mental health for non professionals

8/3/2019 Mental Health for Non Professionals

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Mental Health Aspects for Non-

Mental Health Professionals

Sherri Cawn

Mona DelahookeDIR Summer Institute 2009Asilomar, California


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Front Line Interventionists

Deal with a variety of emotions held by thefamily: the identified patient, the parents, theextended family

Are exposed to a variety of emotional contentheld by the individuals on the entire team,especially when roadblocks occur

Listening, observing, reflecting, calling a teammeeting, and knowing when to refer or call forhelp become important strategies


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All interventions have potential mental healthimplications for the caregiver, the child or both.

For example, one question to ask ourselves is:

Is this statement/intervention being made tomake myself feel better, or is it instructive to thefamily? (Example of self disclosure)

What are the ramifications of this decision to theother members of the team? (potential forsplitting)


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Team Members

As early interventionists we are witnesses to afamilys emotional journey as they process what

it means to have a child with special needs

We will witness a wide range of emotions, andeach family will be unique

Denial, anxiety, trauma, depression, activation ofunconscious material, are some of the issuesparents and caregivers will face


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In-home Interventionists

In home interventionists are truly on thefront line and witness the familys dailyprocess

Floortime interventionists are often askedto advise, predict, soothe, or answerquestions outside of their specialty.

We need to be aware of our own process,emotional reactions and boundaries. (giveexamples of boundary violations)


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Your (non-mh) discipline will not shield youfrom mental health issues in the DIRmodel ! We are an interdisciplinary model.

Understanding boundary issues isextremely important for all treatmentproviders.


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Understanding our Impact

Floortime interventionists are often askedto advise, and answer questions on the

spot Can have profound MH implications

If the question is outside of your comfortzone, when in doubt, dont answer aclinical question directly until you have

time to reflect on it with the team or inconsultation with your supervisor


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When in Doubt

Resist giving advice right away

Reflect the question back to the caregiver

Validate the need to know Buy some time

Check with the team

Bring it to reflective supervision, or if thequestion is urgent, call the family later


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Practice Suggestions for Non-Mental Health Professionals

From Foley and Hochman,(2006) MentalHealth in Early Intervention.

Optimal Distance

Make No Assumptions

Begin Where the Family Is

Properly Share Information Understand Relationship Boundaries


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Strategies

Have a regularly scheduled team meeting todiscuss childs progress and team functioning

Have regularly scheduled reflective supervision

for each family and child served Leave ample time between home visits to take

notes, process your own reactions, and rest

Remain mindful of the stress inherent in this job Develop personal self regulation strategies

take care of yourself!

mental health for non professionals

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