Meeting-The-Challenge-Making-a-Difference-Practitioner-Guide

CHECK OUT YOUR TEAM
– HOW GOOD IS YOUR
TEAM AT:
Recognising
Assessing the situation
thoroughly; listening to
what is said, what is
communicated through
action, and the hidden
messages about how
someone feels that may
not be put into words;
attending to detail; seeing
the bigger picture (not just
the service user’s difficulties
but also their strengths as
well as their family, friends,
carers, dependent children).
Taking in and making sense
Discussing, reflecting, trying
to understand complex and
sometimes confusing or
contradictory information,
considering alternative
courses of action.
Deciding how to respond
Being clear among
yourselves and with the
service user and other
involved agencies about a
recommended course of
action; recording and
communicating the plan
taking into account
confidentiality and the
service user’s wishes, as
well as who needs to know.
Developing your capacity to work with
people with personality disorders
The qualities a worker needs, in order to work effectively in human
services, are rarely routinely developed in professional training ; for
example, trainings for many roles and professions are aimed at
‘what to do’, but not ‘how to be’. Yet it is this ‘how to be’ that is so
important to the service user, and ultimately to the work which
the worker is able to carry out. Of course, the training in ‘what to
do’, is important but how that is used will depend on the unique
personality of the worker. Working with people with personality
disorder does not suit everyone. Some people feel more at home
working with those who have different types of problems.
Some of the qualities which are useful for someone working in
the field of personality disorder:
• A strong enough sense of your own self.
• Sufficient interest in and curiosity about others.
• Ability to show compassion – empathy and kindness,without obligation.
• Appreciation of the complexity of human beings.
• Flexibility in relating to others.
• The capacity to bounce-back from difficulties.
• Clarity about boundaries and limits.
• The ability to be responsive without being reactive – taking personal
comments seriously, without getting personal in response.
• Ability to learn from experience, and to bear making mistakes.
• Ability to be connected to someone but separate, so that you do
not intrude on them, nor let them intrude inappropriately on you.
These qualities come and go in daily life: under conditions of stress
or anxiety, people fall back on more inflexible ways of operating,
and seek to push away discomfort and threats (and, sometimes,
responsibility too) by looking for simple solutions. It is useful,
therefore, to think in terms of people being in different states of
mind – one like the state which allows for the qualities listed
above, and a second state which is characterised by the more
inflexible way of being, in response to stress or anxiety.
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