genuinely have hope that everyone can heal. There is the genuine therapeutic moment when the client and their family no longer see deficiencies and we know they are on the road to 'extraordinarily normal'.
An introduction and reflection of thoughts on process ethics is designed with the goal of constructing and assessing alternative ideas of ethics in therapy. Please go to our website www.nowiseeaperson.com where our intent is to explore how traditional content ethics in therapy can be honored but also supplemented to allow process ethics to flow from the partnership of client and therapist.