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This guide highlights the essential skills and attitudes needed for professionals working with mental health service users. It emphasizes viewing individuals holistically rather than through their diagnosis, and the importance of partnership in fostering empowerment. Key skills include active listening, empathy, self-awareness, and the ability to communicate effectively. Professionals are encouraged to recognize their own biases and maintain a work-life balance to manage emotional involvement. The ultimate goal is to support users in achieving their maximum mental well-being and self-worth.
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Working with ‘Experts by Experience’ Skills and attitudes needed to work effectively with users of mental health services
A person not a diagnosis • First: Look at the person as a person • Then: Look at how the mental health issue is affecting his or her ability to function effectively
Ability not to make assumptions • “This person is bipolar so they will spend money recklessly” • “This person is a paranoid schizophrenic so they will think everyone is out to get them” • “This person is psychotic so is probably violent”
SKILLs - communication / self awareness • Be aware of own biases • Be aware of own values • Try to work in partnership - work with service users rather than doing to • Car Park Game?
EMpowerment Suggested definition: Working in partnership with a user of mental health services to enable that person to achieve their maximum mental wellbeing
EMpowerment includes: • Working with someone so that he or she takes calculated risks- so difficult to move from the lower end of the mental health continuum • Enabling someone to become motivated and to actually do something they didn’t believe they were capable of • Enabling someone to gain or regain a feeling of self worth
COMMUNICATION / ASSESSMENT / reflection • Need to know what you need to know – active listening skills to gather relevant information • Don’t jump in too soon: Listen: Reflect: Analyse: Act • Know how to use professional authority to empower, not disempower • Be prepared to relinquish professional power to empower service user – how?
When in conversation with someone with mental health problems • Try to see things from their perspective (empathy) • Use active listening skills to communicate effectively • Show respect for their viewpoint • Be non-judgemental • Don’t take things personally
Taking the concept of Empathy to a whole new level • Engaging effectively-being interested in the other person and not half-hearted • Being respectful and non-judgmental • Identifying and understanding the other person’s perspective and emotions and conveying to the person that you do understand • Not getting over-involved emotionally – so remaining clear sighted and not wearing yourself out • Being empathic not sympathetic – don’t take on their distress as though it belongs to you
SELF-CARE AND SELF-MANAGEMENT • Look after yourself – don’t get too emotionally involved or take another person’s problems home with you • Work / Life Balance important to function effectively • Be aware that from day to day, week to week the person you are working with may be at a different point on the mental health continuum – but also that you might be at a different point yourself
