Dealing Effectively with Difficult Situations Flashcards
What is denial?
a defense mechanism: People aren’t ready to admit that a problem exists and begin remedying the situation
Why are people in denial?
because there is a new demand on resources
Anger (they’re angry)
They want to minimize the problem (minimization)
What has Dr. R often found in terms people finding out that their child has a problem for the first time?
I am the first one to tell a parent of the problem with the child
They get mad and don’t believe me, but the seed gets planted
When they hear it again and again, they finally believe it
How may family members of patients with a recent neurological insult react?
May refuse to believe that the patient will not return to exactly who she was before
Acceptance of the permanence of the disability—process that unfolds gradually
Describe Resistance
People fear change, are uncertain, or don’t want to take a deeper and more truthful look at themselves or the situation
“We have a problem, but we are a special case”
“I have a problem, but I will overcome it”
Lots of energy into proving professionals are wrong
Describe rejection
Very emphatic form of resistance
Client tells you to your face that you are wrong
Active, expressed unwillingness to agree with clinician
How should we react to someone showing rejection/resistance?
don’t get mad!!
openly acknowledge the situation
“I know you don’t agree with what I said. I totally respect your right to have a different opinion. We can agree to disagree.”
Describe grief
sorrow and depression–loss
death of a dream or expectation
it’s important to allow people to express grief openly
ON EXAM
What helps a lot in the grief process?
acknowledge reality of loss
Don’t try to reassure them that will all be better—don’t rush them through their feelings
Provide Perspective–time will help
What are the 7 stages of grief?
ON EXAM
- Shock and Denial
- Pain and Guilt
- Anger and bargaining
- Depression, loneliness
- upward turn
- Reconstruction and Working it through
- Acceptance
Describe Shock and denial
ON EXAM
Provides emotional protection from being overwhelmed all at once
Describe Pain and Guilt
ON EXAM
Feelings of remorse over what you did or did not do
Describe anger and bargaining
ON EXAM
Why me? “I’ll do ___ if things can just be normal again.”
Describe Depression, Loneliness
ON EXAM
Reality hits—may want to be alone
Describe Upward Turn
ON EXAM
Adjust, life is calmer, more organized
Describe Reconstruction and Working it through
ON EXAM
Practical solutions
Describe Acceptance
ON EXAM
Experiencing joy again
What are feelings of inadequacy?
People feel overwhelmed
Desire to be rescued
What do we need to do when parents/clients are feeling inadequate?
we need to empower clients and families–they make the changes
What are recurrent themes?
areas of particular concern to client
can’t concentrate until these areas are fully resolved
What is overprotection?
individuals are shielded
culturally relative
Confrontation–least effective method
What can we do to help a person who is overprotective?
devise strategies and methods for more independent functioning
Describe Entitlement
People think their own concerns are paramount, world revolves around them
Clinician should drop everything for them
Feel they have certain rights—outraged if these “rights” aren’t responded to immediately
When someone is acting entitled, what can we do in these cases
be firm with boundaries
bear person’s anger and not take it personally
What is intellectualization?
a defense mechanism
Talking from head, not heart
Conceals unresolved feelings of distress and anguish
Person appears very knowledgeable
What can you do when someone is overly verbal?
We can use guggles and interruptions
“I’ll discuss that as soon as I’m finished”
Can use broken record technique
What are the steps to positive coping?
affirmation
integration
Coping (flight/Modification)
Describe affirmation
acknowledge loss
admit the problem
Describe integration
acceptance
get disorder into a life perspective
What is the definition of coping?
response to a difficult life situation that avoids or prevents stress
What are the types of coping?
flight
modification
reframing
Describe flight
remove ourselves from situation
Describe Modification
provide direct intervention that reduces or modifies stress
Describe Reframing
getting person to see things in a different light (this happens after we’ve been sympathetic and we listen)
What did Holland and Nelson 2013 say about positive psychology?
Oriented away from illness and toward wellness
Developing explicit ways to increase resilience and optimism
Help individuals and families to live as successfully as possible despite what has happened
What did Holland and Nelson (2013) say that our goals are when helping clients and families?
grieve what’s been lost
understand what has happened
Develop coping strategies and increase resilience
make peace with disorder
make sensible adaptations to disorder
capitalize on strengths in order to minimize weaknesses
live as fully as possible despite impairment
