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I read through the blogs on this site and I wonder whether recovery is what all practitioners want? I look around at my colleagues, and perhaps in the mirror too, and reflect on what I was told by a the chief exec of a partner agency a long time ago, “The best place to hide a tree is in a forest.”
She was referring to the number of practitioners with mental health issues that are working in mental health and how vigilant we need to be about maintaining boundaries. But in my current mood I wonder if it is just boundaries we need to maintain?
I wonder if we really are as focused about supporting people towards abstinence as we should be. Do practitioners ‘need’ to keep people unhealthy and ‘needy’ to deflect the attention away from their own problems?
A colleague told me about how many of his clients still kept in touch with him and he said this with pride. I told him that he needed to reassess the purpose of that for the clients, as that tells me that he is holding them back (as the service he works for is for chaotic users who are at their most vulnerable) and if they are abstinent then he is part of their past.
And also where is he documenting those conversations? Maybe I am too harsh, but he will be the first person that is upset if he has to answer questions about unprofessional conduct.
Interesting. From an ex-service users perspective I feel that a climate of ‘learned helplessness’ is often fostered in the name of ‘helping’.
Yes, it is more than a little worrying. We must help the little birds to fly the nest, then devote or attention to the next brood!
An acknowledging wave or smile on passing in the street is one thing, but keeping in touch seems a bit creepy!
More than interesting – fundamental.
I think it is easy for professionals to take on the dysfunction of active addiction. Add into this that many professionals aren’t self aware enough to know why they are working in addictions in the first place and you have a situation where clients’ needs may not be met.
All of us in the caring professions need to guard against fostering dependency and living for the gratitude or approval of our clients.
Good regular supervision can help, but not if the whole organisation is dysfunctional or has lost its way. I’ve worked in that sort of place before and it was not good for me.
Nice blog and observations.
In response to Happy Days!
Further in respect to all Practitioners !!
But history confirms they do not believe in recovery for Drug Addicts(UNHAPPY DAYS) they further do not support by way self empowerment ,by way of reduction in mind bending medication.
In light of the historic evidence practitioners are dependent on a host,this repulsive system creates employment in a failed system.
In conclusion practitioners attitudes reflect a system which never had or will advocate “THE MAP IN THE ROAD TO RECOVERY”
