Of course there is always context for “positive change,” by definition, if you are practicing individualized and person-centered services. However, there has to be a baseline or standard somewhere of what is needed for surviving and thriving in the context that one lives if there is going to be any services at all that move people along on a recovery-oriented continuum, respectfully, thoughtfully, contextually, and successfully. It takes a variety of paths, but there are still paths that can be developed and serve many people and help them reach their goals for experiencing a life worth living. Peers are great resources to help develop paths to help one another.
Following the logic of the “elephant eating” metaphor for approaching massive projects, incremental positive change is a step toward goal completion. There may be a thousand or more bites to eat that elephant, but it still has to be done one bite at a time. Most importantly, as the writer demonstrated, lives were positively changed, and for that thanks should be given.
It seems like the jest of the “myth” is what is diagnosed as “mental illness” according to current methodologies is nothing more than non-conformist, anti-social, immoral behavior according to Szaszism? And there is no known biological or physiological cause of this? Yet one lay observation of a TBI should dispel that notion. When you see someone’s mental capacity, behavior, and changes in the “mind” occur when the brain is injured, that is evidence of an illness, is it not? So why cannot that be the case with causes not as evident as a TBI, but is related to complex trauma? As with most things, the truth is somewhere in the middle, with social/environmental, biological, physiological causes producing symptoms which are real and exist, just as the unseen mind is real and exists, and can become unhealthy, and therefore “ill.” Argue semantics about calling it an illness, but let’s not jump off the deep end of atheistic beliefs about the existence of something when there is clear and convincing evidence of its existence.
The distinction is made because services are STILL delivered by some providers, based on the provider’s ideas of what is best for the individual to whom they are providing services.
There has been much debate about the proper term to describe this relationship. What would you suggest is a better designation?
It is a concept distinguishing between services delivered by providers who make recovery-oriented or treatment decisions for the recipient of the services (provider-centered) vs. services delivered by providers where the recipient of the services make recovery-oriented or treatment decisions for themselves, with the provider as a trained guide (person-centered). It is a very important and real distinction that makes a difference in one’s healthcare, whether it be mental or physical health.
Neesa has hit on some very good tensions. As an ED for a peer run organization that provides Peer Support in a drop in center environment AND traditional treatment services such as case management, mental health assessment and psychotherapy, this article hits on some very practical ethical considerations that our practice deals with as well. However, we have found that when both disciplines are using the Recovery Oriented System of Care (ROSC) model, it helps tremendously to see the NASW ethical boundaries as a healthy guideline to ensure that the agency is providing person-centered services, with peers stating their recovery goals and providers coming alongside the peer to help them work on those goals.
Of course there is always context for “positive change,” by definition, if you are practicing individualized and person-centered services. However, there has to be a baseline or standard somewhere of what is needed for surviving and thriving in the context that one lives if there is going to be any services at all that move people along on a recovery-oriented continuum, respectfully, thoughtfully, contextually, and successfully. It takes a variety of paths, but there are still paths that can be developed and serve many people and help them reach their goals for experiencing a life worth living. Peers are great resources to help develop paths to help one another.
Following the logic of the “elephant eating” metaphor for approaching massive projects, incremental positive change is a step toward goal completion. There may be a thousand or more bites to eat that elephant, but it still has to be done one bite at a time. Most importantly, as the writer demonstrated, lives were positively changed, and for that thanks should be given.
It seems like the jest of the “myth” is what is diagnosed as “mental illness” according to current methodologies is nothing more than non-conformist, anti-social, immoral behavior according to Szaszism? And there is no known biological or physiological cause of this? Yet one lay observation of a TBI should dispel that notion. When you see someone’s mental capacity, behavior, and changes in the “mind” occur when the brain is injured, that is evidence of an illness, is it not? So why cannot that be the case with causes not as evident as a TBI, but is related to complex trauma? As with most things, the truth is somewhere in the middle, with social/environmental, biological, physiological causes producing symptoms which are real and exist, just as the unseen mind is real and exists, and can become unhealthy, and therefore “ill.” Argue semantics about calling it an illness, but let’s not jump off the deep end of atheistic beliefs about the existence of something when there is clear and convincing evidence of its existence.
The distinction is made because services are STILL delivered by some providers, based on the provider’s ideas of what is best for the individual to whom they are providing services.
There has been much debate about the proper term to describe this relationship. What would you suggest is a better designation?
It is a concept distinguishing between services delivered by providers who make recovery-oriented or treatment decisions for the recipient of the services (provider-centered) vs. services delivered by providers where the recipient of the services make recovery-oriented or treatment decisions for themselves, with the provider as a trained guide (person-centered). It is a very important and real distinction that makes a difference in one’s healthcare, whether it be mental or physical health.
Neesa has hit on some very good tensions. As an ED for a peer run organization that provides Peer Support in a drop in center environment AND traditional treatment services such as case management, mental health assessment and psychotherapy, this article hits on some very practical ethical considerations that our practice deals with as well. However, we have found that when both disciplines are using the Recovery Oriented System of Care (ROSC) model, it helps tremendously to see the NASW ethical boundaries as a healthy guideline to ensure that the agency is providing person-centered services, with peers stating their recovery goals and providers coming alongside the peer to help them work on those goals.