Transcript mental health perspective - Creating Community Solutions

Welcoming and Appreciating
Diverse Mental Health Perspectives
Goals and Objectives of the Community
Conversations About Mental Health
• Get Americans talking about mental health
to break down misperceptions and
promote recovery and healthy
communities
• Find innovative community-based
solutions to mental health needs
• Develop clear action steps for
communities to move forward in a way
that complements existing local activities
Creating Community Solutions
Website
Presenter
Dan Berstein
Founder, MH Mediate
(Mental Health Mediation)
Agenda
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What Are Mental Health Perspectives
The Medical Model of Mental Illness
Some Language of Mental Health
Lived Experiences in Mental Health
Ways to Welcome Diverse Perspectives
Today’s Goals
• Appreciate that there are multiple perspectives
in mental health
• Become sensitive about some language and
experiences related to mental health
• Validate and empower all perspectives that
come to a dialogue event
Reminders
• This webinar is meant to open your mind to
some different ways of appreciating mental
health – it doesn’t offer answers
• Be open-minded and neutral
MH Mediate’s Dialogue Event
Co-Sponsored By the CUNY Dispute Resolution Center
http://mhmediate.org/events/dialogue
Mental Health Perspectives
• A mental health perspective is a point of view
• There are many different perspectives in mental health
because there are no clear answers
– Mental illness is not well understood
– Mental illness is hard to define and measure
– There are many different approaches in addressing mental
illness
– There are people who see their sensitivities as a
difference, not an illness
Mental Health Perspectives
• Perspectives can be different based on:
– Roles in the system (mental health professional, family
member, person with lived experience)
– Ideas about the nature of mental health problems (causes,
diagnosis)
– Views about rights (forced treatment)
– Views about treatment (medical model, alternatives)
What is Mental Illness?
The Medical Model
• A problem thinking, feeling, or relating to others that
persists and disrupts
• “Diagnoses that are reliable but may not be valid”
-Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI Medical Director
• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM)
What is Mental Illness?
The Medical Model Debates
• Labeling Debates
– DSM-5 rejected by NIMH
– Overdiagnosis?
– Treating children?
• Cultural Issues
– Homosexuality was a disorder until 1973
– Black patients are twice as likely to be diagnosed with
schizophrenia despite no higher incidence
Some Language
Terms for lived experience
• Patient
• Consumer
• Peer
• Survivor
• Person Using Mental Health Services
Some Language
Person-First Language
• I have bipolar disorder vs. I am bipolar
Some Language
Language Describing Tough Times
• Sick
• Episodes
• Symptoms
• Overwhelmed
• Sensitive
Some Language
Language of Recovery
• What is recovery?
• Why the Recovery Movement?
• How recovery become belittling?
Some Stakeholders in Mental Health
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Peers / Consumers / Survivors / Mentally Ill / Etc
Family Members and Supporters
Treatment Professionals
Advocacy Organizations
Support Groups
The Media
Government
Society
Some Mental Health Professionals
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Psychiatrist (including Psychopharmacologist)
Psychologist
Clinical Social Worker / Therapist / Counselor
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Primary Care Physician
Peer Specialist
Lived Experience:
Challenges
• Pain
Symptoms, Forced Treatment, Hospitalizations, Side Effects, Life
Interruptions, Lost Relationships
• Treatment Challenges
Shortage of Resources, Inability to Afford Care, Finding the Right Fit,
Differing Medical Opinions, Treatment Doesn’t Always Work
• Determining Limits
Self vs. Disorder, When to Seek Support, Insecurity Re: Capability
• New Position in Society
Changing Expectations, Dismissed as Ill, Treated Paternalistically
Supporters and Professionals:
Challenges
• Supporters
Direct Trauma of Mental Illness, Limited Information, Shortage of Resources,
Confusion Regarding Expectations, Feeling Responsible
• Professionals
Many Simultaneous Cases, See People At Worst, Expectations Affected By
Past Clients, Fidelity to Professional Lens, Limited Resources
Welcoming Diverse Perspectives
Locating different perspectives
• Contact a variety of groups
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Professional Associations
NAMI State and Local Affiliates
DBSA State Organizations and Support Groups
National Empowerment Center List of Consumer-Run Statewide
Organizations
– MindFreedom International Directory of Mental Health Alternatives
– Clubhouses, Support Groups
– State or Local Office of Mental Health
• Ask for referrals to other groups
Welcoming Diverse Perspectives
Be Appealing to All Perspectives
• Emphasize neutrality and diversity in your written
materials and in your opening remarks
• Stress this is not a support group, but a place for
people to brainstorm and share ideas
• Validate every perspective you hear
Welcoming Diverse Perspectives
Day Of Event Tips
• Train facilitators to be neutral and validating
• Make neutrality and diversity a common goal
• Ask participants to set an example of diverse
perspectives collaborating
• Ask participants to assume best intentions
• Ask participants to speak from own experience
• Use time-keeping as a fair way to move forward
Upcoming Webinars
• More webinars may be
scheduled as needed
• To register, and to view
additional training
webinars, visit
www.creatingcommunity
solutions.org/resources
Questions?
Thank You!
Dan Berstein
Founder,
MH Mediate
www.mhmediate.org
[email protected]