What We Say: Creating a Context that Maximizes Human Potential is proudly presented to you by CEQ Alliance Behavioral Healthcare Academy. Thank you. We hope that you enjoy your course.
What words should we use when we are talking to or about other people, particularly when talking to or about individuals who are struggling with mental health concerns? There are many terms (i.e. Person Centered, Strength Based, Person-First, Recovery Oriented, etc.) that aim to help us “be appropriate.” Each of these terms capture important elements of interaction, such as seeing a person before the illness, being more “respectful” in what we say, or saying things that demonstrate a commitment to people with disability. However, rather than understanding these elements more deeply, and how to use language to create a context that maximizes human potential, we are often taught to simply use certain words and avoid others. Without the bigger picture, this approach can instead create context of isolation or separation, a personal and powerful experience of “We are healthy, They are sick” OR for the person, “I am broken, You are not broken”, “You are not Me” “I am not You”.Language is more than letters, sounds, words, sentences, or meaning. Language and words create a unique and personal human experience that involves thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and behavioral urges. Language can set a context for us to feel limited in all that we can do OR a context where we can stretch out; aware that we can choose and have what we value most in life.This presentation goes beyond simply using different words. Instead, the aim is to better understand the nature of language, and specifically, how language can be used to create a context that supports choosing and having the things we value most in life.