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Message from the Superintendent (March 12, 2007)

“To believe in something and to not live it is to be dishonest” – Mahatma Gandhi

I am occasionally asked, “What is the path of Psychiatric Recovery”? Sometimes, that simple question can cause us an awful lot of wonder. Here is something I would offer;

Although each individual’s recovery path is unique and complex, several recurring themes are:

  1. Clients reclaim hope;
  2. build a positive sense of identity;
  3. distance self from psychiatric labels;
  4. improve in self-managing symptoms;
  5. build strong (often natural) support systems; and
  6. find a sense of meaning and purpose in their life.

We can use this information by making sure as much as possible our therapeutic communications reflect

  1. identifying that the client has the ability to impact their current situation (communicate hope);
  2. recognizes and support their individualization (personal identity);
  3. assist their understanding they are not their diagnosis; (psychiatric labels);
  4. focus on their skills and abilities to behaviorally manage symptoms (symptom management/distress tolerance); and
  5. help identify self selected and valued roles to pursue (meaning and purpose).

Therapeutic relationship, when reinforcing the recovery themes above, can be used to support personal recovery of the clients we serve. I would then ask you to consider your style of communication and see if each interaction you have, can be placed in one or more of the categories of A through E. If consistently your communications, can be easily placed in these categories (A – E), you are expressing great recovery oriented language. If not, try to communicate in a way that expresses these themes and see if it enhances your relationship and the clients since of well being.

As always, thank you for your good work.

David S. Proffitt