Dina Burstein, 8/31/20, positiveexperience.org/blog
How can providers translate HOPE into action? Faced with the multiple demands and increasing accountability of every aspect of the encounter, where does an assessment of assets fit in?
To answer that question, we take a step back and remember the dynamics of an initial encounter. Patients/clients approach their first meeting with a new provider nervously: will this new person judge me? Do I really need or want what they have to offer? For their part, providers generally want the visit to go well and face the task of getting enough information to begin to develop a plan.
This group of three short videos provides an example of how HOPE offers a shift in mindset that supports the initial encounter, emphasizing the importance of seeking out the strengths in the people who come for help. When we only screen for problems, we miss out on obtaining critical information about a person. In doing so, providers can make a person feel labelled as damaged or risk blaming an individual for community or societal problems without seeing their strength and resilience. People are not a list of problems that need to be solved. Every one of us brings inherent strengths and a history of positive experiences.
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