Over the weekend, we watched flood waters tearing through our town. So we called in at the Town Hall that was operating as an evacuation centre to see if we could help. The upshot of this was that we then got to spend an enjoyable evening with a refugee Mum and a delightful 3 year old who had come out shopping 36 hours earlier and still couldn't get home to Grange. They had not had their house destroyed but they were tired and weary and appreciative of some simple home pleasures.
Over the last few days we have heard lots of stories of deeper misery counteracted by people working together to help. However many questions are now being asked about what was really needed to stop the flooding? More flood defences? More climate change action? What actions are really needed? There are no easy answers. Trying to figure out how to respond to a flood is a good metaphor for the starting points of the I Matter Project. In my practice as a Clinical Psychologist I have seen a constant flood of families feeling bewildered in the face of challenging behaviour. 8 month waiting lists have been a common feature of my last 15 years of practice. Many of the families on those lists face very similar challenges. I feel in a small way I have done my best to help. However, so very often it has felt like having a teaspoon under the Niagara Falls. Shifting challenging behaviour or addressing mental health needs doesn't usually happen without some careful upstream thought and planning about the reasons for the flooding. Over the years, after much puzzling about how many complex ideas fitted together, I have come to the view that the brain science allows us to now be fairly clear about what contributes to the current flood of mental health and behavioural difficulties. We can also be quite clear about what is really needed, to make an impact. However because these contributing reasons are nonetheless complex, meaningful action to make a difference requires an upstream thoughtful early intervention rather than a reactive after the event approach. This upstream approach needs however to be based on careful evidence, a planned strategy and teamwork. Tackling this issue has truthfully often seemed a little like being a tiny tug boat trying to shift the titanic or a tiny beaver trying to build a fragile bridge. It has often seemed crazy to even try, unlikely to be successful but nonetheless important to have a go. So I have wrestled and wrestled trying to find ideas, structures and processes that could be capable of enaging people in working together towards the types of upstream changes that in my view are needed. In this journey of trying to discover a meaningful response I went back to my roots as a teacher. Having figured out how the basic psychological ideas could fit together I then realised - to my shock - that I was going to have to learn how to run a business to get the ideas out to others - and without the administrative logistics doing me in! There have been more hurdles and barriers than I ever imagined would be possible. Many will have heard me saying 'I haven't died yet...'. The good news is that things have been moving slowly forward and there is now a manageable plan that my small team and I believe is capable of sharing ideas and engaging people in working together to take useful action Starting in january 2016, there will be a 3 term rolling program in place. My key goal with this process is to see if there could be an alternative approach - and to see whether it is possible to engage adults of all levels of responsibility in taking a look at what they are seeing when they see child mental health needs and challenging behaviour with fresh eyes. The training and process provides a set of self-assessment measures for parents and professional services as well as guidance about the skills that adults must acquire to address these issues, and support and accountability systems to help those who are motivated to work with others to try to get there. I know that changes in challenging behaviour can and do happen through this process. However there are no quick fixes. Adults have to commit to the inner and outer work involved and finding ways to build engagement and persistence really matter. The very good news about the I Matter approach is that a synthesis of all the evidence strongly recommends that one of the first key steps involved in bringing about these shifts in challenging behaviour involves taking care of YOU - and investing in the development of your own understanding and leadership skills first (Hence 'I Matter'). Hooray! So this is a win-win approach. You get to learn lots of really interesting and useful things on the way. I certainly have had a lot of fun alongside the challenges, along the way. Our key steps are as follows: Step 1: An I Matter Q - a reflective questionnaire that will get you thinking Step 2: Foundation Course Level 1 A and Level 1 B Step 3: Intermediate Course Level 1 A and Level 1 B Advanced courses and practitioner training. These three steps are preceeded by some Taster Email Courses including the Five Steps to Success and the I Matter Essentials Course. PPS: If you want to take a look at the courses available click here
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The summer term is starting already and things are moving forward at a steady pace.
Successes since the March newsletter: 1. The Intermediate class has been successfully trialled! 2. The Research Circle has been progressing well with different schools pursuing varied directions - as off -shoots to our exploration of the missing issue of child development and the question of how to engage parents. 3. There are now 3 schools who are members of the I Matter Project with exclusive access to the ever-growing range of I Matter practice tools. 4. The I Matter Project will have a new administrative base starting this week and a new administrator. 5. We have also just finished a very successful trial of an online group coaching tool. Watch this space! Do get in touch if you would like to take part in an online class! It's not too late for the summer term! It's been a busy and exciting month! And it looks as if next month is going to be busy and exciting too. One of the most important ideas that I have learned in the process of developing the I Matter Project, is that whatever the issue, it is important to get REALLY clear about what you want most. Then it is best to write these wants down so that you can come back to review your wants regularly to see if any adjustments are needed. You then have to head off in the direction of your wants knowing that some of what you want may not happen straight away. I started this process several years back and this month I realised that a good number of those hopes and dreams have actually started to materialise. I have finally replaced my own confusion with a lot more clarity (this was one of my top wants!) People are enjoying and valuing the training I am offering. I am working with some very interesting and very committed people. It looks as if I have found a perfect place for an administrative base and the business management side of things is finally beginning to make more sense to me. I love getting what I want! This coming week I will meet with the 7 other members of the I Matter Action Research Group - to continue to explore our findings about the impact of a gap between developmental and chronological age on mental health and educational outcomes. We are looking at the nitty gritty details of child development and I am looking forward to sharing some fascinating video clips about joint attention in typical babies and in complex children. It is a real pleasure to work with people who are interested in such matters. On Friday I have been asked to speak about the I Matter Project at a conference organised by Adoption Matters NW and Caritas Care entitled What does Excellence in Post-Adoption Support look Like?. I feel really energised by this work and it has been a privilege to work with the professionals and the adoptive families who are involved. Another big excitement this month has been drawing together the outline of an I Matter Certification Scheme for Individuals and Schools and Organisations. It seems absurdly grandiose to set out such a scheme (who am I to do this?), but the truth is I do feel passionately that our schools and organisations are significantly blinded/off track when it comes to child development and parenting confidence - to the severe disadvantage of children and families who are already disadvantaged. So it feels good to be able to act on the issues I feel strongly about - especially when the theoretical base is now so persuasive. I will also soon be taking on an administrator and taking enrolments for the Foundation courses that start after the Easter break. So two things to think about i) What do YOU want most? And what small steps are you taking in that direction? ii) Do you know anyone who could be interested in I Matter Training? If so, please pass these details onto them. Thank you! Cathy |
Dr Cathy BetoinClinical Psychologist, Teacher and Parent - and social entrepreneur Archives
July 2019
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