Strengths based

Read more about the article Discovering Mister Rogers
Life Changes After Brain Injury / Strengths based

Discovering Mister Rogers

Years ago I discovered I am a happier being if I don’t watch or listen to the news. Events and news frequently filters through through despite my efforts. Sometimes as a balance to all the woeful news it is good to be reminded of the wonderful side of human beans. My reminder this week came when  I saw on an article on Atlas Obscura entitled “The Grave of Mister Rogers”.   It reminded me I had discovered some of the wonderful things Mister Rogers had said and saved it for an article ‘one day’.  This week seems a good time, and today is that ‘one day’. What’s all this got to do with brain injury.  Nothing specifically - yet a lot really. Many of the quotes I have read describe empathy, compassion, tolerance, acceptance, being non-judgemental.  All attributes which would serve us well - brain injury or not. Confession – until stumbling across the articles a few years ago I had not…

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June 14, 2016
Read more about the article Creating a Mask: Soldiers, Trauma and Brain Injury
Mask-making Soldiers Trauma and Brain Injury
Strategies Approaches and Support / Strengths based

Creating a Mask: Soldiers, Trauma and Brain Injury

Masks have been used in many cultures and throughout history for protection, theatre, disguise. This is about soldiers creating art - masks - to help understand their trauma and brain injury.   I do not quite know how to describe the moment I opened the envelope and saw “Healing Soldiers” the cover of the February 2015 National Geographic magazine. It was a moment that stopped me, taking my breath away. A posed photograph of a USA Marine Gunnery Sergeant in full uniform: standing, holding a mask he had created after his own trauma and brain injury. A powerful article on using creativity, art, and the impact it is having on trauma and brain injury in soldiers. It is powerful, positive, touching, sad, creative ... I could go on.   I encourage you to explore the article for yourself:   [button link="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/healing-soldiers/index.html" size="large" style="info" color="silver" window="yes"]Behind the Mask: Revealing the Trauma of War[/button]   Creating Masks - More About Soldiers With Trauma and Brain…

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February 18, 2015
Read more about the article 5 Column Approach : A Tool for Strength Based Work
Strategies Approaches and Support / Strengths based

5 Column Approach : A Tool for Strength Based Work

We do better when we build from what we do well. We do better when we work from our strengths. We mostly know this about ourselves, but how do we put it into practice? Working from a strengths based approach does not always come easily and naturally to everyone, yet it can be life changing for both the facilitator and the person being assisted. One of the  tools I have found helpful is the 5 Column approach. Developed by St Lukes  I have found it an effective tool to guide and assist myself, and others to identify steps for change. For more about the strengths approach I recommend a book I have found very useful: “The Strengths Approach: a strengths-based resource for sharing power and creating change” by Wayne McCashen.  Along with information on developing and working from a strengths based approach in a very practical way, it also contains an explanation with examples of the 5 column approach in action. While…

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November 5, 2014
Strategies Approaches and Support / Strengths based

50 First Strength Based Questions

You want to use a strengths based approach, but where do you start? What does it mean in real life? How do you ask strengths based questions to identify and understand your own, or another person’s strengths? Do you find you a strengths approach comes naturally to you? Or have you found it difficult? We are often more used to looking for problems, rather than looking at what is working. Looking at what is going wrong, rather than what’s going right. Giving solutions instead of looking at what can be built on; finding out what solutions and resources a person, or group already has. It seems even our brain may be programmed to catastrophise as a first response. Looking at the worst case, imagining what might go wrong. I am definitely a “catastrophiser” (I made that up so don’t worry about looking for a definition). A strengths approach and strength based questions still do not come naturally. It is still practice, practice,…

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October 8, 2013