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Working with people who have mental illnesses

If you are working with people who have mental illnesses this is what you need to know:

• You will need to support them by focusing on their strengths – personality, education, work and leisure
• Judge them on their successes
• Use the language of hope
• Understand that recovery is an individual process
• Help them to develop connections in the community and natural supports
• Help with basic needs – Centrelink, finances, food, housing and employment
• Help facilitate leisure activities and hobbies
• Know about community services
• Assist with medical or physical issues
• Ensure that people have self-defined goals and aspirations
• Link with peers
• Be sensitive to diversity – culture, sexuality, ethnicity, lifestyle
• Be consumer directed – refer to successful role models
• Avoid the professional knows best attitude and relate to people as equals
• Ensure person centred planning
• Understand that medication is only one tool in the tool kit
• Utilise peer support
• Use prevention strategies
• Avoiding discriminatory language and labels
• Confront your own personal prejudices
• Support people to advocate for themselves
• Respect people’s choices