Childrens Mental Health Awareness: Creating Resilience Informed - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Children’s Mental Health Awareness: Creating Resilience Informed Service Environments

PRESENTER: JAMES RODRIGUEZ, PHD, LCSW

Definition

• Resilience. A dynamic process reflecting positive

adjustment despite significant risk or adversity

(Luthar & Zigler, 1991; Garmezy, 1971; Rutter, 1987)

• Resilience in the context of Mental Health Services

is an outcome.

Resilience

Resilience

Individual Strengths (Assets)

Significant

• thers

(Resources)

Systems and Culture (Resources)

Resilience Informed Service Environments

Six Practice Clusters

• 1. Promoting Emotional Safety
• 2. Restoring Choice and Control
• 3. Facilitating Connection
• 4. Supporting Coping
• 5. Responding to Identity and Context
• 6. Building Strengths

Source: Wilson, Fauci and Goodman, 2015

Promoting Safety

Goal/Objective: Create a psychologically safe environment for service recipients Rationale: People exposed to trauma and chronic stress are often self- critical, self-blaming and may feel threatened by judgment and criticism Emotional Safety  Avoid embarrassing/shaming  Give accepting messages Use respectful language  Calm tones  Choice of words  People first language Provide safety measures  SUDS Ratings  Safe or Happy place

Gentle /Non-Judgmental Questioning  Altering questions upon intake  Open-ended question  Take frequent breaks

Choice and Control

Goal/Objective: Provide opportunities for people to tell their stories Rationale: Healing from exposure to trauma and chronic stress starts with talking about it.

 Provide appropriate space/time  Provide choice to share**  Pace conversations  Offer non-threatening alternatives to talking

Choice and Control

Goal/Objective: Provide opportunities for people to shape the focus of their work to influence program services Rationale: People exposed to trauma and adversity may feel little control over their thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

 Emphasize shared interactions  Be willing to learn from children  Respect person expertise  Remember: People have learned  Support stated needs  Offer services outside the box  Start w/ small easy choices  Organized listening sessions or town halls with parents  Anonymous surveys in the waiting area  Program meetings for recipients

Facilitating Connections

Goal/Objective: Support parenting relationships. Rationale: Trauma can be intergenerational and TIC is an

• pportunity to “break the cycle”

 Psychoed on child trauma  Psychoed on vicarious trauma  Psychoed on intergenerational/ historical trauma  Components of TF-CBT  Promote positive parenting (e.g. PCIT and others)  Connecting parents with community resources  Group interventions for childhood trauma (e.g. CBITS)

Support Coping

Goal/Objective: Support people’s in strengthening and developing coping strategies Rationale: People exposed to trauma and chronic stress have strengths that can be built upon

 Consider EBPs (TF-CBT)  Strengthen coping skills  Help participants recognize triggers  Relaxation and breathing  Positive or fair thoughts  Containment skills  Connecting with trusted others  Message that “healing is possible”  Metaphors promote acceptance  Church/Temple/Synagogue  Religiosity/Spirituality  Quotes/poems/affirmations  Diet and healthy eating habits  Exercise  Smiling and positive thoughts  Support holistic healing

Responding to Identity and Context

Goal/Objective: The physical space and services are inclusive and welcoming to people of all backgrounds. Rationale: People from marginalized groups often feel that services do not cater to them

 Written materials representative of peoples served  Reading materials representative of people served  Décor (e.g. posters, furnishings) representative of people served  People can communicate in their language  Avoid jargon, abbreviations and acronyms in communication  Access to interpreters  Staff reflect the diversity of the people served.

Responding to Identity and Context

Goal/Objective: Practitioners and providers engage in critical self-awareness and knowledge building Rationale: Research indicates that many practitioners feel unprepared to provide culturally competent care

 Staff explore own biases  Thoughts feelings and behaviors  Identify assumptions/prejudices  Staff acquire knowledge  Learn personal from individual  Learn of group on your own  Learn from the community  Understand community differences

Building Strengths

Goal/Objective: Staff recognize and value strength Rationale: People exposed to trauma and chronic stress have strengths that may not be recognized

 Ask: What has helped in the past?  How have you made it (this far)?  How have you coped in the past?  How have you managed emotions?  Who do you feel safe with?  How have you kept yourself safe?

Thank You

JAMES RODRIGUEZ JR4139@NYU.EDU