Precisely my point Doug ;-)
Sent from Samsung Mobile -------- Original message -------- From: doug via OSList <[email protected]> Date: 2014/10/05 19:24 (GMT+00:00) To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [OSList] Opening space with people with psychiatric disorders Aren't those who work in the institutions we call organizations institutionalized? :- Doug. Germann On 10/05/2014 08:47 AM, Anne Bennett via OSList wrote: > Hi Christine > > I have worked in nominally 'mental health' areas for many years. > Designing a range of events for various purposes, I found a few things > of interest - > > 1. Practical things first - resist the 'over helping', restrain the > enthusiasms of the 'helpful' and minimise the special attention to those > perceived to have special challenges - often they don't - make general > arrangements for supportive/relaxed/unimposing spaces [chilled zones, > obvious exits]. The more 'we' think 'they' need special help, the more > this may become true, and equally denies the truth that 'who doesnt need > this help?' Although once there were 'criminally insane' prisoners in an > event, hand-cuffed to their forensic health care workers, their inputs > and engagements were as sane and probably the most relevant of any. The > notion of individuals making their own decisions to join/leave groups > and manage their own time, communication and activity is a challenge for > the institutionalised - how many organisations are free of such > behavioural effects? Your art of facilitation (calm liberation of the > space, gentle encouragement, presence) is the main thing to bring on the > day. > > 2. Subtler observations I would share: > - the 'norms' (people who are 'us' not 'them') bring a looooot of > baggage to the thing - the psychodynamicals among us can have a field > day with the introjections etc etc; > - specifically the psychiatrically credentialled professionals have the > most difficulty of any specific group I have ever met (including the > heads of state, monks, prisoners, scientists, artists, asylum seekers > and homeless) to get involved at the EQ level with anyone else in the > room - a day or so in and a few are communicating almost like humans; > - mental health labels can be applied to most of us some of the time - > serious (in terms of lifestyle-impacting), chronic or acute psychiatric > disorders can mean some people have altered realities some or most of > the time, and/or be chemically suppressed. This brings versions of > contribution that add to the diverse mix that we can experience in any > group. The principles of OST are among the most sense-making for such > diversity and one is reminded anew of how universally helpful it is to > stay mindful of these qualities of human society. > > So I guess the intentions of your planners are nice, the time element is > a red herring, and the perceptions of who is 'included' and how this is > achieved may require something quite other than what might be going on > or proposed > > In friendship > Anne > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > *From:* christine koehler via OSList <[email protected]> > *To:* OSLIST <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Sunday, 5 October 2014, 7:18 > *Subject:* [OSList] Opening space with people with psychiatric disorders > > Hi everyone, > > > I would like to know if you have experienced an open space (circa > 150 people) in which people with psychiatric disorders are among the > participants. > How did it go ? How did you prepare it ? > > I am asking because during pre-work of an open space, the topic came > out, as one of the organizer is working with them in order to help > them be included in the society as any other citizen. > > Of course I understand the idea and I second it, but I wonder how to > prepare it (and if we have enough time for that...) > > > Christine > -- > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > _______________________________________________ OSList mailing list To post send emails to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
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