I recently attended a workshop on Intentional Peer Support. A thumbnail sketch; this is an active and growing formal approach where individuals in recovery from mental health issues and substance abuse use there lived experience in their work with people with mental health issues and substance abuse issues. This peer support has been alive and growing for many years in the field of addictions, such as with Alcoholics Anonymous, which relies solely on peer support, help from other alcoholics.
So, in this training, I learned one of the key concepts that interferes with Intentional Peer Support is the “I’m here to help” attitude. This is often my approach, my world view. Uh oh. I even said out loud, just moments before this training “How can I help?” I am intrigued to hear more about the error of my ways.
The presenters went on to talk about this concept. Coming into the situation with the frame of mind “I’m here to help” assumes the individual needs your help, is broken, assumes that you are the “expert”, the “fixer”. I never really thought of it like that. But, I can see this perspective. And as I continue on my journey to understand, this perspective is worth considering.
My jump in there attitude could be perceived as making an assumption about the person or situation before me, an assumption of the individual not being able to do for themselves. One of the trainers said the following:
“Have faith in people’s abilities to solve their own problems.”
Wow. My wanting to help others can actually be seen as an assumption by me that the individual cannot do it on their own. Now, this is a new way of looking at things for me.
As part of my one word journey to understand, others, myself, new perspectives, this one really has me thinking. But, there must be a happy medium. Are all offers of help and support necessarily me assuming , wether subconsciously or otherwise, that the other needs me, that I am the expert, that they cannot do this on there own? I don’t think it can be so all or nothing, or “either or”. I must look into this further. I will reach for the shades of gray, I will look to find the “both and” point of view for this. My world view of wanting to help is now under the microscope, and definitely deserves more consideration.
myonewordjourney 