Hi all,
Thanks for this Craig, I agree it's important to stay with the small wins, I suppose I was wondering how others did this, or allowed themselves (in my case!) to do this. I'd be interested in hearing how you did it whilst you were still in the NHS. I want to point out, that whilst this is not something that is unbearable, this experience is constantly there (as a helpful reminder to check what I'm doing!) and wondered if I was alone in experiencing this.
I wanted to also share some of the suggestions somebody emailed me in response to my post, and hoped that others could add their strategies too. My hope being that whilst it would be support me (and hopefully others if they experience something similar) it could also provide a space where the listserv becomes something of a supportive space as well as a space to critically evaluate psychological/social/political etc debates and events.
The suggestions (edited) were
- valuing ethical and useful (as opposed to evidence based) practice - is what I am doing ethical and useful as defined by the person/system? Receive peer supervision on this.
- In whose interest is this action/proposal/decision/intervention... Who benefits, defined by whom?
- avoid diagnostic language and disease/deficit discourses - question the use when necessary.
- Find and develop allies and networks to sustain what is essentially resistance to a dominant and overwhelming system...
- find/develop 'detoxifying' activities - teaching on community psychology, service user involvement, volunteering, chatting to allies etc
- question professionals to amplify and make visible disempowering discourse and action - generating some thinking and consideration of alternatives.
- amplify service user perspectives in team environments - highlight strengths and everyday explanations for apparently psychiatric issues
- pick my battles - what am i up against? - one person's prejudice, one team's anxiety, social discourse (the latter is most difficult for me!)
- acceptance of limitations of myself and the system
- let go of some important expectations that i have been given about being a 'good psychologist' - question where these ideas come from and develop a sense of which i agree with and want to keep.
- accept that others think they are doing the best thing for 'patients' - respectfully acknowledge that as leverage to consider alternatives.
I really liked these suggestions and I hope the person who responded doesn't mind the slight edits I have made. It would be great to hear peoples suggestions. I have to admit, my approach tends to be a hell of a lot more confrontational, then realise that it doesn't always work best that way, step back a bit, then go at it again. It's the constant questioning of where my 'moral' compass is that I find at times tiring.
Look forward to hearing back from others
Abdullah
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