[OSList] Opening space with people with psychiatric disorders

[doug via OSList]

;)


On 10/05/2014 04:08 PM, anne.bennett8ac wrote:
> Precisely my point Doug
>   ;-)
>
>
> Sent from Samsung Mobile
>
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: doug via OSList <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
> Date: 2014/10/05 19:24 (GMT+00:00)
> To: oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
> 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 <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
>  >     *To:* OSLIST <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
>  >     *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
>  >     --
>  >
>  >
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