Quote:
Originally Posted by instantneedles
I work with vulnerable populations all the time, and as a healthcare professional we oftentimes help too much without knowing it. I think it should be more about empowering them to help themselves. If they're not willing to change themselves it's hard for someone on the outside to do anything.
When you can show to them that change is possible, that they can get themselves out of a bad situation, they're more likely to act.
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First of all, I truly commend you for doing what you do - it isn't easy and definitely a very tough job mentally. I understand the principle behind this and agree that in order for us to "disassociate" ourselves from work when we're not working, we have to wait for them.
We can provide them our encouragement, support, and everything else but the moment they step back into the real world (ie. their violent partners, non-existent close supports, their tent home...) it's likely they'll seek to escape again. I guess I've been feeling really hopeless about the situation as a whole and how the government has yet to come up with an approach where we meet vulnerable folks where THEY'RE at as opposed to them meeting us at our expectations of "when they're ready". Nobody wakes up thinking about using substances for fun...rather, they wake up with pain and suffering from their past and present traumas. It's almost impossible to support their psychological needs if we've yet to resolve their basic hierarchy of needs though. What are your thoughts?
Despite what's been going on since the 1960s, I'm so happy to be working with other like-minded colleagues, and knowing that everyone else in this line of work is such wonderful people and truly want the best for the less fortunate folks.