<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></head><body ><div>Precisely my point Doug</div><div> ;-)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div style="font-size:75%;color:#575757">Sent from Samsung Mobile</div></div><br><br><br>-------- Original message --------<br>From: doug via OSList <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> <br>Date: 2014/10/05 19:24 (GMT+00:00) <br>To: oslist@lists.openspacetech.org <br>Subject: Re: [OSList] Opening space with people with psychiatric disorders <br> <br><br>Aren't those who work in the institutions we call organizations <br>institutionalized?<br><br> :- Doug. Germann<br><br><br><br>On 10/05/2014 08:47 AM, Anne Bennett via OSList wrote:<br>> Hi Christine<br>><br>> I have worked in nominally 'mental health' areas for many years.<br>> Designing a range of events for various purposes, I found a few things<br>> of interest -<br>><br>> 1. Practical things first - resist the 'over helping', restrain the<br>> enthusiasms of the 'helpful' and minimise the special attention to those<br>> perceived to have special challenges - often they don't - make general<br>> arrangements for supportive/relaxed/unimposing spaces [chilled zones,<br>> obvious exits]. The more 'we' think 'they' need special help, the more<br>> this may become true, and equally denies the truth that 'who doesnt need<br>> this help?' Although once there were 'criminally insane' prisoners in an<br>> event, hand-cuffed to their forensic health care workers, their inputs<br>> and engagements were as sane and probably the most relevant of any. The<br>> notion of individuals making their own decisions to join/leave groups<br>> and manage their own time, communication and activity is a challenge for<br>> the institutionalised - how many organisations are free of such<br>> behavioural effects? Your art of facilitation (calm liberation of the<br>> space, gentle encouragement, presence) is the main thing to bring on the<br>> day.<br>><br>> 2. Subtler observations I would share:<br>> - the 'norms' (people who are 'us' not 'them') bring a looooot of<br>> baggage to the thing - the psychodynamicals among us can have a field<br>> day with the introjections etc etc;<br>> - specifically the psychiatrically credentialled professionals have the<br>> most difficulty of any specific group I have ever met (including the<br>> heads of state, monks, prisoners, scientists, artists, asylum seekers<br>> and homeless) to get involved at the EQ level with anyone else in the<br>> room - a day or so in and a few are communicating almost like humans;<br>> - mental health labels can be applied to most of us some of the time -<br>> serious (in terms of lifestyle-impacting), chronic or acute psychiatric<br>> disorders can mean some people have altered realities some or most of<br>> the time, and/or be chemically suppressed. This brings versions of<br>> contribution that add to the diverse mix that we can experience in any<br>> group. The principles of OST are among the most sense-making for such<br>> diversity and one is reminded anew of how universally helpful it is to<br>> stay mindful of these qualities of human society.<br>><br>> So I guess the intentions of your planners are nice, the time element is<br>> a red herring, and the perceptions of who is 'included' and how this is<br>> achieved may require something quite other than what might be going on<br>> or proposed<br>><br>> In friendship<br>> Anne<br>><br>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>> *From:* christine koehler via OSList <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org><br>> *To:* OSLIST <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org><br>> *Sent:* Sunday, 5 October 2014, 7:18<br>> *Subject:* [OSList] Opening space with people with psychiatric disorders<br>><br>> Hi everyone,<br>><br>><br>> I would like to know if you have experienced an open space (circa<br>> 150 people) in which people with psychiatric disorders are among the<br>> participants.<br>> How did it go ? How did you prepare it ?<br>><br>> I am asking because during pre-work of an open space, the topic came<br>> out, as one of the organizer is working with them in order to help<br>> them be included in the society as any other citizen.<br>><br>> Of course I understand the idea and I second it, but I wonder how to<br>> prepare it (and if we have enough time for that...)<br>><br>><br>> Christine<br>> --<br>><br>><br>> _______________________________________________<br>> OSList mailing list<br>> To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org<br>> <mailto:OSList@lists.openspacetech.org><br>> To unsubscribe send an email to OSList-leave@lists.openspacetech.org<br>> <mailto:OSList-leave@lists.openspacetech.org><br>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:<br>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org<br>><br>><br>><br>><br>> _______________________________________________<br>> OSList mailing list<br>> To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org<br>> To unsubscribe send an email to OSList-leave@lists.openspacetech.org<br>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:<br>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org<br>><br>_______________________________________________<br>OSList mailing list<br>To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org<br>To unsubscribe send an email to OSList-leave@lists.openspacetech.org<br>To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:<br>http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org<br></body>