What Helps Families Create Sustained Change? [4 Films, 8’26”]
In response to Wulf’s question, Rhoda Emlyn-Jones replies: ‘One of the big things that makes such a big difference is having an approach that is inclusive. That includes the person, the network, the family.’ She points out that our personal wellbeing is tied up with our sense of belonging, with who is around us, and being loved and loving others.
Rhoda goes to emphasise the importance of having really skilled staff who understand the psychology of the above. That doesn’t mean them being trained in anything in particular, it means just being open to the above concepts. They need to be comfortable with their conversational skills and be able to empathise with people. ‘Understanding everybody’s perspectives, with empathy, builds the capacity for change.’
Rhoda emphasise the importance of learning and changing in helping families undergoing sustained change. ‘Healthy organisations, healthy public services, should be learning and changing all the time.’
Community plays a significant role, says Rhoda, but it must be something that you are invited into, not ordered to attend.
Wulf makes a key point. The outcome is not the stopping of using drugs or drinking. When talking to people trying to overcome their substance use problems, he often hears statements as basic as, ‘ I’m just wanting to sit around the table and have dinner with my mum again.’ Stopping using drugs and alcohol is part of the journey, but it’s not the end goal.
You might also like to check the two other of Rhoda’s Theme films I have recently added to our Theme page: