[acb-hsp] Working with Learned Helplessness

[J.Rayl]

Learned helplessness is a difficult one--very difficult.  I think Donna has 
a very good approach, however.
It is often difficult to distinguish the difference in learned helplessness 
and cultural, or even other, problems such as mental illness, dependency, 
and manipulation.  However, the long and short of it is, what is Independent 
Living?  It is about teaching people to learn to be as independent and as 
self-sufficient as possible?  If I'm asking clients to do something within 
their ability and possibility of abilities, then no, I"m simply not, as 
Donna stated, doing it for them nor am I feeling guilty or responsible if 
they choose not to do it for themselves.  That's within their goals, and, we 
write it out: client will contact 10 jobs; client will register with Job 
Services, Job online X, Job Y, Job Z, etc. versus Jessie will do this for 
client, Jessie will do that for client.
Now granted, there are things I do for and with the client--and we write 
those in, too.
(My treatment approach is collaborative; collaboratively developed and 
collaboratively done).
.

Jessie Rayl
thedogmom63 at frontier.com
www.facebook.com/Eaglewings10
www.pathtogrowth.org

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Darla Rogers" <djrogers0628 at gmail.com>
To: "'Discussion list for ACB human service professionals'" 
<acb-hsp at acb.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 7:47 PM
Subject: Re: [acb-hsp] Working with Learned Helplessness


Thank you, Donna; this is where I'm going, and if my director gets angry I'm
closing his "pet," he can have her or assign her to a new staff member most
of whom have never heard of the independent living movement.  <giggle>

Warm Regards,
Darla


-----Original Message-----
From: acb-hsp-bounces at acb.org [mailto:acb-hsp-bounces at acb.org] On Behalf Of
Donna
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 4:19 PM
To: Discussion list for ACB human service professionals
Subject: Re: [acb-hsp] Working with Learned Helplessness

Hi Darla,
When I work with consumers like this I remind them of the goals they set at
the beginning of the process and I re-emphasize my role in helping them meet
those goals. If I've made suggestions that will help guide them in
accomplishing those goals and they still refuse to do the leg work or make
negative decisions I back off because they need to learn for themselves at
that point and I do not feel the least bit guilty about their  non-compliant
behavior.  In some cases I've actually refused to provide services until
they decide they are ready to get serious about the goals they said they
wished to accomplish.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Darla Rogers <mailto:djrogers0628 at gmail.com>
To: 'Discussion list for ACB human service professionals'
<mailto:acb-hsp at acb.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2012 10:27 PM
Subject: [acb-hsp] Working with Learned Helplessness


Hi Everyone,



Our center works with a lot of minority consumers who think things
should be "done" for or "to" them, and try as I might, only with some do I
get through to them that this "process", for want of a better word, belongs
to them; I'm merely the facilitator and, of course, if they make a genuine
effort and don't get anywhere, I always stand ready to help, but some will
do nothing unless I do it for them or won't make decisions that would have a
more positive impact on how they live their lives--that's there right under
the independent living model--but I don't feel like I should have to pick of
the pieces for bad decision-making when they have received counsel
otherwise.



Any suggestion on how to work better with them and help them become
real participants in becoming as independent as is possible for them?







Darla J. Rogers

djrogers0628 at gmail.com




________________________________




_______________________________________________
acb-hsp mailing list
acb-hsp at acb.org
http://www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/acb-hsp



_______________________________________________
acb-hsp mailing list
acb-hsp at acb.org
http://www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/acb-hsp